Here’s what happens to Michael Phelps, the gold-medal swimmer, when he runs into an obstacle: He doesn’t get discouraged, he gets “fired up.” Turns out, he’s onto something. In his new book, Rebounders: How to Pivot from Setback to Success, Rick Newman contends that people who can bounce back from adversity have found “good ways to fail,” so they emerge from a crisis stronger and smarter. Here are some of the key strengths these resilient “come-back kids” have in common that we might want to take note of:

An ability to accept failure: Instead of fighting failure, they acknowledge it, take responsibility, and move on. They don’t let anger or guilt hold them back.

A desire to take action: Instead of folding their tents when a crisis or obstacle occurs, they get “fired up” like Michael Phelps and motivated to do something to change the situation.

An open mind: Rebounders are flexible And open to new ideas. They’re solution seekers.

A yen for role models: Many rebounders have heroes who inspire and motivate them. These may be mentors or coaches or guiding lights from a bygone era. Whoever they are, they provide resilient people with models for responding to setbacks and a framework for what they believe in.

An ability to accept hardship: Successful rebounders are comfortable with being uncomfortable. They’re willing to endure tough times and face problems as long as they feel that they’re moving toward their goals.

A motivating passion: This inner drive helps rebounders “work long hours, deflect naysayers, try difficult things, and stretch their talents as far as they’ll go,” says Newman. To realize their dreams, they are willing to take risks and accept the trade offs that are “often the tollbooths on the road to high achievement.”

Wow! I tend to back down instead of getting fired up when I hit a roadblock. Think I need to put on my rebounding rubbers and go puddle-jumping! Write on.