Pride

I read an article in the New York Times, Science section on Tuesday that discussed the beneficial effects of pride in those who have recently lost their jobs. The article can be found here. It seemed to me to be the single most important thing in getting us through the wonderful economic times we are facing right now.

It’s indeed hard to be proud of yourself after losing your job or getting back on mortgage payments. But to some people, pride is not about achievement, but the desire to achieve and the unwillingness to give up.  Pride does not seem to be an emotion felt after the fact; rather it’s the agent that helps you follow the chosen path despite the recession or two that come your way.

There is something about being denied that spurs a person on to greater goals. The initial stages of an unsuccessful job search are not very different in most people. Anxiety followed by disappointment at the lack of response from employers is understandable, especially in highly qualified candidates. However, the difference lies in the grim determination with which a few refuse to be cowed down by the state of affairs. An incredible amount of time that could otherwise go in feeling wretched can then go towards working on the job search itself. And our generation will come through, wiser and more resilient.