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Resilience vs. Resiliency: Understanding the Difference and Why It Matters

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Resilience vs. Resiliency: Understanding the Difference and Why It Matters

Real Steps. Real Training. Real Results
APPLE MUSIC

Is Resilience a Gift or is Resilience Built?

Person at canyon edge in golden hour light representing perspective gained through resilience vs resiliency

“Just be more resilient!”

That’s what everyone tells you when life knocks you down. As if it’s a switch you can flip. As if it’s something you either have or don’t have.

I’ve spent years working with people who’ve hit rock bottom – lost jobs, ended relationships, faced health crises – and I’ve noticed something fascinating. The people who bounce back strongest don’t just have resilience. They practice resiliency.

This subtle distinction isn’t just word games. It’s the difference between seeing yourself as broken or seeing yourself as growing. Between feeling hopeless and finding a path forward. Between staying stuck and transforming your life.

At Build Mental Muscle, we focus on practical approaches to developing psychological strength. This distinction between resilience and resiliency isn’t just theoretical – it completely changes how people approach their personal growth. Let me break this down for you in plain language.

The Truth about Resiliency

Mountain path showing resilience vs resiliency - fixed trait achievement vs ongoing growth process

The Basic Difference: More Than Just Semantics

First, let’s get technical for a quick second.

“Resilience” is the standard noun form that’s been around for centuries. It describes the capacity to recover from difficulties.

“Resiliency” is considered by many language experts to be a variant form that’s become more common in psychological and academic circles over the past few decades.

According to Writing Explained, “resilience is much more common and has been for at least 100 years,” though “resiliency is becoming more common in recent years, likely due to its use in social science fields.”

But the meaningful difference goes beyond dictionary definitions.

Resilience: The Capacity vs. Resiliency: The Process

Here’s where things get interesting.

In psychological literature, these terms have developed slightly different connotations:

Resilience typically refers to the capacity or ability to bounce back – the innate or developed mental strength that allows someone to withstand challenges. It’s often viewed as a trait or characteristic.

The American Psychological Association defines this concept as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or even significant sources of stress.”

Resiliency, on the other hand, more often emphasizes the ongoing process of becoming mentally strong – the dynamic journey of developing this capacity over time through various experiences and practices.

Think of it this way:

  • Resilience is like having a strong immune system
  • Resiliency is like the process of strengthening your immune system

Both are crucial, but they highlight different aspects of the same concept.

Oak tree showing resilience as a trait vs bamboo showing resiliency as a process during storm

Why Does This Distinction Matter in Real Life?

I’ve worked with hundreds of clients at Build Mental Muscle who’ve transformed their ability to handle life’s challenges. Here’s why understanding this difference actually matters:

1. It Changes Your Mindset About Growth

When you view resilience as a fixed capacity, you might think “some people just have it and others don’t.” This feeds into a fixed mindset.

Focusing on resiliency as a process acknowledges that your ability to bounce back is constantly evolving. This fosters a growth mindset – the belief that you can develop and strengthen this quality through experience and practice.

2. It Affects How You Approach Building Mental Strength

If you’re focused solely on resilience as a trait, you might get discouraged when facing setbacks, thinking “I guess I’m just not resilient enough.”

Understanding resiliency as a process reminds you that every challenge is an opportunity to strengthen this quality. It’s the mental equivalent of “muscles grow when they recover from resistance.” This perspective helps you view setbacks as growth opportunities rather than evidence of personal deficiency.

3. It Impacts How We Measure Progress

When we talk about resilience as a static trait, we tend to make binary judgments: either someone has it or they don’t.

Viewing it through the lens of resiliency acknowledges that it’s a continuum that evolves over time. This allows for a more nuanced assessment of progress and recognizes small improvements along the journey.

Person restoring wooden boat showing resilience vs resiliency process

The Science Behind the Distinction

Research in neuroplasticity supports the “resiliency as process” perspective. Our brains physically change and adapt based on our experiences. When we face and overcome challenges, we’re literally rewiring our neural connections to become more adaptable to future stressors.

A study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that positive affirmations activate brain systems associated with reward and positive valuation, suggesting that how we think about our capacity for bouncing back actually impacts brain function.

This aligns with the process-oriented view of resiliency – it’s something that develops through specific mental practices and experiences over time, not just an inherent quality.

Brain neuroplasticity showing difference between resilience trait vs resiliency process development

Real-World Applications: From Theory to Practice

So how do you apply this understanding in everyday life?

For Personal Development

Instead of asking “Am I resilient enough?” (which treats it as a fixed trait), ask “How can I build my resiliency today?” This subtle shift acknowledges that you’re engaged in an ongoing process of growth.

I’ve compiled 50 science-backed affirmations specifically designed to build mental strength. But first, let’s understand why they actually work.

For Parents and Educators

Rather than labeling some kids as “resilient” and others as not, focus on teaching resiliency skills to all children. This might include:

  • Allowing them to experience appropriate challenges
  • Teaching problem-solving skills
  • Helping them process difficult emotions
  • Modeling healthy responses to setbacks

For Workplace Leaders

Shift from trying to hire “resilient employees” to creating environments that foster resiliency. This could mean:

  • Normalizing failure as part of innovation
  • Providing resources for stress management
  • Creating psychological safety for taking risks
  • Offering mentorship during challenging transitions

Cultural Perspectives on Resilience vs. Resiliency

Different cultures approach this concept from various angles:

  • Western individualistic cultures often emphasize personal resilience – the individual’s capacity to withstand adversity
  • Collectivist cultures frequently focus on community resiliency – how groups develop and sustain their ability to overcome challenges together
  • Indigenous perspectives often view resiliency as deeply connected to cultural symbols, land relationships, and traditional knowledge systems

These diverse viewpoints remind us that resilience/resiliency isn’t just about individual mental toughness – it exists within social and cultural contexts.

Person meditating on cliff edge at sunset representing resilience vs resiliency balance

Visual Symbols of the Difference

In our previous guide on meaningful symbols throughout history, I explored how various cultures represent the capacity to bounce back. Looking at these symbols through our resilience/resiliency lens adds a new dimension:

  • The oak tree represents established resilience – the developed capacity to withstand storms
  • The bamboo better symbolizes resiliency – the ongoing process of bending without breaking and growing stronger through flexibility

Both are powerful metaphors, but they highlight different aspects of mental strength.

Integrating Both Perspectives for Maximum Benefit

Rather than picking one term over the other, I believe the most productive approach is integrating both concepts:

  1. Acknowledge and appreciate the mental strength you’ve already developed
  2. Commit to the ongoing process of growth as a lifelong journey
  3. Recognize that different challenges may require different aspects of this capacity
  4. Understand that mental fortitude exists on multiple levels: individual, relationship, community, and cultural

The Language We Use Shapes Our Experience

The words we choose influence how we think. By understanding the subtle distinction between resilience and resiliency, we gain a more nuanced perspective on mental strength.

This isn’t just linguistic hairsplitting. The way we frame concepts shapes how we approach our personal growth. Viewing mental toughness through both lenses – as both a capacity and a process – gives us a more complete picture of how we can thrive through life’s inevitable challenges.

Key Takeaways

  • Resilience generally refers to the capacity or trait of bouncing back
  • Resiliency often emphasizes the ongoing process of developing this capacity
  • Both perspectives are valuable for different contexts
  • A growth mindset aligns more with the process-oriented view
  • The distinction impacts how we approach personal development, parenting, education, and leadership
  • Different cultures emphasize various aspects of individual and collective mental fortitude
  • The most effective approach integrates both the capacity and process perspectives

What’s your take? Do you find yourself thinking more about this as a trait or as a process? How might shifting your perspective impact your approach to challenges?

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Both terms are correct, but they have slightly different connotations. "Resilience" is the standard noun form that's been around for centuries and typically refers to the capacity or ability to bounce back – the innate or developed mental strength that allows someone to withstand challenges. It's often viewed as a trait or characteristic. "Resiliency" is considered a variant form that's become more common in psychological and academic circles over the past few decades and more often emphasizes the ongoing process of becoming mentally strong – the dynamic journey of developing this capacity over time.

Choose "resilience" if you're discussing the general concept or trait, and "resiliency" if you want to emphasize the ongoing process and development aspects. The most productive approach may be integrating both concepts rather than picking one term over the other.

Yes, "resiliency" is a legitimate word. It's considered by many language experts to be a variant form of "resilience" that's become more common in psychological and academic circles over the past few decades. According to Writing Explained, "resilience is much more common and has been for at least 100 years," though "resiliency is becoming more common in recent years, likely due to its use in social science fields."

The article doesn't provide a specific date for when "resiliency" was added to the dictionary. It only mentions that "resiliency is becoming more common in recent years, likely due to its use in social science fields." For a precise date of dictionary inclusion, additional research would be needed.

Examples of resiliency in action include:

  • Viewing job loss as an opportunity to develop new skills rather than as a failure
  • Parents teaching children problem-solving skills instead of solving problems for them
  • Workplaces that normalize failure as part of innovation
  • Using setbacks as growth opportunities, like muscles that strengthen after resistance
  • Practicing positive affirmations to rewire neural connections after facing challenges

Resiliency is demonstrated through the ongoing process of growth and adaptation over time, not just in overcoming a single challenge.

Related Resources

For a deeper dive into developing your mental fortitude, check out:

This article is part of the Build Mental Muscle series on developing unshakable mental strength.

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