A dversity really is opportunity in disguise. It pushes you to evaluate and evolve -- and ultimately, to move ahead personally and professionally.

Here's how to make adversity work for you in every aspect of your life...

NEVER GIVE UP

Even when things seem hopeless, they rarely are.

Example: When a real estate agent sold her business, she signed a noncompete agreement -- which she sorely regretted when she realized just how hard it was to find another job. Rather than dwell on her "mistake," she thought about what else she could do with her skills. She decided to create a training program for real estate agents based on her sales techniques -- which ultimately quadrupled her income.

The key is to realize that there is a logical, effective way to get around, through, over or under adversity.

Example: You recognize that there is intense competition for a job you want. To make yourself stand out, you ask respected colleagues to make calls or send E-mails testifying to your ability and accomplishments.

USE ADVERSITY TO CLARIFY GOALS

While our inclination is to move away from pain, it can sometimes help us to learn more about ourselves.

Example: A person anxious to move up in his company is promoted from sales into management, only to discover that he is miserable. By experiencing what he doesn't want, he is closer to learning what he does want.

SEE THE SILVER LINING

Employees and the companies for which they work don't grow unless they have competitors to set the bar. Welcome adversity as a challenge. Whenever adversity hits, it presents a hidden upside.

Example: Ross Perot might not have become a multibillionaire if he hadn't run up against a career roadblock. His commissions as a salesman at IBM's data-processing division were limited by company policy. This roadblock was the catalyst that led him to borrow $1,000 from his wife's savings to create Electronic Data Systems, a one-man data-processing company. EDS now has more than 70,000 employees.

PRACTICE RISK REVERSAL

Any time two people come together on a business or personal level, one side is always asking the other -- implicitly or explicitly -- to assume most or all of the risk. Be the one ready to assume that risk by understanding and accepting potential negatives, such as looking bad, having to reverse a decision or taking a financial or an emotional hit.

Example: If you're looking for a new job, offer to work for two weeks at no cost to the employer. An applicant for a sales job did this and ended up traveling with a company salesperson. She provided a list of ideas to boost sales... and was quickly hired full-time.

FORM A MASTERMIND ALLIANCE

Assemble a diverse group of advisers, including someone who has the same kind of job you do... someone in a related field... and someone who works in a different field. You also might enlist a high-flying creative type as well as a stickler for details. Everyone in the group has a chance to broaden his/her experience, stimulate his imagination and stretch his sense of what is possible.

Set up a regular meeting time once a month or every other month. Brainstorm ideas to overcome roadblocks. Don't settle for a single idea -- strive for three solutions to every problem.

Remember, once you have been through the dark tunnel of adversity, little will scare you. You know you can turn any future adversity to your advantage.