Ouch. How’s that for a smattering of blunt truth!? “Everyone faces defeat” felt really harsh when I read this. It’s just so ruthless and depressing in many ways. Without the next portion of Napoleon’s statement it could easily be the most painful three words I’ve ever read. But that’s why I love that he follows it with a blast of HOPE. Let’s be real, he’s right. Everyone faces defeat. Throughout life we can face defeat after defeat which could leave us hurt, jaded, and broken. Or we can use the defeats as stepping stones to better things. Use the experience to gain wisdom about better choices for the next situation we face. Focus on what went RIGHT even though the defeat happened. Taking the time to examine ourselves and the process that led to the defeat will give us a strong foundation moving forward. And that’s what life is all about, moving forward no matter what the past holds. Defeat comes but it doesn’t stay. Face defeat head on and you’ll conquer it every single time!

Sarah Deats

Sarah Deats is a Behavioral Health Technician at RI International and the Hope Inc. Stories Inspiration Engineer.