A simple yet powerful mantra from Duke Women’s Basketball Coach Kara Lawson. She teaches that life’s meaningful pursuits are never easy—but those who embrace hardship, rather than wait for things to get easier, are the ones who succeed.
That lesson hit home in 2023 when I was diagnosed with eye cancer. Radiation shrank my tumor, and though I lost vision in my left eye, I gained something greater—a new perspective. The irony isn’t lost on me. Seeing things differently isn’t a choice; it’s my reality. And that, in itself, feels like a gift. In life, we don’t get to control what happens to us, but we do get to choose how we respond. I’ve learned that when faced with adversity, we can either let it break us or let it build us. I choose to let it build me.
Life has tested me in more ways than I can count—losing our first child, career setbacks, and then cancer. Each of these moments challenged me in ways I never expected, pushing me to find strength I didn’t know I had. But comparing hardships is impossible. Pain isn’t a competition, and every challenge carries its own weight. We don’t get to choose the obstacles in our path; we only decide how we face them. And for me, endurance has always been the answer.
Through every challenge, I chased meaningful work, determined to make an impact. That pursuit led me to leadership roles and ultimately to launching RJL Solutions. Every step—every setback—taught me something invaluable. Hard moments and big goals are inseparable. Success isn’t about avoiding hardship; it’s about rising to meet it, learning from it, and growing because of it.
I won’t pretend to have all the answers, and I’m far from perfect. But if there’s one thing I can commit to, it’s this—handling hard better. Not just today, but every day. Because the hard will always come, but how we handle it is what defines us.
