While every person is born with unique gifts, talents, and the potential to make a meaningful contribution to the world, yet purpose is not something that can be assigned or handed to someone. Purpose must be discovered.

When a young person discovers their purpose, they gain something incredibly powerful: a reason to keep moving forward. They begin to see a future worth pursuing. Their dreams become larger than today's circumstances, and their life takes on meaning beyond the challenges of the moment.

Not only that – the very journey of discovering one’s purpose is filled with wonder, excitement, innovation and ultimately – breakthrough.

Without purpose life has no deep meaning and ultimately is expendable.

Even the strongest sense of purpose will be tested. Life brings disappointment, failure, loss, rejection, anxiety, and unexpected hardship. Obstacles are inevitable.

That is why resilience is essential.

Whether we want to admit it or not, we no longer teach our children resilience. Instead, we shield them. And that teaches avoidance: don’t do the uncomfortable thing, don’t push through the difficult moment, don’t withstand the challenging trial.

Resilience is the ability to keep moving forward when life becomes difficult. But it is not something we are simply born with. It is a life skill that can be taught, practiced, strengthened, and reinforced through caring relationships, positive experiences, and supportive communities.

It is the courage to ask for help without fear of judgment or shame. It is the realization setbacks are temporary, mistakes are a necessary part of learning, and opposition, while painful, holds within it the opportunity to learn, grow and find new solutions to whatever difficulty you are facing.

The absence of resilience, ultimately results in a life defined by failure.