When his impeccable health was abruptly threatened by cancer, Lance Armstrong saw only one option: Fight like hell and win. And he did. A mere five months after his diagnosis, he was back in training, ready to conquer the Tour de France—which he did. Seven times. This year, Armstrong's looking for number eight.
So is it true that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger? That depends on the person. In one study of a faltering company, while two-thirds of the workers became stressed, depressed, and withdrawn, the rest actually flourished. Their work performances improved, they retained their positive moods, and they showed no adverse health effects, found Salvatore Maddi, a psychologist at the University of California, Irvine. The hardy survivors had superior coping strategies: They viewed adversity as opportunity for growth, became even more committed to their goals, and believed in their own efficacy. Most of them had had a stressful childhood, but a lot of support from parents or teachers; they were encouraged and helped to toughen up, and they retained these lessons.
