Let Adversity Be Your Ally

5 Ways to Turn Your Hardest Chapters into Your Greatest Growth

When life unravels, most people go searching for answers outside themselves—new jobs, new cities, new relationships. But sometimes, the most powerful change begins not with external shifts, but with a single inward turn.

Michael Taylor’s life collapsed in every visible way. After achieving what looked like success on the outside—youngest manager in his company, a nice home, a family—he found himself bankrupt, divorced, depressed, and living out of his car.

What saved him wasn’t a job offer, a handout, or a lucky break. It was a question. And then, a whisper.

“What does it mean to be a man?” he asked.

[Read Michael's full story]

[Watch Michael's interview]

And then he heard something. A quiet, confident voice from within. A feeling that he couldn’t ignore. “You can do this, Michael.”

That voice became the foundation for his healing. Over time, Michael rebuilt his life—not by chasing old definitions of success, but by listening deeply to his inner guidance. He moved from atheism to a personal spiritual connection. From depression to peace. From survival mode to joyful creation. Today, he’s an author, speaker, optimist, and guide to others navigating major life transitions.

Michael’s story isn’t about religion or rags-to-riches. It’s about rediscovering your own power. And it’s full of lessons for anyone ready to stop surviving and start trusting.

Five Ways to Turn Your Hardest Chapters into Your Greatest Growth

1.  Listen to the Quiet Voice Within—Even If It Doesn't Make Sense Yet

Michael didn’t hear a booming message from the heavens. He heard a subtle, steady voice—one that simply told him he could keep going. He could learn. He could change.

We all have access to this kind of inner wisdom. But it’s easy to ignore because it doesn’t shout. It whispers.

Try this:
Think of a time when something in your gut nudged you—a job you didn’t take, a person you suddenly felt drawn to, a book that seemed to “find” you. What happened when you followed that feeling?

If you’re at a crossroads now, try sitting in silence for five minutes each day with this question:  What do I already know—but haven’t admitted to myself yet?  Then wait. Breathe. And trust what arises, even if it’s quiet.

2.  Shift the Question From “How Can I Get Rich?” to “How Can I Be Happy?”

Michael’s major turning point came when he looked at his bookshelf full of wealth and success books and asked, “What if I put all that energy into learning how to be happy?”  It wasn’t a rejection of ambition. It was a redefinition of it.

Try this:
Take stock of where your energy is going right now. Are you chasing things because you think they’ll make you feel free, loved, or respected—or because they already make you feel that way?

Flip the formula. Prioritise what genuinely brings joy, meaning, and connection now—not someday.

3.  You Don’t Have to Believe in Religion to Trust Something Bigger

Michael went from hardline atheist to someone with a deep, personal connection to the divine—not through conversion, but through experience. It didn’t happen in church. It happened alone, in pain, and in surrender.  He didn’t suddenly become religious. He became spiritually awake.

Try this:
If you’re sceptical of spiritual language, replace “God” with “inner knowing,” “intuition,” or “higher self.” The labels don’t matter. The feeling does. There’s a wisdom inside you that’s been right more often than not. What would change if you honoured it?

Maybe the invitation is to stop figuring it all out—and start feeling your way forward.

4.  Rock Bottom Can Be Sacred Ground

Homeless, hopeless, and divorced, Michael thought he had nothing left. But that “nothing” created space for everything new. Sometimes when you lose it all, what you’re really losing is what was never meant for you.

Try this:
Instead of asking “Why is this happening to me?”, ask “What could this be making room for?”

Hard moments don’t mean you’ve failed. They often mean something false is falling away so something true can emerge.

Journal prompt: What parts of my life feel like they’re ending—and what could begin in their place?

5.  You Don’t Need to Have It All Figured Out to Start Helping Others

Michael didn’t wait until he was completely healed to start writing. He wrote because it helped him heal. And eventually, his books helped others too.

One sticky note he wrote while living in his car read: “One day I’ll share the stage with Mike Dooley.” Years later, he did.

Try this:
Don’t wait until you’re perfect to show up. You can share your story as it’s unfolding. You don’t have to be a guru—just someone willing to be real.  Your experience might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

Final Thoughts: A New Kind of Success

Michael’s story reminds us that success isn’t about status, money, or appearance. It’s about alignment. Listening. Trust. And living in a way that feels honest.

You don’t have to lose everything to wake up. You just have to be willing to ask deeper questions—and brave enough to follow the answers that come from within.

Want help designing your next chapter?
Michael’s story is a beautiful reminder that it’s never too late to start again. If you’re ready to go deeper into your own vision, join our free 7-day course:
👉  [Join here now:  From Confusion to Clarity]