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The Power of Resilience (Brooks, Goldstein, 2004)
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The Case for Using Probabilistic Knowledge in a Computer Chess Program (John L. Jerz)
Resilience in Man and Machine

Achieving Balance, Confidence, and Personal Strength in Your Life

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13 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Undoubtedly the best book on this subject, June 4, 2004
By A Customer
 
Written by two eminently qualified authors, this book rises above the "fluff" that is often seen in other books on this subject. This book will inspire you and show you how to conquer adversity. It's a great resource.
 
From Publishers Weekly
In their latest book, psychologists Brooks and Goldstein (the authors of Raising Resilient Children) describe how adults can develop a "resilient mindset." According to the authors, while the word "resilient" is usually associated with people overcoming great adversity, daily stress often requires resilience. Using many examples from their clinical practice, Brooks and Goldstein outline how this mindset is best achieved. The first step is "rewriting negative scripts," or changing behavior that one repeats over and over despite its negative outcome, such as a manager yelling at his employees for being uncreative. Other strategies include developing empathy; communicating effectively; accepting oneself and others; and developing self-discipline. An appendix offers worksheets addressing the concepts covered in each of the chapters. Throughout, the authors emphasize taking responsibility for one's actions and their impact on others, as well as setting realistic short- and long-term goals. Their examples, such as the demanding manager and the couple who nag their teenage son, are familiar figures in whom readers may be able to see themselves or people they know. Although it's likely that, for many, a major change in one's approach toward life's difficulties would require the professional help that Brooks's and Goldstein's patients sought, their book does offer hope and a number of useful strategies readers can try to put into practice on their own.

x In research literature, resilience has been conceived as a buffering process, one that may not eliminate risks or adverse conditions but does help individuals deal with them effectively. However, as author and researcher Dr. Emmy Werner has suggested, resilience may also reflect the concept of "reserve capacity." That is, a resilient mindset helps us prepare for future adversity and enables the potential for change and continued personal growth throughout our lives... we believe that developing a resilient mindset will serve us well in every aspect of ordinary living - in all the roles we play and in all our interactions with others... a resilient mindset provides a basic foundation and reservoir of... strength that can be called on to manage daily challenges.
 
p.3 the word resilient... is a concept that should be expanded to become a primary focus of each person's life... All of us encounter some degree of... challenge in everyday life... Resilient individuals are those who have a set of assumptions or attitudes about themselves that influence their behaviors... Possessing a resilient mindset [implies] that one can successfully cope with problems as they arise.
 
p.20 Once we have developed the features associated with a resilient mindset and lifestyle, we cannot sit back and assume that our mindset and behaviors will go into automatic pilot. Expected and unexpected challenges emerge that will test our ability to be resilient.
  The more we understand the characteristics of resilient individuals, the more we can engage in daily and long-term "exercises" to maintain and even strengthen a resilient mindset... so too must we have a "resilience plan" to ensure as much as possible that our future will be filled with satisfaction and accomplishment.
 
p.35 One of the hallmarks of the resilient mindset is the ability to view mistakes or failures as experiences from which to learn rather than to feel defeated.
 
p.48 People who have a resilient mindset reflect on what they can do differently when confronted with challenges. The ability to recognize and modify negative scripts serves as a basic foundation for a resilient lifestyle... The more we can accept realistic ownership for what transpires in our lives, the more empowered and resilient we will become.
 
p.111 Obstacle Three: Losing sight of How Best to Achieve Your Goals
 
p.143 Establishing realistic expectations and goals for oneself... is a lifelong task and an integral component of pursuing a resilient lifestyle... "Let's examine your strengths, vulnerabilities, and interests, and then we can begin to define your goals, you can regularly assess whether your expectations have been set too high or too low and make appropriate modifications. No goals are set in stone; rather, they are open to change."
 
p.203 once you have selected a new plan, anticipate the possible obstacles to success. The more prepared you are for obstacles that may arise, the better equipped you will be to manage those obstacles in a constructive manner in concert with a resilient mindset.
 
p.218 As we examine the mindset of resilient people in terms of their attributions or assumptions about success, it is important to emphasize a metaphor we use in our work: islands of competence. Resilient individuals never minimize or deny their problems and can identify their islands of competence, or strengths.
 
p.267 Imagine if Peg Phillips [actor on American TV series "Northern Exposure"] could have counseled Ponce de Leon. She would have informed him that the fountain of youth does not reside in an illusory spring of water but rather in the reality of minds filled with dreams and hope, challenges and achievements, and a mindset of attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs that can be best attained through the power of resilience.

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