515. Expert Interview: How to Learn and Grow from a Setback or Crisis

Steve Lawton

Steve H. Lawton has 27 years of business experience in roles ranging from being an engineer in the astronaut office at NASA to an executive at Dell. He holds two U.S. patents. He’s the author of “Head First: A Crash Course in Positivity,” a story about how his attitude literally saved his life from a near-fatal skiing accident, along with eight positivity principles that help readers build a positive mindset and improve their lives and work. In his spare time, Steve volunteers for youth lacrosse, has been a coach and served as president of the Westwood High School Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Clubs in Austin, Texas. Steve and Deanna, his wife of 27 years, have two teenage children, and have grown quite fond of them.

How to Learn from Setback or Crisis

Through Steve Lawton’s powerful story of survival and recovery—and eight proven and practical tools—he shares how you can improve the fitness of your own attitude and overcome the rough patches in your life to achieve the success and happiness you deserve.
After a life-threatening ski accident in Colorado, in which Steve slammed into a tree at 45 miles per hour, doctors weren’t sure he would survive his near-death experience, but because of his attitude, his helmet, and a rubber chicken named Henrietta, he lives to share the wonders of positivity. He says you don’t have to slam into a tree to benefit from the tools he shares.

Why Is This Important?

“We all want happiness and success, but it often eludes us when we find ourselves struggling with unresolved problems. We’ve all had them. They may spring from a frightening diagnosis, depression, problems at work, a disagreement with a loved one, or difficulties with a child. Although we may be miserable during the struggle, the good news is that our past challenges lead to our future successes. Our attitude plays a crucial part.”

What Are the Key Lessons Learned Here?

Allowing crises and other negative experiences to teach us something will actually set us up for successes, victories, and laughter that will come in the future. A setback is painful when it happens, but when we overcome it, we can become a better version of ourselves than we were before. Steve sees his survival from his skiing accident “a bonus year,” and uses every day to help others learn to live intentionally, with a purpose.