Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals

by Steven J. Stein, Paul T Bartone

Learn to embrace the 3 C's of psychological hardiness to overcome stress and increase personal growth Life is full of questions. How you answer these questions can determine which path your life takes. Think about how many questions you are faced with every day. It can be overwhelming. From the mundane to the profound, questions help you navigate everything from your daily routine to your career choices and relationships. Sometimes, asking the right question is just as important as the What do you want out of life? Is it financial success? A loving family? Career achievement? Maybe you are coping with a serious illness. Whatever your goal may be, you have undoubtedly encountered barriers that slow your progress. One of the biggest of these barriers is stress . Scientific research has found that your ability to resist the damaging effects of stress―your hardiness ―can reduce stress-related illness and strengthen your ability to thrive under pressure. Hardiness, written by respected clinical and research psychologists, will help develop your psychological hardiness which, in turn, enables you to enjoy more of life’s rewards. Mastering the 3 C’s of hardiness―commitment, control, and challenge―is essential to increasing hardiness and responding effectively to stressful situations. This invaluable guide provides exercises and activities, based on 30 years of research, specifically designed to increase your hardiness in all areas of your personal and professional life. This book will help Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals can help you move toward becoming healthier, more self-actualized, and increasingly satisfied with your life and future.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published December 13, 2019

Reviews

[David Knapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE: January 27, 2024

As was the case with "The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace," I mentioned at the end of this original review that I was considering getting certified in this course. And - just like "The Five Languages" - I've followed through with that and will complete my certification this week. Consequently, I decided to reread this work to prepare for the certification exam. I still enjoyed it a second time through. However, like far too many nonfiction works written by academic researchers, it would have been even better if it were 20-25% shorter. Still, I'm glad I reread it. And I'm looking forward to rolling out my training on hardiness in March.

I am a big fan of Steven J. Stein's work - especially around Emotional Intelligence. In fact, I am certified in his EQ tools through the company he founded (Multi-Health Systems in Toronto) and use them in my executive-coaching work. Combined with my background as an endurance athlete, I was eager to read this book, which was co-written with Paul T. Bartone.

In general, I really enjoyed it. The research backing the three components of "Hardiness" (Commitment, Control, and Challenge) is voluminous, and - overall - they did a decent job of presenting that research in an engaging way.

But as is the case with too many nonfiction works - especially those written by academics - the interesting content sometimes got slogged down by a dense and/or overly detailed writing style. The first seven chapters avoided this trap. However, beginning with Chapter 8, the authors' writing style began to be more appropriate for an article in a peer-reviewed academic journal than for for the general reader. Chapters 9 and 10 were particularly dense, although the final few chapters recovered the less-academic, more enjoyable qualities of the first seven chapters.

Still, this was an enjoyable read for anyone interested in the topic. And it motivated me to explore getting certified in their Hardiness Resilience Gauge instrument. I think it would be a nice addition to my coaching and training offerings.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I often heard people talk about perseverance, resilience, grit, 'power through' and I thought I just needed to apply myself if I wanted to achieve my goals but it was until I got a copy of Hardiness that everything fit in, like a puzzle - hardiness was the missing piece. Now I realize that whereas grit is about pushing yourself despite consequences, hardiness is about recognizing limits and adapting. I also realized that hardiness is the linchpin in developing the ability to use stress and challenges as catalysts for growth.

I liked how the authors explain the role that hardiness plays on the 3C's (Commitment, Challenge and Control) as well as the instrument to measure with the Hardiness resilience gauge. The other aspect I liked about this book, it was written using words that are easy to understand (English is my second language).

This is one of those books where it is worth getting, not just the hardcopy but the audio and eBook versions as well. I got the audiobook, which is making the overall book a delight to read and listen.

[Lisa Kosak · Rating 5 out of 5]

We live in a stressed society, especially after Covid. Our kids are stressed, demand for mental health services has skyrocketed. We need to fight back and learn how to embrace our stress so it drives us forward and gives us purpose. "Hardiness: Making Stress Work for You to Achieve Your Life Goals" offers a science-backed approach to turning stress into a positive force. Drawing on decades of research, the authors outline the concept of hardiness - a mental framework that allows you to view challenges as opportunities for growth. Filled with exercises and real-life examples, the book empowers you to assess your stress response, unlock your potential, and find deeper meaning in life's difficulties. By actively engaging with stress, you can use it to propel yourself towards a healthier, more fulfilling future. If you are prone to stress, this is a great book to read!

[Esau Odidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stein & Bartone’s Hardiness is a deep dive into the psychology that defines those who have unique qualities that allow them to thrive under intense pressure and stress. The book tends to be more academic in tone which could be off putting for some. However, the wealth of scientific research and case studies verify the work’s principle tenets. I felt that the most impactful parts of Hardiness were the biographical examples of individuals whose early career and life experiences demonstrated the necessity of emotional resilience and personal determination to their own personal and professional success. Finally, I appreciated the authors’ message of affirmation and repeated emphasis that a life characterized by Hardiness is something that is attainable for anyone with the desire to work towards change in their own life and habits.

Thank you to Weaving Influence for the ARC!!

[Kate Dane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is full of real-life examples of how hardiness can make a difference in success or failure. From studying West Point cadets to people in a range of professions, the authors have data on how mindsets and approaches to life can influence your health and success. The authors also include individual people, famous and less well-known, with their actual scores and discuss how their areas of strength influenced outcomes.

Hardiness is defined as three aspects: commitment to a purpose, control of your circumstances - which can involve the way you approach things, and challenge - finding ways around roadblocks and framing situations as challenges rather than hardship. The book is extensively annotated with in-depth research and offers a fascinating read.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Want to improve your resilience and manage your stress? "By adjusting your mindset and seeing obstacles through the lens of hardiness commitment, control and challenge, we believe you can lead a more fulfilling, healthy and longer life."

This book is filled with ideas and stories of others' lives and how they were able to manager their stress and make it work for them.

[Daryl J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of books that discuss stress and how to manage it. HARDINESS, by Steven J. Stein and Paul T. Barton, is the latest entry into this dialogue. The authors offer practical ways to deal with stress in life, both personal and professional. This book is another useful tool to include in actionable ways to combat negative stress and use it to your advantage.

[Crystal Furgerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone experiences stress; its in how you handle it that you thrive. Hardiness by Steven J. Stein and Paul T. Bartone gives you a manual for resilience in stress. It can help you in your health, life, and business. Check it out!

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good outline of the hardiness framework from early developers of it, but the tips are simplistic and redundant. And most of the stories are well-known...