Building Resilience: The Power of AQ (Adversity Quotient) and Why It Matters More Than IQ or EQ

Probably the most interesting and enjoyable thing I learned last year was the concept of AQ, Adversity Quotient. We know about IQ and EQ, but the more I learn about people and the world we live and work in, the more I believe AQ is more important.

Adversity Quotient (AQ) is a measure of a person’s ability to deal with adversities and challenges in life. It assesses how resilient, persistent, and adaptable an individual is when faced with difficulties, obstacles, and stress. AQ is often seen as a predictor of success, as it reflects how well someone can bounce back from setbacks, persevere through challenges, and maintain a positive mindset in tough situations.

The concept of AQ was popularized by Dr. Paul Stoltz, who described it as the “science of human resilience.” He identified four core dimensions of AQ, often summarized by the acronym CORE:
C – Control: The degree to which a person feels they have influence over a situation.
O – Ownership: The level of accountability someone takes for their actions and outcomes.
R – Reach: How far an adversity affects different aspects of their life (whether it stays contained or spreads).
E – Endurance: How long someone believes the adversity will last and their ability to endure it.

A high AQ means that a person is more resilient, able to recover quickly from failures, and sees challenges as opportunities for growth. A low AQ, on the other hand, might indicate a tendency to give up easily, feel overwhelmed, or blame external factors for difficulties.

My mission for this year is to understand more about how to improve your AQ, how to test for it in interviews, and how to help people improve their adversity quotient. If you have ideas, I’d love to hear them.