We become wiser by adversity; prosperity destroys our appreciation of the right.

We become wiser by adversity; prosperity destroys our appreciation of the right. – Seneca

In times of prosperity, it is funny. In times of adversity, would you have lost it in the first place?

What does that mean?
This is an interesting viewpoint, one which probably isn’t immediately apparent to most of us. The quote states that in adversity, we gain wisdom more readily than in times of prosperity. I believe that this is true, because when times are tough, you have to learn from your mistakes, so that you quite wasting time, effort, and/or money.

When we are in times of prosperity, it’s easy to say “So what?” when something goes wrong. There isn’t as large a scarcity of resources when one is in a period of prosperity. The loss isn’t that significant, because it’s easy to get more. Therefore the pressure to learn is not as great.

Since the world seems to be easing out of a period of prosperity and into an adverse period, it would be a good time to look into this quote, and try to find ways to apply it to our own lives. It doesn’t cost to much to take a few moments and think through this, right?

Why is wisdom necessary in adverse conditions?  
If you were down to your last ten dollars and someone tried to talk you into “investing” the money in something, you are going to be a bit more cautious than if you had a couple hundred dollars in your pocket, right? That is what adversity teaches us that prosperity fails to do.

When you can’t afford to lose any more, you have to pay attention both before and after your action. You have to carefully analyze what the possible risks and rewards are before you make your move. You then have to carefully analyze what happened, so you can either do it again, or avoid doing it, or anything like it, ever again.

Wisdom comes quickly in adversity, and that is the reason why. You cannot afford to be missing meals on a regular basis in lean times. You have to learn from your actions, and do better the next time. If you do it wrong too many times, there may not be a next time.

Where can I apply this in my life?
How tough are times for you at the moment? Some parts of the world are doing fairly well, and other parts are already in very rough shape. They already have experienced the impact of this quote, even if they weren’t familiar the actual quote.

I hope that’s not your situation, but preparing for the worst while working towards the best outcome is, in my opinion, a very bright idea. Even if you aren’t too bad off, are you prepared in case things get worse? It might be worth a bit of your time and effort to consider the possibilities.

While I have a job now, there is a very real chance I will lose it in just a few short months, in the best case, and before the end of the year in the worst case. I will have been employed for less than a year in either case, and spent the prior year and a half (roughly) without a job.

I haven’t had time to completely catch back up on bills, much less lay some cash away. So I am already being very careful with my time and money. I already have contingency plans for what I will do in case I find myself unemployed again.

What measures are you taking towards the possibility of things going poorly for you, your family, your friends, your neighborhood, or your country? Do you have a little food, just in case there are problems with deliveries at stores? Do you have some money saved, in case your job goes away for a short or, worse yet, long time?

Are you paying attention to where you are spending your time and money? Are there better ways to utilize either of those resources? If you are doing well and absolutely certain you won’t have any problems, perhaps you could consider how you might be of assistance to others, with your time, effort and even your money.

Doing the right thing (proper, in this context) with your resources is what this quote is about. Adversity is a great teacher, but the lessons can be quite harsh. If you can apply the same attitude towards your resources when they are abundant, you are going to be well practiced when the hard times come.

Life is full of ups and downs. By developing the right, proper, or correct habits in the times of prosperity, you will be well prepared for when adversity appears. That, of course, is the prudent thing to do. How prudent are you going to be?

Adversity brings wisdom the hard way. It can also be learned in times of prosperity. A prudent person just might try to prepare themselves with beneficial habits. One way or the other, you will learn.

From: Twitter, @OprahsQuotes
confirmed at : http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/l/luciusanna117750.html
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