Resilience Reimagined: Turning Setbacks into Springboards

These days, the word resilience is everywhere in corporate conversations.

Leaders are told to become more resilient. Employees are given tips and tricks to build their ability to handle setbacks and challenges. Offsites, webinars, and LinkedIn feeds are packed with advice on how to bounce back faster, handle more stress, and keep going when the going gets tough.  

But here’s the thing: real resilience doesn’t come from hacks or tricks.  

It starts with how we see the world and how we choose to respond. That means getting clear on meaning and purpose.  

Before you roll your eyes: yes, we’re going to talk about meaning and purpose.  

And yes, those two words are often used interchangeably, which causes confusion. For many, when they hear “meaning” or “purpose,” it’s a cue to tune out, check their phone, or, in this case, stop reading. 

But don’t, because here’s the thing: when life falls apart—or quietly unravels—these cease to be abstract ideas. They are lifelines. 

Because true resilience doesn’t come from simply bouncing back. It comes from seeing experiences differently (meaning) and choosing your course of action (purpose).  

More on this in a moment, but let’s first take a deeper look at resilience.  

What Resilience Is and Isn’t 

Resilience isn’t the ability to snap back like nothing happened. It’s the capacity to bend without breaking and to grow stronger through the strain.  

We’ve all met people who look composed on the outside but are falling apart inside. We’ve also met people who walk through loss, change, or upheaval and somehow come through it more grounded.  

The difference isn’t willpower; it’s perspective. It’s the story they tell themselves and the purpose they choose to pursue based upon that perspective. 

In a nutshell, resilient people learn from adversity, which they can then apply to similar situations in the future, leading to even greater resilience. 

Meaning: How We Interpret What’s Hard 

When things fall apart, the first thing we reach for (consciously or not) is meaning. We start to wonder, “Is this who I really am?” and quietly ask ourselves, “Where does this leave me now?” 

Meaning is how we mentally frame our experiences. The frame we use changes the picture. 

Resilient people don’t avoid struggle. They reinterpret it. 

They don’t spiral into, “Well, that confirms it—I’m not cut out for this.” Instead, they take a breath and ask, “Alright… what’s the lesson here?” 

They don’t shut the door with, “It’s over.” They get curious and ask, “What might be starting?” 

Meaning is the first step toward building anything stronger. 

Purpose: Why We Keep Going 

If meaning asks, “What is this?” purpose asks, “What now?” 

Purpose is what moves us forward with clarity. It connects our choices to our values and gives shape to our actions—even when the destination isn’t clear.  

Purpose isn’t a job title or a five-year plan. It’s the why behind the action. Purpose is alignment with what matters most. 

In my work with leaders and founders, the most grounded people—the ones who move through uncertainty with clarity—can answer three questions with honesty: 

1. What do I stand for? 
2. What is life asking of me right now?  
3. How will I respond? 

That last question, inspired by Viktor Frankl, shifts the entire frame. 

Instead of demanding answers from life, we begin listening for the call and shaping our purpose in response. 

In this way, purpose is an active posture, not a passive hope or dream. Purpose isn’t something you have; it’s something you do. 

The Resilience Loop: Meaning → Purpose → Growth 

Let’s connect the dots.  

• Meaning helps us interpret the challenge. 

• Purpose gives us direction and energy to act. 

• Action builds momentum and creates insight. 

• Insight reinforces our sense of meaning.  

This isn’t a one-time realization. It’s a cycle. The more we engage with it, the more resilient we become. 

Take “Maya,” for example, a client (not her real name) who came to me burned out after years in a high-pressure leadership role. Her success on paper didn’t match how she felt on the inside.  

Together, we uncovered her core values: creativity, freedom, and contribution. She realized her role had drifted far from all three. 

That clarity gave her the courage to realign—not by quitting overnight, but by experimenting and exploring. 

Today, she leads her own consultancy, doing work she believes in and living a story that energizes her.  

It didn’t start with a plan. It started with a new perspective and a meaningful choice. 

How to Build Meaning-Driven Resilience 

You don’t need a crisis to begin. You need a lens and a few practices. 

Here are four to get started: 

1. Clarify your values. What anchors you when everything else shifts? 
2. Identify what I call your Passion Thread—those times when you are most energized and make a real difference. 
3. Reframe the challenge. Ask: What’s the invitation here? What might this mean in a year? 
4. Anchor to micro-purpose. Connect small daily actions to something larger.  

There is no magic bullet to building resilience through meaning. But engaging in these practices will begin to give you the clarity and resolve to keep moving when setbacks or detours inevitably arise.   

The Bottom Line

We aren’t born resilient. We become resilient by choosing how we make meaning of a situation, and then how we choose to act on the meaning we create—which, of course, is our purpose. 

Some situations stretch us. Others shake us. But every challenge holds the raw material for growth if we’re willing to look closely and respond with agency. 

So let me ask you: What’s one challenge you’re facing right now, and what might it be asking of you? 

Your answer might just unlock the path forward. 

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About the Author

Dr. Frank Niles is Principal Business Psychologist at BSM Partners where he leads the firm’s business transformation practice. A trusted advisor to leaders and organizations around the world, he works with a broad portfolio of clients, ranging from start-ups to Fortune 50 Companies. Frank is regularly featured or quoted in the media, having appeared in Inc, Fast Company, CNN, NBC, NPR, and many more media outlets. In his free time, he climbs mountains.