Turning Challenges Into Fuel: My Mindset for Overcoming Adversity as a Leader

By Dr. Brian D. Wickstrom

Every leader will face adversity.
It’s not a matter of if — it's a matter of when.

In my career, I’ve led organizations during expansion, transition, rapid growth, and at times, difficult public moments. I’ve been through seasons that stretched me, seasons that shaped me, and seasons that forced me to rebuild from the inside out.

Through it all, I’ve learned that adversity does more than test leaders —
it reveals them, refines them, and strengthens them.

The key is not avoiding adversity, but learning how to transform it into fuel.

Adversity Teaches You What You’re Capable Of

When everything is running smoothly, leadership can feel easy. Teams follow direction, projects advance predictably, and the environment feels stable.

But when adversity hits — whether it’s organizational conflict, public scrutiny, unexpected transitions, personal hardship, or pressure from multiple sides — leaders discover their true capacity.

In challenging seasons, you learn:

• What you believe

• What you value

• What you’re willing to stand for

• How you respond under pressure

• How you influence others during uncertainty

Some of the most important lessons of my life happened during the hardest chapters.

Adversity doesn’t just expose weaknesses — it highlights strengths you didn’t realize you had.

Mindset Shift #1: Challenges Are Not Setbacks — They Are Setups

One of the greatest mental shifts a leader can make is reframing adversity from a threat into an opportunity.

A challenge might feel like a roadblock in the moment, but over time, it becomes a pivot point that can redirect your future.

In my own journey, the toughest shifts often led me to:

• Stronger roles

• Better alignment

• New opportunities

• Clearer values

• Deeper faith

• A renewed sense of purpose

Leaders who grow see adversity not as something to escape, but something to learn from.

Mindset Shift #2: Stay Focused on What You Can Control

When adversity strikes, it’s easy to focus on what feels unfair, unpredictable, or outside your control.

But real leadership begins when you consciously shift your attention to:

• Your attitude

• Your response

• Your communication

• Your preparation

• Your integrity

• Your long-term vision

You cannot control everything around you —
but you can always control who you are during the storm.

This mindset is powerful.
It prevents panic and encourages progress.

Mindset Shift #3: Use Adversity to Clarify Your Values

Leadership becomes simple — not easy, but simple — when values guide decisions.
Adversity has a way of stripping away everything that doesn’t matter so you can focus on what does.

Challenging seasons force you to ask:

• What are my non-negotiables?

• What do I stand for?

• What kind of leader do I want to be remembered as?

• What relationships matter most?

• What does long-term success look like?

Every challenge I’ve faced sharpened my conviction about the kind of leader I aim to be:

Honest.
Principled.
Steady.
Focused on service.
Driven by faith, family, and long-term purpose.

Mindset Shift #4: Adversity Makes You More Empathetic

Adversity expands your heart. It makes you more understanding, more patient, and more compassionate toward others.

Leaders who have walked through difficulty:

• Listen better

• Support teams more authentically

• Show humility

• Communicate with sensitivity

• Recognize invisible struggles

• Build deeper trust

People follow leaders who understand them — not leaders who pretend adversity doesn’t exist.

One of the unexpected gifts of navigating challenges is becoming the kind of leader others can lean on during their own difficult seasons.

Mindset Shift #5: You Can Lead With Strength Without Losing Humanity

The world often portrays leadership as stoic, unbreakable, always decisive. The truth is, the strongest leaders I’ve known were also the most human.

They:

• Admitted mistakes

• Were honest about challenges

• Showed grace

• Owned their decisions

• Treated people with dignity

• Led with empathy

Adversity teaches leaders how to balance toughness with humanity — the combination that builds enduring respect.

Mindset Shift #6: Every Challenge Prepares You for the Next Season

Some seasons are about thriving.
Others are about enduring.
And some are about preparing.

Every leader goes through transitions that don’t make sense until later. The adversity of one season becomes the preparation for the next.

Looking back on my own professional journey:

• Every obstacle strengthened my resilience

• Every criticism developed my maturity

• Every transition improved my adaptability

• Every challenge deepened my character

• Every setback refined my future vision

Nothing is wasted when you choose to learn from it.

Conclusion: Turn Adversity Into Your Advantage

Leadership is not defined by how you perform in calm waters.
Leadership is defined by how you navigate the storm.

When adversity shows up, leaders have a choice:

Be overwhelmed — or be strengthened.
Be discouraged — or be developed.
Break — or rise.

My belief is simple:

Challenges don’t define leaders — they reveal them.
And the leaders who grow through adversity become the ones who inspire, steady, and elevate others.

The goal is not to avoid adversity.
The goal is to let adversity make you better.