Margie and I recently toured Eastern Europe and ended the trip with a tour of the Terezin concentration camp. Within three and a half years of the camp's establishment, thousands of inmates were killed or died of untreated diseases. What I found most memorable was the display of artwork created by inmates during their incarceration. Music, painting, drama, sculpture: all were of vital importance to the inmates. Despite inhumane overcrowded conditions and repeated abuses and torture, prisoners focused on creating cosmetic works. The presence of many of these works with us today attests to the success of their endeavor.
For me, it was a powerful reminder that no matter how bad our situations are, we can always rise above them through creative expression and achievement.. When we create a painting, a book, a scientific theory, or even a business system, we rise above what is and realize a vision of what can be. In fact, the more we experience loss and setback, the more important it is to create and immerse ourselves in meaning and beauty.
The secret to overcoming adversity is to turn your life into a work of art: To focus so intensely on creating what is beautiful and meaningful that everything else becomes secondary. Our relationships can become masterpieces. Our careers can become paths to pursue the vision of what is possible. Each of us becomes an artist when we approach life creatively and find beauty in every aspect of life.
As I was leaving the courtyard of Terezin, where the prisoners were being led to the barracks, I noticed a smooth, round stone resembling quartz on the floor. I took the stone home with me, and it now sits on my desk where I write. It's an immediate reminder of the atrocities I've seen – and of the soaring human spirit that has transcended evil.
Every setback in life – including setbacks in the markets – is an opportunity to rise above loss and create a future. We tap into our divinity when we become creative.
In-depth reading:
The role of creative insight in trading success
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