Bad Experiences Can Be More Important Than The Good Ones

Of course, no one wants bad things to happen. The thing is, it’s the bad experiences that we most often remember. Research shows we remember negative experiences more vividly than positive ones.

Humans have always been problem solvers not least because at times our survival has depended on it. So it doesn’t take much to realise a combination of negative experiences and our desire to solve problems is a powerful driver of change.

[!blockquote] “Resilience matters in success… Character is not formed out of smart people. It is out of people who have suffered… I wish upon you pain & suffering.”

~Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang

Bad things motivate people to do good things, but they can also do the opposite. It can break people and make us afraid to try again. How we frame an experience can be the difference between a regressive or progressive outlook in the future.

The first step is learning to accept what’s happened. The second step is understanding why, and figuring out what we can do differently. How we react to a negative experience is what matters.