Resiliency Test

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How Resilient Are You?

Resilience is the process of adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, says the late Al Siebert, PhD, founder of The Resiliency Center in Portland, Ore. Curious to know how your own resilience rates? Take this quiz, adapted from Siebert’s book The Resiliency Advantage.

Rate yourself from 1 to 5 (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree):

  • I’m usually optimistic. I see difficulties as temporary and expect to overcome them.

  • Feelings of anger, loss and discouragement don’t last long.

  • I can tolerate high levels of ambiguity and uncertainty about situations.

  • I adapt quickly to new developments. I’m curious. I ask questions.

  • I’m playful. I find the humor in rough situations, and can laugh at myself.

  • I learn valuable lessons from my experiences and from the experiences of others.

  • I’m good at solving problems. I’m good at making things work well.

  • I’m strong and durable. I hold up well during tough times.

  • I’ve converted misfortune into good luck and found benefits in bad experiences.

Less than 20: Low Resilience — You may have trouble handling pressure or setbacks, and may feel deeply hurt by any criticism. When things don’t go well, you may feel helpless and without hope. Consider seeking some professional counsel or support in developing your resiliency skills. Connect with others who share your developmental goals.

20–30: Some Resilience — You have some valuable pro-resiliency skills, but also plenty of room for improvement. Strive to strengthen the characteristics you already have and to cultivate the characteristics you lack. You may also wish to seek some outside coaching or support.

30–35: Adequate Resilience — You are a self-motivated learner who recovers well from most challenges. Learning more about resilience, and consciously building your resiliency skills, will empower you to find more joy in life, even in the face of adversity.

35–45: Highly Resilient — You bounce back well from life’s setbacks and can thrive even under pressure. You could be of service to others who are trying to cope better with adversity.

"This quiz was not created by me but is the copyrighted property of Al Siebert.

Used by permission. © Copyright 2005 Practical Psychology Press, adapted from Chapter 2 in The Resiliency Advantage (Berrett-Koehler) by Al Siebert, PhD. All rights reserved.

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