the biggest challenge you have overcome essay

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Answers to “What Challenges Have You Overcome?”

By Biron Clark

Published: November 15, 2023

In a job interview, you’re likely to be asked, “What challenges or obstacles have you overcome?” Or, “What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?” But what type of challenge should you describe? And do you need to pick a work example?

Coming up, I’ll share why employers ask interview questions about challenges and how to give a successful answer, with full answer examples.

Why Employers Ask You to Describe a Challenge You Have Overcome

Employers will ask you about an obstacle or challenge you’ve overcome, or for your biggest challenge, to make sure you’re comfortable handling adversity. They don’t want to hire people who have never been in a tough situation, or can’t provide an example of a time their life was difficult, because they’ll worry that you might panic and fold when the work gets tough for the first time. So telling them about a time you were successful in handling a challenge makes them feel like it’s lower-risk to hire you. And that’s important to employers.

Answering “What Challenges Have You Overcome?”

When you’re asked an interview question about a challenge you have overcome, you’ll likely have a few examples come to mind. You may think of work challenges, personal challenges, or school challenges. Yet, to give a clear and concise answer, I recommend you pick just one challenge. If you have prior work experience and can think of a job-related answer, then I recommend you do so. Employers will see a work situation as most relevant to their needs.

Yet, it’s possible to give great interview answers to this question by talking about a personal life challenge as well. So if you’re an entry-level job seeker or have one particular challenge that you feel you’re most proud of overcoming, then you can certainly share a personal story. While a personal life challenge may not be as relevant to the work you’ll do for a company, it can certainly make for an emotional, impressive story. And that means your situation/answer is more likely to be remembered by the interviewer. You can also ask the interviewer to clarify by saying, “Sure. Were you hoping to hear about a work challenge? Or a challenge from any part of life? A couple of examples come to mind so I thought to clarify before I answer.” No good interviewer will fault you for that. Just be ready to decide for yourself if they say, “Any challenge is fine.”

Watch: How to Answer “What is the Biggest Challenge You Have Overcome?”

How to answer “what is the biggest challenge you have overcome”.

Employers may also ask for the biggest challenge or obstacle you’ve had to overcome. It’s normal/acceptable to give a personal answer here. Still, if you’ve faced a substantial challenge at work, then I recommend mentioning that. This will help ensure your response shows that you’d be successful in this new job. When answering interview questions about past challenges, it’s important to show traits that employers want, such as:

• Ability to prioritize
• Ability to stay calm under pressure
• Communication
• Ability to take a step back and think/plan when you’re in a difficult situation

If you can mix a few of those traits into your answer, you’ll be more likely to get hired for this new job. However, if you feel that an answer from your personal life would be more compelling, you can share that. I’ll show an example of a personal answer and a job-related answer coming up soon, so keep reading.

Sample Interview Answers to “What Challenges Have You Overcome?”

Full example 1:.

One of the biggest work challenges I’ve overcome happened at my last job. Two team members were let go and I was left with the workload of three people. I fell behind and knew I couldn’t keep up in the long term, so I asked my manager for help. We came up with a solution that involved hiring, getting temporary help from another team, and streamlining our team’s processes to be more efficient, too. The experience taught me a lot in terms of communication and problem solving, and I think I’m even better prepared for the next problem or challenge I’ll face since I overcame that previous obstacle despite it feeling hopeless initially.

Full Example 2:

One of the greatest obstacles I’ve overcome was moving here to the United States when I was 10, without speaking the language fluently. I had to make new friends, learn the language, learn the culture, and adjust to a completely different way of life. One thing that made me successful was my natural curiosity and interest in learning. I’ve always been a good student, someone who reads and studies a lot, and someone who enjoys picking up new knowledge in general. I’ve taken that approach to learning new skills on the job, too, which I think has helped me get ahead in my personal and professional life and overcome obstacles or disadvantages.

Note that you can use the same type of answers above to describe the biggest challenge you’ve overcome if the hiring manager asks that instead. Also note that one example response above is a story about a work challenge, and one is a personal experience/problem. Find and choose the best example based on your background and the position you’re interviewing for. Both types of answers can be powerful and effective in the right scenario, if you overcame a challenge that shows the employer positive traits and life skills.

Obstacles Overcome: 15 Examples

To help you brainstorm more answer ideas for this question, here is a list of example obstacles you may have overcome:

1. Having to fix a coworker’s mistakes

Fixing the mistakes of another person at work could make for a great challenge you overcame. Maybe you were new in a role and asked to use your experience to redo the work of someone else. Or perhaps you had to step in to fix an emergency, such as an angry customer/client caused by the work of another person on your team. Or if you’re a recent graduate or still a student, maybe you had to fix a classmate’s work at the last minute on a group project. These all make good stories to tell, as you explain how you stayed calm and chose the right strategy to find a way out of the situation.

2. Having to hire one or more people in a short time

If you were a hiring manager under pressure to hire many employees in a short period, that’s also a great story to share, especially if your next job involves hiring/leading as well. Remember, the best answers to “tell me about a challenge you overcame” will demonstrate how you’ll be effective in this next job, too.

3. Filling in for a coworker who was fired

It can be tough on the entire team when a coworker quits, is fired, or is laid off. Showing how you dealt with an unexpectedly high workload by staying organized and handling the stress  can make a good story.

4. Having to fire or lay off workers

If you’ve been in a leadership role and were asked to fire or lay off workers, that can be incredibly difficult emotionally and mentally. This makes a good story and experience to share, and is a chance to demonstrate your communication and management skills.

5. Learning a new skill or adjusting your skillset to stay effective in your role

If your skills became outdated or needed an update, and you took on the challenge, either through continuing education, online courses, or asking for more training/learning opportunities at work, then consider sharing this in your interview answer. This could be a good way to show that you’re proactive in handling obstacles and that you are career-focused and driven, too.

6. Being short on cash after a shift, if you were a cashier or in another cash-handling role

If you ever worked as a cashier or in another role handling money, it can be incredibly stressful and difficult to be missing cash and have to explain that to your employer. This happened to me in my first job, a part-time cashier role while I was a student. I won’t explain the details, but through a clever scam someone pulled on me, I was nearly $100 short at the end of my shift. Over time, I was able to recover and get back to being in good standing with my employer, and I learned a lot from the experience. If you’ve experienced similar, this is something you could tell the interviewer to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and the ability to bounce back from adversity.

7. Any difficult ethical decisions you’ve had to make

If you were put in a tough spot in terms of making an ethical decision at a past company, or as a student, feel free to share that. Just make sure it’s something that won’t give this interviewer doubts about your character now. Only share this type of story with an employer if you’re sure it demonstrates that you’re ethical and honest, and did the right thing.

8. Resolving problems/disputes between coworkers

If you were working with two or more people who had a dispute and you helped solve it, this can be a great story to share… especially if this disagreement was harming the employer, and if working out the dispute helped the company.

9. Repeatedly clashing with a team member, or dealing with a team member who was difficult to work with

If you were stuck with a difficult person on your team and had to find ways to work with them, this can be something worth sharing to demonstrate how you’re able to communicate and problem-solve in your career.

10. Planning a complex event

Whether in your career, studies, or personal life, if you’ve planned out an important and complex event and faced challenges along the way, this can certainly make for a good story to share in the interview. You can demonstrate skills like organization , handling pressure and deadlines, working and coordinating with many different people on a project, etc.

11. Preparing for an important speech or presentation

Having to prepare a detailed speech or presentation in the past would also make a good obstacle to talk about in your job interview. For example, if you had never spoken in front of a large crowd before and had to give an important presentation under short notice, use that example to show employers how you prepared, how you practiced, and how you enjoy building new skills (the new skill in this case would be public speaking).

12. Dealing with an angry customer or client

Resolving an issue with an angry or abusive customer can be a challenge. If you faced this obstacle and were able to keep going, stay calm and polite, and resolve the issue, then this story would demonstrate many traits that employers want to see.

13. Losing data or work related to a project and having to redo it under a tight deadline

If you’ve ever worked on a project and lost some or all of the data with limited time to redo it, this could make for a fantastic story to tell the interviewer. Just make sure you’re sharing a story with a positive outcome, where you overcame the obstacle.

14. A difficult deadline you faced

If you’ve faced a challenging or seemingly impossible deadline, and somehow delivered the work on time, then this is going to be an impressive story to share.

15. Being asked to learn a new skill or step into a new area in your team or company

Sometimes, your employer will ask you to learn skills or step into a completely new area when you didn’t want or expect to. If you’ve done something like this successfully, it can make a great response to any questions about a work-related challenge you’ve faced. This type of transition can be difficult in terms of learning the skills, but also mentally/emotionally. And so discussing these things will demonstrate many positive traits that employers want and need.

Keep Your Answer to 60 Seconds or Less

Aim to keep your interview answer below 60 seconds. Practice at home by recording your answer on your smartphone if you need to verify the time. This guideline will keep you from sharing too much info or telling too long a story. This may also help you in deciding which example of an obstacle to share. If you’ve overcome a few obstacles and feel one situation would be difficult to describe in a minute, and the other would be better suited for this length of answer, then choose that. There’s a benefit to giving a clear, concise answer here, in terms of impressing the hiring manager. So pick a story that you can tell clearly and relatively quickly. This doesn’t mean you should rush your answer. Make sure to explain the situation clearly without skipping any important details. Just be aware of the time, since most hiring managers aren’t looking for answers that take a few minutes each. That makes the overall interview take too long.

Use the STAR Method to Keep Your Answer Organized

To keep your interview answer clear and brief when asked about a challenge you overcame, I recommend using the STAR method , which is short for:

This is how I recommend answering all sorts of behavioral questions (questions that begin with a phrase like “tell me about a time…”) Start with the overall situation you were in (were you working a job? studying? etc.) Next, describe the task at hand and the challenge you were confronted with. Then share the action you took to tackle the problem or obstacle. And explain why you took that action. Finally, describe the result , which should be a positive outcome, and possibly a lesson learned to better handle future situations. Always tell a story with a positive outcome. This will do a better job of impressing the hiring manager in response to any behavioral question.

Conclusion: How to Describe an Obstacle or Challenge You’ve Overcome

Next time you’re faced with an interview question like, “Describe a challenge you have overcome,” remember the tips above. Pick one specific example, always tell a story with a positive outcome and/or positive lesson learned, and keep your answer to this question brief (around one minute). If you do this, you’ll be one step closer to landing the job. And if you’re not sure whether the interviewer wants you to tell an example from your personal life or work life, ask. It’s better to clarify an interview question before answering than to give a less-than-ideal answer because you didn’t understand what the other person wanted. So take your time to understand the question first, ensure you know what the interviewer wants, and then share a significant challenge you overcame and how.

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How to Write the Overcoming Challenges Essay + Example

April 17, 2023

At some point, most college-bound students are tasked with writing an overcoming challenges essay. The prompt crops up in various forms, as a supplemental short essay about overcoming a challenge, and in as the main essay itself.

Some students may feel inclined to write about a dramatic experience (say, spotting a grizzly bear outside the kitchen window), mistaking the drama of the moment for a significant challenge. Others may get to work, only to realize they don’t have much to say about the time they got a C in P.E. (that dreaded frisbee unit). Students who’ve overcome unspeakable difficulties, like a death in the family, may find that reducing the tragedy to 650 words feels insufficient, or worse—as if they’re attempting to profit from suffering. One or two students may stare down the blank computer screen as their entire existence shrinks to the size of a 12-point font. Should they write about the challenge of writing about the challenge of writing an overcoming challenges essay??

Don’t worry. Focusing first on how to tackle the essay will help any student decide what they should write about. In fact, how the essay is written will also prove more influential than the challenge itself in determining the strength of the essay.

Decoding the Prompt

Let’s take a look at the overcoming challenges essay question included among the seven 2023-24 Common App Essay Prompts :

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Notice how the prompt places an immediate emphasis on the “lessons we take,” rather than on the obstacles themselves, or any potential success. This is because the challenge itself often says less about the student than the way the student chose to tackle it, or the way they now reflect on it. In other words, obstacles often come at us randomly; it’s our personal response to the circumstances which reveals something of who we are.

While studying a prompt for clues, it’s helpful to think from the perspective of the admissions officer (the essay reader). What can they glean from an overcoming challenges essay?  A lot, actually. A thoughtfully written essay may tell them about the student’s personality, as well as things like problem-solving techniques, rigor, persistence, creativity, and courage. These insights can work to prove to the admissions officers that the student has what it takes to overcome challenges in college, too. These future challenges may range from the inevitable academic obstacles that occur with heavy courseloads, to social and moral challenges that arise as college students form their adult identities.

Picking Your Topic: A Brainstorming Activity

With the question of identity in mind, let’s now approach the overcoming challenges essay backwards, by brainstorming the final message the student wants it to contain.

For this three-part exercise, the student will first set a five-minute timer. With the clock ticking, they’ll jot down character traits, values, and any descriptive words or terms that say something about who they are. If stumped, change perspective. The student may imagine what their best friends, parents, coaches and siblings would say. (For example, tenacious , logical , scientific , peacemaker .) Even mild criticism can be helpful, as long as it’s not cruel. While a student’s brother may call him a “perfectionist,” perhaps this word will trigger other relevant words, like persistent and detail-oriented.

Next, the student will set the timer for another five minutes, pull out a second sheet of paper, and jot down any challenges, obstacles, setbacks, failures, and achievements that come to mind. Don’t hold back here or overanalyze. (For example: underdog at state swim meet , getting lost on the family hike , petitioning for a school compost system …)

Lastly, the student will place the two pages side by side, and draw lines between the items on the list wherever connections occur. One student may draw lines between persistent , curious , gamer , passionate about electronics , and saved the day during the power outage. Another set of lines might connect caring, observant, creative thinker , and helped sister leave abusive cult . Whatever ideas are sparked here, the goal is to identify which challenges will demonstrate something essential about the student to an admissions officer.

Topics to Avoid

The internet is rife with advice on what not to write when writing an overcoming challenges essay. Yet this advice can be confusing, or downright hypocritical. For instance, some may advise against writing about death. Yet a student who lost their father at an early age may be capable of writing a poignant essay about their search for an alternative father figure, and how they found one in their soccer coach.

I suggest avoiding guides on what not to write until after the student has done a thorough round of brainstorming. Otherwise, they risk censoring themselves too early, and may reject a promising idea. Once they’ve narrowed down their list to three ideas or less, they may want to check our guide on College Application Essay Topics to Avoid .

The reason why certain types of overcoming challenges essays miss the mark is that they emphasize the wrong aspect of the experience, which turns the topic into a cliché. While it’s generally a good idea to avoid trivial topics (again, that C in P.E.), any topic has the potential to be compelling, if it’s animated through personal opinions, insight, and description. Details bring an experience to life. Structure and reflection make an essay convincing. In other words, how the story is told will determine whether or not the topic is worth writing about.

So, rather than avoid specific topics, consider avoiding these scenarios: if you can’t show the essay to your best friend or grandmother, it’s probably not ready to show a college admissions officer. If you must write a clichéd topic, don’t choose a typical structure.

Techniques to Hone

Techniques that animate an overcoming challenges essay are the same ones used in storytelling. Think setting, visuals, sounds, dialogue, physical sensations, and feelings. “Showing” instead of “telling.” Crafting the essay with these inner and external details will bring the challenge to life, and catch the reader’s attention.

Another technique which works well when trying to avoid the trappings of cliché involve subverting the reader’s expectations. In storytelling terms, this is a plot twist. The student who got a C in P.E. may actually have a stellar essay on their hands, if they can break away from the “bad grade” trope (working harder to improve their grade). Perhaps this student’s story is actually about how, while sitting on the bleachers and not participating in the game, they found themselves watching the frisbee spin through the air, and realized they had a deep interest in the movement of astronomical bodies.

Some of the strongest overcoming challenges essays demonstrate what students have learned about themselves, rather than what they’ve learned about the obstacle they confronted. These essays may show how the student has come to see themselves differently, or how they’ve decided to change, thanks to the challenge they faced. These essays work because the reflection is natural and even profound, based on the student’s self-awareness.

Writing the Overcoming Challenges Essay, or Drafts, Drafts, Drafts

Everyone writes differently, some by outlining (never a bad idea), some by free-styling (good for capturing sensations and memories), some by lighting a candle—but don’t procrastinate too much. The only “must” is to revise. After a first draft, the student should begin to look for several things:

1) Clarity and Detail. Is the challenge recounted with precision? Is it personal?

2) Structure. Consider mapping the structure, to visualize it better. Does the structure suit the story? Can it be changed for clarity, or to keep the reader more engaged?

3) Cliché. Identify words, sentences, and ideas that are dull or repetitive. Mark them up, and in the next draft, find ways to rewrite, subvert, condense, and delete.

4) Lesson Learned. Has the student reflected adequately on the lesson they learned from overcoming a challenge? To add more reflection, students might ask themselves what they have felt and thought about the experience since. Would they do something differently, if faced with the same challenge? Has their understanding of the experience evolved over time?

By the final draft, the experience and the reflection should feel equally weighted. To get there, it may take five or six drafts.

Overcoming Challenges Essay Sample

The Happiness Hotline

First there were reports. Then we were told to stop socializing, go inside, wait. Covid struck. Everyone knows what ensued. It probably looked different from where we were all (separately) standing, even though we faced the same thing. Those first weeks, I stood at my bedroom window. It was dark by early evening in Oregon. The weirdest part—after the fact that we were collectively sharing the loneliest experience of our lives—was the silence.

… it was really quiet.

So quiet, I could hear my mom sigh downstairs. (So quiet, I couldn’t remember if I’d hummed aloud, or if I’d just heard myself in my head.) When I looked out the window, I could hear the stoplight at the end of our street. Green to yellow. Click.

Before going on, you should know three things. First, this is not a Covid essay. This is about melancholy, and the “sadness that has taken on lightness,” to quote Italo Calvino. Second, from my bedroom window, I can see down a row of oak trees, past the hospital, to my friend Carlo’s house. Third, Carlo is a jazz singer. Maybe that sounds pretentious, a freshman kid being a jazz singer, but that’s Carlo, and I wouldn’t be me without Carlo being Carlo. He’s someone who appreciates the unhinged rhythm of a Charlie Parker tune. He’s an extrovert who can bring introverts like me out of my shell. He convinced me to learn trombone, and together we riff in the after-school jazz club.

In the first month of the pandemic, we called each other nightly to talk rap albums, school stuff. At Carlo’s house, he could hear a white-crowned sparrow. He could also hear his parents talking numbers behind the bathroom door. The death toll was mounting. The cost of living was going up too. As the month wore on, I began to hear something else in our calls, in the way Carlo paused, or forgot what he was saying. Carlo was scared. He felt sad, isolated, and without his bright energy, I too, felt utterly alone.

Overcoming Challenges Essay Sample (Continued)

After some dark days, I realized that to help ourselves we needed to help others. It was pretty obvious the more I thought about it. People are social creatures, supposedly, even introverts. Maybe our neighbors needed to remember the noisiness of life.

We built a happiness hotline. That sounds fancy, though essentially, we provided three-way calls on my parents’ landline. The harder part involved making flyers and putting them up around town, in places people were still going. Grocery stores, the post office. We made a TikTok account, and then—the phone rang. Our first caller.

For months, if you called in, you could talk to us about your days in lockdown. People went really deep about the meaning of life, and we had to learn on the spot how to respond. I’d become a journalist and a therapist before becoming a sophomore. After chatting, the caller would request a song, and if we knew how to play it, we would. If not, we improvised.

Now we’re seniors in high school. Carlo visits the hospital with band members. As for myself, I’ve been working on a community music book, compiling our callers’ favorite tunes. I don’t want to forget how important it felt to make these connections. Our callers taught me that loneliness is a bit like a virus, a bit like a song. Even when it stops it can come back to haunt you, as a new variant or an old refrain. Still, sadness can take on lightness when voices call through the dark: sparrows, friends, strangers. I learned I’m good at listening into the silence. Listening isn’t only a passive stance, but an open line of receiving.

Analysis of the Overcoming Challenges Essay Sample

This student uses their musical passion to infuse the essay with vivid detail. There’s a focus on sound throughout, from the bird to the stoplight. Then there are the callers, and the clever way the student conceived of breaking through the silence. The narrator’s voice sharpens the piece further, elevating a clichéd Covid essay to a personal story of self-discovery.

In fact, the essay briefly breaks with structure to tell the reader that this is not a Covid essay. Although techniques like this should be used sparingly, it works here by grabbing the reader’s attention. It also allows the student to organize their thoughts on the page, before moving the plot along.

Outwardly, the student is overcoming the challenge of loneliness in a time of quarantine. Yet there seems to be an inner, unspoken challenge as well, that of coming to terms with the student’s introverted personality. The essay’s reflection occurs in the final paragraph, making the essay experience-heavy. However, clues woven throughout point to the reflection that will come. Details like the Italo Calvino quote hint at the later understanding of how to alleviate loneliness. While some readers might prefer more development, the various themes are threaded throughout, which makes for a satisfying ending.

A Last Word on the Short Essay About Overcoming Challenges

The short essay about overcoming a challenge requires the same steps as a longer one. To write it, follow the same brainstorming activity, then focus more on condensing and summarizing the experience. Students who’ve already written a longer overcoming challenges essay can approach the short essay about overcoming a challenge by streamlining. Instead of deleting all the extra bits, keep two interesting details that will flavor the essay with something memorable and unique.

• College Essay

Kaylen Baker

With a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College, an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Translation from Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Kaylen has been working with students on their writing for over five years. Previously, Kaylen taught a fiction course for high school students as part of Columbia Artists/Teachers, and served as an English Language Assistant for the French National Department of Education. Kaylen is an experienced writer/translator whose work has been featured in Los Angeles Review, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay Guardian, France Today, and Honolulu Weekly, among others.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, overcoming challenges essay tips.

I'm working on a college essay about overcoming challenges in life, but I'm struggling to find the right balance between my story and what colleges want to see. Any advice on what to focus on or how to structure the essay to make it appeal to college admissions officers?

In writing an overcoming challenges essay, it's essential to strike a balance between showcasing your personal growth and demonstrating how that experience has shaped you into a better candidate for the college. Here are some tips to help you achieve that balance:

1. Focus on a specific challenge: Choose one major challenge you've faced and thoroughly explain the situation. This will allow you to explore the depth of your experience and demonstrate the impact it has had on you.

2. Show personal growth: The crux of this essay should be your growth and development as a result of overcoming the challenge. Discuss the skills and values you've developed, and the lessons you've learned. Emphasize how these personal transformations have prepared you for college life and beyond.

3. Highlight your resilience: Your journey to overcome a challenge demonstrates your resilience, an essential trait for success in college. Show how you've bounced back from setbacks or failures and used those experiences to achieve your goals.

4. Be authentic and genuine: Share your true feelings and emotions while being mindful of the tone. Strive to be candid yet positive about your experiences and avoid dwelling too much on the negative aspects of the challenge.

5. Bring the focus back to your college goals: Conclude your essay by connecting your experience to your college aspirations. Explain how your journey has contributed to your college readiness and how you envision using these insights and skills at the college you're applying to.

6. Structure your essay effectively: Start with a captivating introduction that briefly introduces the challenge and the impact it had on your life. Then, dedicate a few paragraphs to explain the situation, your response, and the steps you took to overcome the challenge. Finally, wrap up the essay by reflecting on your growth and tying it back to your college goals.

By following these tips, you can craft a compelling essay that showcases your resilience, personal growth, and readiness for college life. Remember to proofread your essay and seek feedback from others to further refine your story before submitting it with your application.

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How to Write a Personal Challenge Essay (with Examples)

A personal challenge essay offers a singular chance for introspection and personal development. It gives you a chance to consider your past, face difficulties, and demonstrate your tenacity. This essay structure enables you to communicate your ideas and experiences with others, regardless of whether you’ve overcome hardship, dealt with a tricky circumstance, or chased an audacious goal. You’ll walk you through the phases of writing an engaging personal challenge essay in this in-depth guide, complete with samples that demonstrate the procedure.

Understanding the Personal Challenge Essay

The Personal challenges in life as a student essay asks you to describe an instance or time in your life when you had to overcome challenges, setbacks, or barriers. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate your resilience, your capacity to face adversity, and the lessons you’ve picked up along the road. This kind of article necessitates reflection, sincerity, and skillful narrative.

Selecting a Meaningful Challenge

It’s important to pick the correct challenge to write about. Think about Personal challenges in life as a student essay that profoundly influenced your development, principles, or attitude on life. It can have been an obstacle you overcame in your studies, relationships, sense of self, or any other area of your life. The task should have personal significance for you and provide information that your audience can relate to.

Structuring Your Personal Challenge Essay

To effectively portray your experiences, feelings, and growth, writing an engaging personal challenge essay involves careful thought and a well-organized format. The following steps will show you how to organize your essay such that it presents a logical and interesting story:

Introduction:

Beginning your essay with an attention-grabbing hook that draws the reader in and highlights the topic of the difficulty you’ll be exploring is a good idea. This might be a provocative inquiry, a moving saying, a detailed account, or a first-hand account associated with your issue.

Background & Context:

Make sure the reader has all the background knowledge they need to comprehend your dilemma. Describe the context, surroundings, and any other pertinent information that establishes the scene for your narrative. Additionally, you have the choice to ask for assistance from PhD thesis writing help if you run into difficulties when writing the background and context of your thesis or dissertation or if you are unsure owing to a lack of experience. They can offer helpful assistance to improve the caliber of your work.

The Challenge:

Describe the challenge in detail in a portion of your essay. When describing the challenges, difficulties, or setbacks you encountered, be descriptive and in-depth.

Your Reaction and Result:

Write about how you responded to the challenge in this part. What steps have you taken? Did you make crucial decisions, prepare a plan, or ask for assistance? Be sure to emphasize your ability to solve problems, tenacity, and any other traits that may have helped you overcome the obstacle.

Growth and Reflection:

Consider the encounter and share what you took away from it. What effects did the challenge have on your emotions, mind, and possibly even body? What new understandings did you get about who you are, your values, or your outlook on life? Describe how you overcame the obstacle to grow personally, discover yourself, or alter your perspective.

Takeaways & Lessons:

The exact lessons you took away from overcoming the obstacle should be highlighted. What priceless knowledge, abilities, or traits did you acquire as a result? Describe how these teachings have shaped your current behavior, choices, or attitude in life.

Conclusion:

Writing a compelling conclusion that connects everything can help you to conclude your essay. Write a summary of your shared journey, highlighting your personal development and new perspectives.

Include a Call to Action (Optional):

Depending on the nature of your issue, you might want to include a call to action that prompts the reader to reflect on their own issues, take action, or adopt a particular attitude.

After you’ve finished writing the essay, take some time to review and make any necessary changes. Check that the grammar, spelling, and punctuation in your writing are correct, as well as the flow.

Maintain You’re Authentic Voice Throughout the Essay:

While it’s crucial to follow a structured methodology, don’t forget to preserve your authentic voice. Remain sincere, honest, and personal in your writing. Your unique perspective and emotions will lend greater authenticity to your writing and make it more compelling. By adhering to the instructions outlined in this comprehensive guide, you’ll effectively organize your personal challenge essay. This approach will skillfully lead your readers through your journey, captivating their attention and leaving a memorable impression. Furthermore, if you find it challenging to maintain a systematic approach, consider seeking assistance from master thesis writing help. Their expertise can aid you in completing your work with precision and coherence.

Don’ts and Dos

Be upfront and honest when discussing your experiences. Do emphasize your development and lessons acquired. To keep the reader’s attention, employ colorful language and descriptions. Don’t make up or embellish details. Instead of blaming others for the difficulty, concentrate on your solution. Choose a challenge that had a significant influence rather than one that was inconsequential.

Examples of Personal Challenge Essays

Following are the Personal challenge essay examples:

Overcoming Academic Challenges:

Navigating the challenges we face in life essay can be a transformative journey that leads to personal growth and self-discovery. A prime example of this is when I confronted a series of academic setbacks. I realized that my ingrained fear of failing was standing in the way of my development. I, however, resisted allowing this fear to direct my course. I started a quest for self-improvement with pure tenacity. I reached out for guidance and support, shedding light on the power of seeking assistance when needed.

Overcoming Fear:

For instance, I had always been terrified of public speaking, but I had to face my phobia to present in front of a large crowd. I overcame my anxiety about public speaking over time with practice and confidence, and I also acquired speaking abilities that I still use today.

Dealing with Personal Loss:

Losing a loved one was a difficult emotional experience that altered my outlook on relationships and life. I learned the value of cherishing moments and helping others in need through my grief and contemplation.

Examples of challenges you have overcome as a student essay

I have encountered a range of challenges as a student, which has pushed my perseverance, adaptability, and resilience to the test. Even though they occasionally proved to be challenging, these obstacles ultimately helped me become a better and more capable individual. Here are a few instances of obstacles I overcame in my academic career:

Time Management Challenges:

Juggling schoolwork, assignments, extracurricular activities, and personal obligations can be difficult. There were times when I struggled to adequately manage my time, which resulted in missed deadlines and frustration. To overcome this difficulty, I started adopting time management strategies like making a thorough calendar, establishing priorities, and breaking work down into smaller, more manageable pieces. I became more organized about my obligations over time, which led to increased productivity and decreased stress. Furthermore, many students pursuing careers in the medical field face similarly demanding schedules that make it challenging to meet deadlines. In such cases, they often turn to nursing research paper writing services to ensure the quality and timeliness of their assignments.

Academic Setbacks:

It was demoralizing to experience academic setbacks, such as earning lower grades than expected. I decided to take advantage of these setbacks as chances for improvement rather than giving in to self-doubt. I requested input from my lecturers, made note of my weaknesses, and put focused study techniques into practice. I was able to improve my academic performance and regain my confidence by persevering and being willing to learn from my failures.

Language Barrier:

Navigating English as a second language introduced a unique set of challenges, especially in terms of effective communication and the completion of writing assignments. In essays and presentations, I often encountered hurdles in articulating my thoughts coherently and concisely. To overcome this hurdle, I actively expanded my vocabulary, engaged in consistent reading and writing exercises, and actively sought input from peers and professors. Furthermore, this drive to enhance my linguistic abilities not only improved my communication skills but also bolstered my confidence in expressing myself in academic and professional settings. My determination to conquer these language-related challenges demonstrates my commitment to growth and adaptability, qualities that I believe would make me a strong candidate for the Harvard Scholarship Essay .

Dynamics of Group Projects:

Due to the various work habits, schedules, and perspectives held by the group members, collaborative projects have occasionally proven to be difficult. I adopted efficient communication techniques, such as active listening and open discussion, to handle these circumstances. By praising each team member’s abilities and accomplishments, I helped to create a more effective and pleasant working atmosphere.

Personal Well-Being and Health:

It can be difficult to maintain a good balance between your personal needs and your academic obligations. I have occasionally overlooked my needs, which has resulted in burnout and a decline in drive. I gave exercise, wholesome eating, and regular breaks top priority since I understood how important self-care was. This all-encompassing strategy not only increased my general well-being but also sharpened my attention and increased my output. These examples collectively constitute my challenges in life as a student essay. They serve as valuable lessons that offer insights on how to navigate and overcome various situations.

How to Revise and Improve Your Essay

For instance, if you are given a topic such as “Essay on Environmental Problems and Their Solutions” and you’re not well-versed in it, it’s advisable to invest time in research. This will enable you to create quality content for your essay. After writing your personal challenge essay, it’s essential to engage in the editing and revision process. Ensure that your essay flows logically and that your ideas are well-organized. Edit for clarity, grammar, and punctuation. If you’re seeking a comprehensive perspective, consider seeking feedback from peers, professors, or mentors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final thoughts.

Writing a personal challenge essay offers you the chance to share your unique journey and inspire others through your resilience and progress you can create an engaging tale that engrosses your readers by choosing a pertinent challenge, using a solid essay structure, and remaining honest. It’s crucial to remember that your essay about a personal issue demonstrates both your capacity for self-reflection and personal development in addition to your capacity for overcoming challenges. For those who face challenges in managing their academic tasks, there are online homework writing services available that can provide valuable assistance and support.

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How to Answer the Essay Prompt "Describe a Challenge You Overcame"

Late fall is officially college admissions season! Some students have already sent in their early decision applications and are working hard on those regular decision deadlines, which means it may be time to work on your essays.

These essays from the Common App , Coalition App , or your prospective school’s specific format can vary in topic, and you may get to choose what you write about. But no matter the school or set of schools to which you’re applying, you will likely come across a version of the “Describe a Challenge You Overcame” or “Overcoming a Challenge” essay prompt.

For some people, the answer to this could be evident. But if you have no idea what to write about, the first rule is:

Don’t panic

So many students are plagued with questions like: What if I’ve never overcome an obstacle? Is my life boring? What if I have nothing to write about, and the admissions officers hate me? What if they judge me for what I've been through?

Deep breath.

All of these fears are normal, but everyone has overcome some sort of challenge or obstacle, whether small or completely overwhelming. By being authentic to yourself, yours will be compelling to readers and help them get to know the kind of student you are now and will be at their college or university.

You will need more than panicking to help you write an essay. Remember that everyone has something valuable to say, and the obstacle you choose will matter less than your ability to write about it and highlight your resilience.

Brainstorm an authentic but impactful challenge

The first thing you'll need to do is think through some challenges you’ve faced . 

A challenge can be as seemingly simple as learning to trust yourself after a failure in school or an extracurricular activity or as complicated as overcoming significant discrimination and prejudice.

You had to overcome a specific fear to succeed at an activity you love. You may have had to rebuild your life after losing a relative. Maybe your family moved, which shook up your life. Or, receiving one terrible grade or criticism led you to change your outlook on life and motivated you to work harder than ever.

Whatever the obstacle you face (no inventing, please), it should be impactful.

That means thinking of a challenge that changed something about you. As a result of overcoming this obstacle, you should have learned significant lessons about yourself or the world around you and made changes in your life.

Colleges and universities want to know what traits you possess that will help you succeed in college and your future career, so the obstacle you choose to share should have helped you develop one of your defining traits. They will care more about your reaction to this challenge, how it shaped you, and how you articulate it than what the problem was in the first place.

Generally, the obstacle you choose to share should also be pretty recent or have had a current impact on your life, rather than a challenge that happened when you were very young that doesn’t impact you today.

Begin at the end

The opening sentence of your essay about overcoming a challenge should be compelling and make the reader want to continue. It can be tempting to tell the story chronologically, but it can sometimes be adequate to start with the ending or a positive memory.

So, think about when you overcame your challenge or realized that you had improved after facing an obstacle. You might even share a moment when you realized your chosen barrier significantly. Recount this moment as your introductory hook in some way.

You can even preview the lessons you learned in your introduction. That way, readers already know that you will share what you’ve learned rather than just share a story recounting a terrible moment or difficult challenge in your life. This can also make them want to keep reading to see how you got to that place.

Share context about the situation but make it brief

You want the reader to learn about you and your challenges rather than overdoing it in detail. They don't need to know every step of the process or every player in the story.

Of course, you should share the context behind what happened to you that challenged you and changed your life or perspective, but you should not dwell too much on the details. Provide only the ‘need to know’ moments and how they led to changes in your life.

With this kind of essay, readers want to know less about what happened and more about what you learned due to your experience.

Focus on what you learned

Your reflection about what you learned due to your experience should be your primary focus within your essay. This section will help readers understand how you’ve changed after facing your challenge or obstacle to become the stellar student you are today. It can also show the maturity and self-reflection colleges may seek in a student.

By sharing lessons learned in this type of essay, you also share how you will contribute to any college campus with your newly acquired traits and perspectives.

If you had to move from one city to another, perhaps you learned to be flexible or met new friends who helped you discover your fascination with science and technology. If you faced bullying, maybe you learned how to respect yourself without outside validation and gained resilience. Whatever the challenge, the lessons associated with overcoming it are most important.

Share actions you took as a result of overcoming the challenge

To help readers understand how you overcame the challenge and how the lessons you learned tangibly affected your life, you should also consider your actions after overcoming your obstacle.

For example, if you witnessed discrimination at school, you could have founded an anti-bullying campaign or student organization. If you lost a family member to a specific disease, you may have volunteered with an organization to help fund research for a cure.

Remember, all of this information needs to be authentic to your experience. Even the most minor actions can be impactful. So, truth is always best, even if you just learned to treat your family better or significantly improve your grades after facing this obstacle.

Connect the lessons you learned to your future

Finally, you can strengthen your response even more by connecting the lessons you learned and actions you took with your future goals.

Think about how you will show up in college after facing this challenge. And consider how you are better equipped now to achieve your future goals because of the lessons you learned. You can then tie this into how attending each college will help you reach those goals.

Seek support!

Admissions officers should never be the first people to read your essay. Get help from a teacher or college counselor, your parents or guardians, an online college essay writing site like Prompt , or fellow scholars like other NSHSS members   before you hit "submit." 

Have them read your essay and provide you with constructive feedback about content and structure. If you're stuck, you can ask for some "overcoming an obstacle" essay examples or ideas from those who know you well.

Then, submit your essay and enjoy that feeling of accomplishment!

Answering the essay prompt "Describe a Challenge You Overcame" offers a unique opportunity to showcase your resilience, growth, and problem-solving skills. By focusing on the specifics of the challenge, the steps you took to overcome it, and the lessons you learned, you'll answer the prompt effectively and make a lasting impression on the admissions team.

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Overcoming Obstacles: Using the ‘Challenge You’ve Faced’ Essay Prompt to Your Advantage

During college admission, one common essay question in Oxbridge admissions tests and various other admission tests is, “Describe a significant challenge you have faced and how you overcame it.” Although this topic can initially appear difficult, it offers candidates a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate their resiliency, problem-solving skills, and personal development. But don’t worry!

In this blog article, we’ll discuss how to write a strong response to the essay topic, “challenge you’ve faced,” and we’ll provide insightful tips on making your struggle into an engaging story. After reading this blog, you’ll have the skills required to use this essay as a chance to highlight your special traits and make an impact on admissions committee members.

Before going ahead, as a university admissions consultant, we want you to know why universities would be interested in learning about your challenges. What is their motive?

Reasons Why College Admission Essays Would be Interested in Knowing the Challenge You’ve Faced

College admission essays frequently ask about the challenges you have endured due to the fact that they offer insightful information about your character, resiliency, and capacity to overcome problems. Admissions counsellors are curious about your personal development and coping mechanisms.

Going deep, here are the reasons why college application essays include topics to know your challenges:

Resilience: Admissions committee members want to know that you have the perseverance and resolve needed to thrive in college and beyond.

To show them, you can demonstrate your ability to endure and overcome trying circumstances by outlining your difficulties.

Manifesting Personal Growth: The admission committee is interested because overcoming obstacles frequently results in personal development. Sharing your experiences might show that you have the ability to reflect on yourself and show how you have changed as a person. It enables admissions assessors to comprehend how you have become stronger as a result of your challenges.

To Know How You Stand Out from the Crowd: Applications for college admissions are very competitive, and many candidates have good grades and test results. When you talk about your struggles, it gives you a special chance to separate from the crowd. It enables the university to know your uniqueness and show admissions authorities what makes you special and relevant by sharing a personal story.

Examining Problem-solving Abilities: Colleges are looking for applicants who can successfully navigate and resolve issues. They want to know your capacity for problem-solving, inventiveness, and critical thinking by outlining your difficulties. This aids admissions personnel in determining your capacity to enhance their academic community.

Assessing Self-awareness: University counsellors want to determine how self-aware and emotionally intelligent you are by reflecting on challenges. Colleges seek applicants who are aware of their own advantages and disadvantages as well as how they relate to others. Sharing your life experiences and the lessons you’ve gained can reveal your maturity and self-awareness.

Predict Future Success: Admissions officials frequently utilise prior performance as a sign of future success when making decisions about applicants. Making a strong case for your capacity to overcome hurdles in the collegiate setting can be accomplished by demonstrating how you have previously managed difficulties. This can inspire universities to believe in your ability to succeed in your academic endeavours.

So, consider your progress and the lessons you acquired while writing about problems in your college admissions essay rather than concentrating on the difficulties. Focus on the good results and attributes that have emerged as a consequence of the obstacles and frame them as chances for growth.

Also Read: Unveiling the hidden gems: how to approach unique college essay prompts

How Can You Overcome Obstacles: Using the ‘Challenge You’ve Faced’ Essay Prompt to Your Advantage?

In college application essays, overcoming challenges is a popular subject, so it’s critical to wisely approach the “Challenge You’ve Faced” essay prompt. Here are some tips on how to make the most of this prompt and highlight your development and resiliency as a person:

#Select the Appropriate Challenge

Select a challenge that has greatly influenced your life and is relevant to you. A personal, academic, or extracurricular challenge might be the cause. Make sure the task is significant enough to show off your character and capacity to overcome hardship.

#Provide Background and Context

To start your essay, give the required background and context. Describe the nature of the difficulty, why it was important to you personally, and how it affected you. This provides context for the reader and aids them in seeing the seriousness of the issue.

#Share Your First Impression

Describe how you responded to the problem at first. Did you experience feelings of apprehension, defeat, or a lack of direction? During that period, be open and honest about your feelings and opinions. This makes it easier for the reader to comprehend how the difficulty first affected you.

#Mention Your Actions and Strategies

After describing your original response, include the steps you followed to remedy the problem. Talk about the tactics, methods to fixing problems, or coping techniques you used. Draw attention to your inventiveness, imagination, and tenacity in coming up with answers or methods to get around the issue.

#Showcase Your Personal Growth

This section of the essay is vital; reflect on your personal development. Consider how the difficulty has changed you as a person. Talk about the knowledge you gained, the abilities you acquired, or the insights you attained as a result of conquering the challenge. Did it help you develop your resiliency, persistence, flexibility, or empathy? Show how this event helped you grow personally and how it changed you.

#Highlight the Positives

Be sure to highlight the advantages of taking up the challenge. Did you develop new skills, enhance connections, reach a goal, or learn more about yourself? Talk about the material or intangible advantages brought about by your tenacity and resolve. This indicates your capacity to seize opportunities out of adversity.

#Link to Your Long-term Objectives

Connect your experience conquering the obstacle to your next hopes and goals. Describe how the knowledge and abilities you have gained will help you in college and beyond. Talk about how this encounter has influenced your morals, profession, or desire to improve the world. Prove to the admissions officials that you can use the resiliency you displayed to overcome any future difficulties you may have.

#Present Your Writing Skills

Showcase your writing abilities by paying attention to your writing style, punctuation, structure, and the essay’s substance. Use colourful language, captivating narrative tactics, and a simple framework to capture the reader. Make sure your essay is error-free and successfully communicates your point by proofreading and revising it.

Remember that the goal to succeed in Oxbridge admissions or any other admissions is to emphasise the benefits that resulted from the difficulty and frame it as an opportunity for personal growth. Admissions counsellors are curious about your ability to overcome obstacles, grow from experiences, and persevere. Writing a captivating essay may show you are resilient, mature, and prepared for college.

Also Read: The dos and don’ts of writing a standout college admissions essay

Examples of Such Essay Prompts

Here is an example of a college essay question that demands you discuss challenges and how you overcame them:

“Describe a significant hardship or obstacle you have faced in your life. How did you confront and overcome it? What did you learn from this experience, and how has it shaped you as an individual?”

  Essay Answer:

I can clearly remember the heartbreaking day my family learned of my father’s cancer diagnosis. We were surprised and terrified as the word resonated across the space. Our lives were abruptly flipped upside down, and the difficulties we encountered felt insurmountable. But this struggle turned into a turning point that put my fortitude to the test, gave me priceless life lessons, and helped me become the person I am today.

I had to stand strong for my family while we dealt with my father’s illness. I assumed obligations that were above my years, helping with housework, scheduling appointments, and offering emotional support. It was difficult to juggle my academic obligations with my newly acquired duties, but I refused to let my situation define who I was. I turned to my passion for studying for comfort, utilising it as a way to manage my emotions and keep things in perspective.

A mindset change was necessary to overcome this adversity. I chose to concentrate on our happy and grateful times rather than dwell on the bad. I came to understand how crucial it is to treasure each special moment and look for the positive aspects of even the most trying circumstances. With this new perspective, I was able to develop resilience because I approached each obstacle with tenacity and a firm conviction that we could conquer it.

My father’s sickness taught me the value of compassion and empathy. Seeing his fortitude and bravery in the face of suffering motivated me to be compassionate to those going through similar struggles. I started a support group at my school to offer a secure environment for kids going through various difficulties. My grasp of the human experience has grown due to this event, and I now desire to guide people through their own difficulties.

The journey we went on together as a family taught me the importance of harmony and unwavering love. In the course of supporting one another through the highs and lows of the treatment process, we developed an unbreakable friendship. My mother became my pillar of strength, exhibiting unflinching fortitude and giving me the conviction that love and support could overcome even the most difficult challenges.

This struggle has completely changed who I am. I’ve come out with a greater capacity for empathy, a fortitude that helps me move ahead, and a profound understanding of how fleeting life is. Additionally, having personally seen the positive effects of caring and committed professionals on the lives of patients and their families has strengthened my desire to pursue a career in healthcare.

This well-written essay answer shows how the student encountered a huge challenge, overcame it with tenacity and persistence, gained important lessons, and was moulded by the encounter. It demonstrates the growth and development that resulted from conquering the challenge by incorporating personal tales, thoughts, and a link to future objectives. When replying to a similar prompt, keep in mind that your essay should reflect your individual experiences and writing style.

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How to write about your biggest challenge or adversity

Your adversity statement, often called “the challenge essay,” has the potential to be a major contributor to your medical school application. The goal of the essay is not just to explain the adversities you faced or the challenges you experienced, but rather to demonstrate your ability to overcome them and grow from them. The specific challenge or adversity itself is often times the least important part of the essay! Instead, the majority of your limited word count will be dedicated to demonstrating your preparedness for the many challenges and adversities that you will face in medical school and beyond. Looking at the prompt from this angle may help it seem a bit less intimidating. Now, let’s tackle this essay in three simple steps: 

Step One : Reread the prompt, and select the experience you want to talk about 

Before you even begin brainstorming, reread the prompt! In your excitement (or nervousness) to get started, you may have missed a helpful detail that will narrow the scope of your essay. Depending on the school, you may be asked to discuss a professional challenge, a personal challenge, or even an academic one. Make sure that you understand which of these, if any, is being asked for. Once you have a sense of what type of experience is being requested, start to brainstorm the adversities you have faced, no matter how big or small. As you make a list, make sure each example fits the following criteria: 

• You have overcome the obstacle or have made meaningful progress towards the goal of overcoming it
• You have completed the emotional processing of the obstacle/experience and are comfortable talking about it in writing and potentially in an interview 

Once this is done, take a look at your list and see what experiences you are most confident in. Do those align with the narrative of the application you submitted in your primary application/personal statement? Is this an experience that you’ve discussed extensively in your 15 activities or personal statement already? Asking yourself these questions will help you narrow down the list further until you make a final selection that will complement your application and demonstrate your characteristics well. Examples include: losing a loved one, not succeeding in a class, navigating a health concern or diagnosis, overcoming a language barrier, navigating financial hardship, and more. 

Step Two: Map out the essay by talking through exactly how you overcame the adversity/challenge 

You have your experience selected, but before writing the essay, you need to be sure of the characteristics you wish to demonstrate. Knowing this before you write will help you frame the story in such a way that these characteristics shine through. Remember, you are only using a small amount of the essay to describe the event itself; most of the essay should focus on your journey overcoming the adversity/challenge, so you need to be direct and clear from the start! You can also use this time to get a sense of how long the essay will be. Do you find yourself taking 5 minutes or more to fully explain your story? You may need to be more succinct in order to condense that into an essay with a limited word count. 

Step Three: Write, write, write 

Dedicate a brief intro of the essay to describing the circumstances of the challenge/adversity you faced. No need to be too detailed, but give the reader enough information to understand what you were up against. Next, explain your feelings throughout the experience, how you were affected, and how you overcame. The key to this step is alluding to the qualities you are demonstrating without actually stating them. Rather than saying, “I was resilient,” simply explain the steps you took to keep pushing through despite the circumstances. Do this, and the key words and characteristics will leap off the page between the lines of your story! Once you’ve described the actions you took to overcome, close out the essay with a brief statement about how the experience changed you or gave you an opportunity to grow. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate your ability to reflect and use any experience as a learning experience. 

When you are finished, be sure to go back to the prompt one last time and make sure that your essay answers it appropriately. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments, and keep in mind that the readers of your essay are looking to recruit their future students, colleagues, and patient care providers. What qualities would you be looking for if you were in their shoes?

Olivia attended the University of Rochester, studying Neuroscience and American Sign Language. She's pursuing her MD at Harvard Medical School, where she’s exploring her interests in pediatrics and neonatology.

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Essay Samples on Overcoming Challenges

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Life is a journey filled with twists and turns, peaks and valleys, moments of triumph and challenges that test our resilience. The ebb and flow of experiences—the ups and downs—shape the tapestry of our lives. This essay delves into the profound significance of embracing both...

• Overcoming Challenges

How to Overcome Challenges in Life: Becoming Stronger

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• Overcoming Obstacles

Overcoming Obstacles and Challenging Situations on the Way to Passion

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3. Overcoming Obstacles and Challenging Situations on the Way to Passion

4. Overcoming Adversity: A Challenge That Makes You Grow as a Person

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Essays About Challenges: Top 11 Examples and Prompts

We come across many challenges we must endure throughout life. If you want to write essays about challenges, start by reading some of our top essay examples.

Everyone has had to deal with obstacles or challenges at some point. Some people can overcome hurdles with confidence and bravery, while many others have difficulty trying to face them. However, the challenges we have faced are, without a doubt, a central part of who we are today. Overcoming challenges can make you a better person. The lessons you learn from them are essential for future success, and as with all other experiences, these challenges help form you into the person you are today. They can also be exciting to some, as they test your skills and capabilities. 

If you are writing essays about challenges, look at our featured essay examples below. 

1. Personal Challenges by Delores Goodwin

2. life’s struggles make us stronger – and happier – if we let them by helen g. rousseau, 3. how to overcome your challenges with openness and courage by tony fahkry.

• 4.  ​​Life: full of challenges by Vaibhav Jain

5. Challenges Facing Public Schools by Lewis Rios

1. challenges i have faced, 2. lessons learned from challenges, 3. how to change your attitude towards challenge, 4. helping others overcome challenges and adversity, 5. challenges faced in your home country, 6. challenges the world currently faces.

“A challenge will tell an individual more about themselves than anything else in life. Am I a quitter? How much adversity can I take? How badly do I want this? What is my breaking point? Where does my loyalty end? Challenge can ask us hundreds of questions and forces us to answer honestly. Challenges end the talk and make one walk the walk. Create challenges for yourself, it will cause you to see who you really are.”

Challenges are a necessity of life despite the hardship and stress they come with, and Goodwin discusses this in her essay. A great accomplishment cannot be made without a challenge. Without challenges, one becomes complacent, so we must keep facing challenges to keep us mentally and physically strong. Goodwin encourages readers to challenge themselves more to help them delve deeper into who they are. For more, check out these essays about life challenges .

“Every human being has been in this place at one time or another. Sometimes depression can make it more difficult to get away from the edge but any spark of light or encouragement should be used to seek help physically, emotionally or spiritually. When we face a crisis, it effects the all of who we are and thus must be met with our total beings.”

Rousseau reflects on overcoming adversity, recalling when she met with two former coworkers. They talked about their lives, families, and struggles during lunch. They could bond over their shared positive, confident mindset, allowing them to overcome challenges. Rousseau clarifies that if you put your mind to it, you can overcome anything and closes her essay with two of her poems about resilience. 

“Instead of running away from your emotions, lean into them and experience them fully. This transforms your fears and anxiety into empowering emotions. Let go of what you believe life owes you. It owes you nothing since you are the expression of life. Rise to your challenges armed with courage and an open mind. Remain confident that your experiences are serving your personal growth.”

Fahkry explains how to face challenges without stress and suffering. He reminds us that, first of all, we have free will, so we do not have to feel the way we do if we put our minds to it. We cannot change our reality once it is already there, so feeling sad or angry for prolonged periods is useless. If we change our mindsets for the better, we can overcome all adversity. Our fear and anxiety can be turned into confidence, empowerment, and courage. Check out these essays about competition .

4.  ​​ Life: full of challenges by Vaibhav Jain

“A person who has not encountered difficulties in life can never achieve success. Difficulties test the courage, patience, perseverance, and true character of a human being. Adversity and hardships make a person strong and ready to face the challenges of life with equanimity. There is no doubt that there can be no gain without pain. It is only when one toils and sweats it out that success is nourished and sustained.”

In his short essay, Jain writes about the wonders of life as well as its challenges. He likens life to a bed of roses, complete with painful thorns. In general, life is good, but adversity and challenges are prevalent. These two concepts seem different, but one cannot exist without the other. As with the previous essays, Jain explains that challenges make us stronger and help us feel successful and relieved: “there can be no gain without pain.” Without challenges, we take the better parts of life for granted; if we accept and overcome our struggles, we can live life to the fullest.

“In conclusion, public educational institutions experience many challenges ranging from budgetary constraints, student violence and low parental involvement. Much research needs to be done to establish why these problems exist in the first place and lasting solutions for these institutions.”

Rios’ essay explores challenges in an education system; he proposes research on the constraints of the U.S. public school system. Public schools face several economic and social challenges, such as insufficient funding and lack of parental involvement due to many students’ working-class backgrounds. Rios wishes for more research on these problems and possible solutions. 

Writing Prompts On Essays about Challenges

In this essay, write about a challenge you previously encountered and how you dealt with it. Provide context by describing the events leading up to it, how it happened, and, most importantly, how you overcame it. Then, describe how you felt after- were you relieved, stressed, or tired? You can also discuss how this experience has affected you today. 

Challenges can teach us a lot about life and the world. Reflect on a challenge you faced previously and what you learned from it, whether positive or negative. As with the previous prompt, feel free to include ways in which the lesson you learned affects you today. 

How can you best handle the challenges you may face? Describe the ideal attitude one would need to overcome complex challenges. For example, what qualities would you need to have- courage, prudence, or sensibility? Regardless of what type of attitude you choose to write about, your essay will be substantive if you can adequately support your argument. 

In your essay, you can write about a time you were able to help someone facing a challenge. Who did you help- a friend, family member, or someone else? Then, write about how you helped them, how it made you feel, and how it has impacted your life. 

Research one particular challenge your country is facing today, whether that be an economic, social, or political issue. Discuss how this challenge occurred and what began the difficulties. If applicable, include multiple viewpoints on the issue and include information from credible sources. You can also propose possible solutions to this issue. 

Humanity faces challenges on a massive scale, from a climate change crisis to possible third world war to a global pandemic. Choose one challenge the world faces today and write your essay about it. As with the previous prompt, write about the causes and responses to this challenge, and feel free to propose a solution. 

Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .

ProWritingAid is one of our top grammar checkers. Find out why in this ProWritingAid review .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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How to Write the “Most Significant Challenge” UC Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by CollegeVine co-founder Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Understanding the prompt, avoiding common pitfalls, navigating more difficult topics.

The University of California system requires you to answer four out of eight prompts for its essays. Prompt five asks applicants:

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? (350 words)

As with any college essay, this prompt is an opportunity to convey a strong personal voice while communicating personal values and strengths that may not readily apparent in other parts of their application. In this article, we will discuss what the prompt is asking, how to approach writing your essay, and advice for navigating difficult topics. 

The first step in answering this prompt is identifying a challenge to reflect on. You’ll want to focus on a challenge that’s personal, genuine and authentic. A common issue that students struggle with is selecting a challenge that is appropriate in scale for the purposes of this essay. Choosing a challenge that may come across as minor in the eyes of admission officers, such as losing out on extracurricular opportunities because of COVID, for example, likely wouldn’t impress your reader in the same way that a more specific, personal challenge would. Navigating COVID as a challenge is going to be a completely overused response to this prompt, and if you want to stand out you should reflect more deeply on a challenge that is unique to you. 

You don’t want your challenge to come off as tone-deaf. For example, writing about a time that your parents refused to purchase something for you would not reflect very well on you and make you sound spoiled. On the flip side, you also don’t want to choose an outsized challenge that doesn’t resonate you. Your topic should be genuine and authentic.

Additionally, because this prompt specifically calls out an impact to your academic achievement, it’s a little bit more restrictive than the similar prompt in the Common Application . To be clear, you don’t have to write about something that directly affected your academics; however, you should be able to relate the process of overcoming this challenge back to your academic performance.

Focusing Only on the Challenge

We’ve already talked about writing a tone-deaf essay, but another trope you want to avoid is what we call a sob story. Writing an essay solely about the challenge and all the pain that it’s caused you is a good place to start an essay, but pain and struggle shouldn’t be where you end. A key element of the prompt is the act of overcoming the challenge and reflecting on that process and where you ended up. If you can’t end this essay in a better place than where you started, you’re not going to have a strong response to this prompt. 

Blaming Others

Additionally, avoid blaming others for your challenges. For example, if you struggled with a particular academic subject, focus on the specific aspects of that subject that challenged you and how you worked to overcome them. It’s easy to blame a bad teacher for a poor academic performance, and it is possible that the teacher might have objectively not been good. 

But think back to the purpose of the supplemental prompts. Colleges want to understand the person behind the application and how they think and relate to the people around them. Shifting blame to your teacher, even if it is  wholly deserved, could signal a lack of personal responsibility or immaturity to the admissions team. Remember that colleges are looking for students who will add to the vibrant campus community, which of course also includes their faculty and the other students.

Regardless of what you choose as your challenge, it’s important to think critically about how you will frame it within the context of your essay. Difficult topics like mental and physical health can be quite effective essay topics as they’re deeply personal and often quite substantial. However, as you begin to think through your essay, remember that two huge elements of the prompt are overcoming the challenge and reflecting on how it has impacted you academically. 

Remember to start with the end in mind. When we say start with the end in mind, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the challenge is now over. Colleges understand that challenges like mental health and chronic pain often don’t go away. It is important that, in the case of a challenge that you are constantly navigating, you clearly and effectively convey how you’ve overcome it or, in some cases, the ongoing steps you take to mitigate it. 

Ultimately, college is rigorous and challenging in itself, and no college or university wants to set you up for failure if they’re not confident that you can succeed. If you cannot effectively demonstrate that the challenge is no longer a risk to your success and wellbeing, consider choosing a different topic.

Looking for more information on how to attack the UC supplemental essays? Check out this post for a comprehensive guide on how to answer each of the eight prompts!

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21 Best ‘Describe a Challenge You Faced and How You Overcame It’ Examples

Answering behavioral interview questions can be tricky if you are unsure of their purpose. For example, when a potential employer asks you to describe a challenge you overcame, they want to see how you deal with pressure, setbacks, failures, and unexpected challenges.

A stellar answer will tell them about your problem-solving skills and critical thinking ability. Let’s review some tips for excellent answers, pitfalls to avoid, and look at 21 fantastic example answers.

5 Tips for Crafting Your Best Answer

• Use a professional or work-related story if you can
• Try to include a relevant story that can apply to the job position
• Emphasize what you learned from the challenging situation
• Keep the interview answer simple and concise
• Be humble but proud of your accomplishments

5 Mistakes to Avoid

• Do not say that you have never had to overcome any challenges
• Avoid too much detail
• Do not use your answer to blame someone else for a previous issue
• Stay away from stories with negative outcomes
• Avoid retelling the story as you being superior to others

How to Answer: STAR Format

When answering common interview questions, the hiring manager hopes your answer gives them a deeper look into your work abilities. Using the proven STAR technique will provide a good example that includes all the key elements they are looking for in an easy-to-follow layout.

The STAR method uses four vital elements, which include:

S: Situation – Start with the simple circumstances as the base for the answer. Were you on a team project and facing a short deadline?

T: Task – What was your part or role in the circumstances? Were you the individual responsible for delivering products to a client?

A: Action – What course of action did you take to solve the original problem? Specify your steps and not that of the team.

R: Result – End your answer with a positive outcome. Did you achieve what you set out to do, or what did you learn from the problem that you can use next time?

Take a look at these real example answers and see how you can prepare for any tough interview questions in your next interview.

Example #1: Filling a Role You Never Held Before

At my first job, I worked as the on-site customer service rep for the store. I was right out of school and did not have any customer service experience until this point. I answered phone and email concerns, forwarded complaints to specific departments, and tried to find workable resolutions.

Even though I was new to handling customer problems, especially in a busy, high-stress store, I learned how to think quickly and empathize with the clients so that they were satisfied with the end results.

Example #2: Fixing the Mistakes of a Coworker Who Was Fired

Working on the production floor at my previous job presented a significant challenge one time. A coworker was let go due to a lack of quality work, and there was a pile of incomplete orders and customer invoices with mistakes that needed fixing.

Because we were both assigned to the same production team, I had to fix the mistakes and clean up the unfinished orders. Although it was stressful and many of the orders were under a tight schedule, I successfully completed the task while balancing my production duties with careful time management.

Example #3: Having to Fire a Coworker

I was in a tough situation at my last job as the shift supervisor. I always try to have a good relationship with everyone at work for a more harmonious environment. Unfortunately, HR approached me to fire one of my coworkers because of some disciplinary issues.

This circumstance was a difficult time for me at first since I had never been the bearer of bad news before. Thankfully, after discussing company procedures and policies with Human Resources, I came up with a plan to let my coworker go as empathetically as possible. Although I do not want to deal with that problem again, I believe I am more knowledgeable on what it takes to get that kind of job done tactfully and professionally.

Example #4: Deal with a Cash Till Shortage Problem

Working as a cashier on the night shift at my previous job posed some challenges. My shift was short at cash-out every evening for an entire week. In addition, management was beginning to suspect employee theft, so I investigated the problem.

I did not want to start blaming coworkers, but I had to find the cause of the shortage before our company lost any more money. After sitting down with everyone on the night shift and going through till receipts, I discovered that one woman working with us had terrible eyesight and mistakenly entered in wrong codes and price counts.

Thankfully, I caught the problem early, she started wearing proper prescription glasses while on shift, and there was no further cash till shortage issues.

Example #5: Act as the Liaison Between Two Disgruntled Coworkers

Even though I was not a supervisor in my previous role, the management team asked me to act as a liaison between two coworkers that had personal issues because I had close personal relationships with both of them.

Although I had no previous conflict resolution training, my employer’s HR team helped me prepare to work effectively with both coworkers. As a result, I see now how having a familiar acquaintance was more productive for diffusing a sensitive situation than having the management team intervene alone.

Example #6: Learn a New Skill to Keep Your Job

When I was working as an administrative assistant, we had a change in ownership. The new management team had their own ideas about what each employee’s current role and duties should entail. After going through my job description, they decided that my position was ineffective and outdated.

The new owners gave me a chance to take some evening classes to obtain my license to sell insurance in the office and take a job on the floor rather than getting laid off. Although it was stressful to face a looming job loss, I decided to pursue the certification and completed it successfully to keep employment.

Example #7: Manage a Sales Team During Company-Wide Layoffs

Working as a sales team manager during the recession was a tough time for everyone. Our organization was going through company-wide layoffs, which had a detrimental effect on the remaining employee’s confidence and job satisfaction.

I could see how the anxiety and stress affected our monthly sales, and I had to find a way to turn it around. So, I took the initiative to talk to management about integrating some no-cost morale-boosting things to incorporate at work to help with everyone’s outlook. Thankfully, by including things like a monthly potluck and casual-dress Fridays, the employees started to enjoy working at the office more and spending time with each other, and our sales improved again.

Example #8: Accept a Promotion When Up Against a Coworker Who Was a Close Friend

One tough situation I faced at my last position was when our supervisor retired and his job was up for grabs. The company conducted an in-house job interview first before looking outside the organization, and consequently, both myself and my coworker applied for the position. The complication was that this coworker was also my close friend.

After two rounds of interviews with the hiring manager, they offered me the promotion to shift supervisor, much to my friend’s disappointment. However, this circumstance gave me insight into being professional and empathetic to coworkers. Although my friend was not happy about being passed over, they eventually accepted that I was the better choice for that particular job, and we have a good working relationship to this day.

Example #9: Being in Charge of Finding Cost-Cutting Measures for the Office

As part of my job as the district manager, my boss came to me for help in finding cost-cutting measures for the office. Although I did not have much accounting and budgeting experience, I embraced this new task and began searching our company processes and procedures for any inefficiencies.

In only two weeks, I distinguished three separate areas where our office could save money. From changing suppliers and distribution companies to allowing employees to take unpaid time off, I decreased our district budget by 12%.

Example #10: Make an Ethical Decision at Work Regarding Some Current Work Practices

Working at a public relations firm presented the biggest challenge that I have faced during my career so far. After working there for only one year, I found that some of my coworkers were making unethical decisions regarding our company’s business practices because of pressure from clients.

Once a client approached me to perform the same favors, I had to decide if my job was worth going against my principles. Eventually, I chose to follow my morals, and although the client was not pleased with my decision, it brought unfair company practices to light with our management team, forcing a positive change for all our staff.

Example #11: Being an Ineffective Manager of a Retail Store

Although it is hard for me to discuss now, I was an ineffective retail store manager years ago. It was my first role in management, and I had outdated ideas of my duties. As a result, my subordinates did not respect me, and there was a high turnaround rate for the first six months of me overseeing the team.

Eventually, the district manager came to me with concerns about my actions and how to handle the employees. By seeking further training and remaining open to better management practices, I was thankfully able to adjust my view and how I dealt with the team on the floor. This way, everyone was happier and more productive.

Example #12: Letting Pride Get in the Way of Asking for Help

At my previous position, I had the chance to take on other jobs during our slow season. Unfortunately, the one task they asked me to handle was an action I was unfamiliar with before. Because I was still pretty new to the job, I felt intimidated and nervous about asking for help since I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know what I was doing.

As a result, I did not complete the task according to how the company wanted, and I ended up wasting more time since I had to redo it after my supervisor took me aside to go over the steps. I know now that it is always better to ask for clarification and ensure that I am on the right track to be more productive.

Example #13: Refusing to See How Much More You Could Learn at Your First Sales Position

I worked as part of a profitable sales team at my previous job. My team was terrific, and we achieved top sales status almost every quarter. However, because of this, anytime my supervisor came to me with a good idea on obtaining new clients, I would brush him off and disregard his advice.

After some time, the management group brought me in to discuss how I was not open to new ideas and was combative at work. At the time, my thought process felt like they singled me out, but now I realize that my disregard for learning new strategies limited my potential. So now, I try to take any ideas a coworker has as having the potential to help me improve.

Example #14: Being in Charge of Hiring a Third-Party Event Planner That Overbilled Your Company

My boss assigned me to hire a third-party event planner for our annual district conference. I spent a lot of time researching the available options and comparing quotes, finally deciding on a local small company to run our event.

Once the event was over and my company received the final bill, there was a significant discrepancy in some charges. There was a miscommunication between what they quoted and what services I chose for them to handle. Facing a more significant invoice than our limited budget allowed, I strategized and agreed with the event planner for a lesser amount, and also committed to using their services for our next event.

In the end, my company had a more manageable bill, and we kept a professional relationship open with a local company. I also learned more about communication skills and having contracts in writing ahead of time.

Example #15: An Angry Client Asked for Your Manager Who Was Not Available and Demanded a Solution

I remember the first time I was the only senior staff member on shift while our manager had to leave for a delivery. While he was gone, I took a phone call from an irate client who had a mistake in their order and demanded to talk to the manager.

Although I have some experience with angry customers, the process at our company was to let the manager handle these types of calls. However, since he was unavailable, the client wanted a solution now rather than waiting for a callback. Thankfully, I took a conflict resolution course the year before, and I could calm the client down and minimize their urgency. This way, my manager could talk to them later about a proper solution.

My manager was impressed with how I handled the call. Because of how effective my methods were, he ensured that every team player could take the conflict resolution course so they would also have the tools to handle this situation if he was not around.

Example #16: Completing Your Monthly Reports Incorrectly

I held a work experience position as an intern right out of school. Although it was only a short-term job, I was keen to try my hand at as many tasks as possible. But, unfortunately, I think I was in too much of a hurry to try and learn everything and missed an important part in my monthly reports.

My supervisor noticed the mistakes and brought them to my attention. Of course, I immediately felt ashamed. But with time, I realized that as long as I own up to my mistakes and make sure I do not continue them, I can learn from any negative situations.

Example #17: Repeatedly Clashing with a Team Member During Major Projects

I worked in a small team at my last place of employment. We oversaw all the accounts payable and receivables. Unfortunately, each month, a report was due that required important information from all four team members. I was consistently clashing with one coworker about generating the details for the document.

This conflict would continue each month, causing stress and time delays. Finally, after some consideration, I approached my supervisor to ask for help to diffuse the situation and figure out a resolution. I am glad I took the initiative because, after that, our supervisor was able to work with both of us to find a workable solution when it came to collecting the necessary data for our monthly reports.

Example #18: After Spending Days on an Important Project, All the Data Was Lost 

I can remember a difficult work situation where I spent many days working on an important project for a new client. My supervisor wanted me to make sure that I met all the customer’s requests. I worked diligently on this project and was satisfied with my progress as I went through their items.

Unfortunately, we had a power surge at our office that took out our power, and my computer took on some damage from it. Within a second, all my hard work was gone. I immediately started to panic but realized that I had to think logically and formulate a plan. I contacted our IT department, and with some careful retracing to our backup server, I could recover most of my work so I could remain on task and complete the project on time.

Example #19: Being Very Driven During a Team Project, and Taking Over Too Much of the Responsibility

I enjoy working in teams, and with my last project, I was a little too enthusiastic when it came to taking on team tasks. So I started trying to handle as many items for the group as possible, believing that the more I did for the group, the better we would be.

Unfortunately, by doing this, I was not allowing each team member a great opportunity to use their strengths and abilities for the group’s benefit. As a result, I stretched myself too thin, and because I was completing too many things at once, I started making mistakes and missing deadlines. In the end, I realized that I could not do everything, and having a competent team to split tasks is the best solution for large projects.

Example #20: Having a Hard Time Following the Direction of Your Manager

Unfortunately, one difficult situation I encountered at my previous employer was when I was having a hard time following the direction of one of my managers. This individual would come to me with tasks that I didn’t feel were relevant to the project or they were not an efficient use of my time.

Consequently, because I did not always follow the directions given to me, I created a wedge between my manager and me that other coworkers noticed. After talking to the Human Resources department, I realized that ignoring or disregarding my manager’s directions was not the best solution. Thankfully, with the amazing group of people on staff, I learned how to accept guidance and when to ask for more clarification if I had concerns.

Example #21: Reacting When a Client Changed a Project Deadline

Thinking back, the biggest challenge I faced at work was when I was working for a prestigious client on a major project. This client was a long-term contract of our company, and I was new to working on their file. I began their new project last quarter and was well into many details when they came back and changed the deadline, moving it up by two weeks.

Once my manager notified me of the change, I started to panic since I didn’t think I would have enough time to complete the project before the due date. So, I talked to my supervisor and discussed some options to complete the job in a shorter time frame. I am glad I reached out because my supervisor assigned another person to help me with the project, and we had it done in time for the client, after all.

Answering behavioral questions is just the first step in the job interview process. One great way to ace an interview is preparing with sample answers that will wow potential employers.

Using details from specific situations will show an employer the best way you handle workplace challenges and if you will be the best fit for the job. In addition, past experiences can help a potential employer relate to you and show your best qualities, even when in stressful situations.

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A Challenging Situation I’ve Faced, Essay Example

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Everyone has been confronted with challenges throughout their lives, especially during their formative years in which adolescents and young adults have not yet developed effective coping mechanisms in order to grow . A handful of those struggles unequivocally have changed who a person is and how one approaches and views life. The biggest challenge I have faced thus far in my short life is my shyness, which has caused me immense anxiety both in education settings and in my social life. I have always felt a heightened level of anxiety and stress in so many situations, even just participating in class to an objective question about the reading. My teachers would always encourage me to speak in class because they said I have a lot of contribute, but I could never muster up to courage to volunteer so I would shy away as my heart started to beat faster prior to actually raising my hand.. I felt as though I had a physiological reaction that overwhelmed me, and I could not overcome the feeling. I felt ashamed, so my academic studies suffered as a result of this herculean challenge I confronted on a quotidian basis.

Despite this challenge, I soon realized I needed to have a strong desire to overcome my shyness, which was a protracted process and did not happen overnight. I believe I have come a long way as a result of my performance and success in the arena of athletics. I excelled as a basketball player and  track and field, and constant reaffirmation from my coaches, teammates, and friends slowing gave me more confidence as a student and athlete.  High school instilled that desire in me to change because I was so sick of freezing up in certain social situations and in the classroom. Speaking in front of people, especially my classmates, used to make me feel sick to my stomach.

I also decried the fact that my shyness hindered me from being an effective leader and communicator. Ironically, I want to pursue a career in politics, so I knew I had to overcome my shyness in order to develop as a person, a leader, and a social individual who is not afraid to express an opinion out of fear of humiliation.

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Interview Question: "What Was Your Biggest Challenge as a Student?"

• What the Interviewer Wants to Know

How To Answer, “What Was Your Biggest Challenge as a Student?”

Examples of the best answers, tips for giving the best response, what not to say, possible follow-up questions, frequently asked questions (faqs).

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When someone applies for an entry-level position, a typical job interview question they might be asked is how they’ve handled significant obstacles in the past. If you are currently in high school or college and lack work experience, interviewers may phrase this question as, “Tell me about the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a student.”

These challenges might be academic or personal—there is a wide gamut of situations you might choose to share. Perhaps you were faced with completing an important team project, but your teammates bailed at the last minute. Maybe you were an officer in an extracurricular or service organization tasked with organizing a major fundraising project. Or, like many students today, you might have struggled to balance your classwork with the demands of a necessary part-time or full-time job.

More important than the challenge is how you handled it: Use this as an opportunity to highlight strengths that would be helpful on the job, such as persistence, communication skills, and time management abilities.

Learn how to answer interview questions about challenges, what to say when you respond, and review examples of the best responses.

Key Takeaways

• List the interpersonal/people skills that empowered you to overcome challenges as a student and highlight these in your response.
• Ideally, use your answer to persuade your interviewer that you would readily accept challenges in order to grow your skills and contribute productively to their workplace.
• Use the STAR interview response technique to create a unique, illustrative example that the interviewer will remember when it comes time to make a hiring decision.

What the Interviewer Really Wants To Know

This question is a way for interviewers to get a sense of how you tackle problems and adversity. They are also interested in your level of self-motivation. Are you an individual who actively seeks new challenges in order to develop your skills and gain knowledge and experience? Or are you someone who passively avoids difficult situations until they arise, and you are forced to cope?

If possible, share examples that demonstrate to your interviewer how you are a person who embraces challenges.

Be honest. It’s tempting to toss back a humble brag as a response, e.g., “My biggest challenge was that I’m such a perfectionist!” Don’t do this. Everyone has flaws and areas for improvement. By pretending you don’t, you’d force the hiring manager to assume that you’re either lying or not self-aware. Neither makes a good impression.

Focus on challenges you’ve conquered. By the same token, now is not the time to present yourself in an unflattering light. There’s no need to share challenges you’re still actively trying to resolve. For instance, if you currently have trouble keeping your cool in stressful situations, don’t tell the hiring manager that you tend to freak out when the pressure is high. Instead, look for examples that show how you faced a challenge and overcame it. So, for instance, if you used to feel stressed before presentations, talk about how you solved the problem by taking a public speaking course and creating a schedule that allowed you to prepare ahead of time.

Look for opportunities to show that you’re the best person for the job. When answering this or any job interview questions, your goal is to show the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the position. That means  matching your qualifications to the job  and using your answers to show that you’d be a good fit. For example, if the job listing specifies that the employer is seeking someone with good time management skills, you might talk about how you developed a system to help you juggle a challenging course load and a part-time job.

Here are sample interview answers that you can edit to fit your personal experiences and background. Notice how these responses all demonstrate desirable soft skills that employers hope to find in their new hires.

Example Answer #1

My biggest challenge as a student was being the student. Sitting through the conventional lectures was sometimes difficult. My mind and body were always going, and I couldn't wait to get out of my seat, move around, share my thoughts, and interact with my peers. I handled it by focusing all my energy on listening and note-taking. It helped keep my mind busy and my body moving, and I also left with some great notes.

Why It Works:  This candidate demonstrates a good degree of self-knowledge in admitting that their preferred learning style was one that allowed interactive, interpersonal communications rather than passive listening comprehension. Better still, they demonstrated that they could successfully recognize and adapt to what was a less-than-ideal classroom environment.

Desirable soft skills : Interpersonal communications, teamwork, adaptability, flexibility, and active problem-solving.   

Example Answer #2

My first year was when I faced my biggest challenge as a student. I had never lived away from home before, and I experienced severe homesickness. I was almost defeated by it, and had the opportunity to go home and attend a local college instead. But I decided to try to overcome my homesickness, which I did by making a real effort to connect socially with new friends in my classes, my dorm, and a campus church group.

Why It Works:  This is a smart answer because the speaker shares what is a fairly common challenge for many students, then outlines the steps they took to overcome it.

Desirable soft skills : Self-motivation, problem-solving, personal initiative, and tenaciousness.  

Example Answer #3

Acquiring successful time management skills was the biggest challenge I faced as a student. It was an aspect of college life that I underestimated the significance of. Now that I am in the workforce, I continue to use the skills I gained, and I am always trying to improve on them as well.

Why It Works:  Here, the candidate chooses to focus on a single job skill that they know would make her a valuable and productive employee: time management. They also express their belief in continuous improvement.

Desirable soft skills: Time management, self-initiative, self-knowledge, problem-solving, and willingness to learn.

Example Answer #4

One of the biggest challenges during my first year of college was the volume of work. It was a big change from high school, and standards were also much higher. I tackled this in a few different ways: I looked for opportunities to start or join study groups, met with my professors for advice on where to focus my attention, and set up a structured schedule to make sure I was putting in the required time studying. This resulted in my maintaining a 3.8 GPA, even though I was also working a part-time job to help pay for tuition.

Why It Works:  This answer effectively uses the STAR interview response technique to describe a past S ituation, explain the T ask/Challenge involved, describe the A ction(s) taken, and present the positive R esult of the action.

Desirable soft skills: Strategic planning, problem-solving, personal initiative, communications, organization, and project management.     

Practice your answers . It’s a good idea to have a couple of answers in mind, in case the interviewer nixes your first reply, or the interview goes in a direction you don’t anticipate. Regardless, you should devote some time to  practice interviews  before you meet with the hiring manager. Ask your career services office or a supportive friend to conduct  mock interviews  with you, to get a feel for how to answer questions effectively and organically—and change tracks when necessary.

Emphasize relevant soft skills. Even if you don’t have much professional work experience, as a student you’ve probably developed many of the soft skills (interpersonal or people skills) that employers are thrilled to find in entry-level job candidates. Highlight the soft skills mentioned in the employer’s job posting, then allude to these in your answer. 

Be enthusiastic. Use your tone of voice and body language to express your confidence and willingness to accept the sort of challenges the job would present. Humor, judiciously used, can also work in your favor.

Don’t mention a significant challenge you failed.  Don’t mention an important failure (like flunking a class) or use any sort of example that would raise a red flag with your employer about your reliability, ability to focus, coachability, or work ethic (like, “I had to miss a lot of classes”).

Don’t make excuses.  When explaining a challenge, don’t make excuses for yourself or cast blame on an instructor or your classmates. Avoid negative statements like, “The professor expected too much.”

• Why should we hire you? -  Best Answers
• What is your greatest strength? -  Best Answers
• What are your goals for the future? -  Best Answers

How can I prepare for an interview when I don't have a lot of work experience?

Make a list of your top qualities, skills, and areas of knowledge or experience that match the requirements in the job description. Then think of examples of how you have demonstrated those attributes in jobs or internships, volunteer roles, extracurricular activities, academic projects, or school activities. You'll have examples of how you can succeed on the job ready to share with prospective employers.

What are behavioral interview questions?

Behavioral-based interview questions focus on how you handled work-related situations in the past. Your responses will help the interviewer learn about your behavior, personality, and character. When you don't have formal work experience, you can share examples from your classes, academic projects, extracurricular activities, and volunteering.

CareerOneStop. " Types of Interviews. "

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Interview questions answered: Tell me about an obstacle you overcame

Life is not a walk in a park on Sunday afternoon. Each of us faces all kinds of obstacles in both personal and professional life. And while not all barriers can be crossed –sometimes we have to accept them and move on, it’s your attitude to overcoming obstacles that interests the interviewers.

Are you ready to make sacrifices when trying to achieve something in life? Can you step out of your comfort zone when situation demands it? Do you give up easily, or do you never give up ? And when you finally overcame the obstacle on your way, didn’t ten other obstacles appear in front of you?

Your answer to this question tells a lot about your personality. Hence it makes sense to ask it in almost any job interview. Before we look at 7 sample answers to this question, I also want to list a couple of alternative wordings of this question you may encounter while trying to get any great job:

• Think of a time you overcame a challenge or obstacle. Describe the experience in two to three sentences. (A typical question on many job application forms in the US.)
• Can you tell us about a time when you achieved something for yourself or for others by overcoming significant odds? (Popular in some big corporations in the US.)
• Tell us about a time when you wanted something so badly you were unstoppable in pursuing it? (A less common wording, but I have seen it a couple of times both in the interviews and on job applications).

Anyway , regardless of the chosen wording, they are always looking for the same things in your answer. Let’s have a look at some great sample answers.

7 sample answers to “Think of a time you overcame a challenge or obstacle. Describe the experience in two to three sentences” interview question

• I was super introverted as a child, which was a result of some traumatic experiences I had in my early childhood. It had a profound impact on both my relationships and professional career . I would just sit and listen in the meeting, often answering questions with silence, my eyes downcast. But I eventually found a courage to work with a psychologist, and to undergo a therapy. As I result I overcame my mental block , started to trust people again, and even started a relationship. It wasn’t an easy process, but I did not give up, and here I am, living quite a normal life now, and interviewing for a great job with you.
• My biggest obstacle was to get to vet school. I didn’t have best grades , because when I was younger I didn’t understand the importance they’d have on my future studies and career, and I wasn’t responsible enough to excel in school. I failed to get to a vet school two years in a row. Many people would give up and try something else, but I decided to follow my dream, though I knew I had to overcome significant odds. While not studying I tried to get experience from veterinary practices and zoos, because I believed it would help me in my application. This eventually turned out to be true. I got to vet school, earned my degree, and now I apply for a job with you.
• I do not like the word obstacle. In my opinion, most limitations and obstacles are self-imposed . One can reach as much as they imagine. It’s just about having ambition and dreaming big , regardless of what the others are saying. Sure, everyone is not born into a good family, having resources to study and to pursue their dreams. But even if you are lucky, just as I was, you still have to overcome your laziness , step out of your comfort zone, and stick with one thing long enough to succeed. That’s what I’ve been trying to do up to this point.
• My health was my biggest obstacle . I had bowel issues all my adolescent life, and also problems with food allergy and intolerance, and some related health issues. But I was brave enough to try different diets, though I faced an opposition form my family and also the doctors weren’t supportive of such drastic changes. Eventually I found out that vegan diet, based primarily on cooked vegetables and legumes, works best for me. I got rid of almost all health issues, and can finally function normally in my daily life. I can tell you it was super hard to switch to this diet, since I was addicted to sugar, coffee, and other things, but I wanted a better health so badly that I was unstoppable in pursuing it , and ready to overcome any obstacles on my way.

* May also interest you : 30 most common behavioral interview questions .

• I remember a good situation from my last job . We tried to develop an innovative mobile app, with a goal to help with screening for certain common diseases. But the project was very innovative, I didn’t have full support from the management, and they didn’t allocate sufficient budget for the project. Well, I could have just given up and moved on. But I didn’t do that. I pleaded with them, presented more and more arguments, because I knew that if we succeeded, we could have built the next big thing . Eventually I managed to convince the managers, and they extended the budget. We eventually didn’t succeed with our goal –the app wasn’t accurate enough to break into mainstream use. But I am still glad that I tried, and overcame an obstacle.
• To be honest, I haven’t overcome any huge obstacles yet in my life. I am lucky enough to be healthy, and to somehow thrive in most things I do. I know that some obstacles will come, later on, both in my personal and professional life. And I hope to be ready to face them. My goals and ambitions should drive me forward , and help me overcome the obstacles on my way. My life has been easy up to this point, but I know that things can turn around pretty quickly. I believe to be ready for such a turnaround.
• I carried the biggest obstacles within . My complexes and my prejudice helped me to open up to the world, to have some impact, and most importantly to live freely and happily . Just recently I learned the most important skill in life–if we can call it a skill–to live in a present moment . Giving my full attention to the activity I am doing–be it teaching, cooking, playing, anything, I am not anymore imprisoned by those thoughts … what other think about me , whether I am a success or a failure, etc. Now I understand that such questions aren’t important at all. Overcoming this obstacle was the most important thing in my life.

Open up about your problems and make a connection

It takes some courage to talk about your personal or childhood problems in an interview. Some traumas you experienced, demons you battled with, mental blocks you had to overcome.

If you have such courage, however, it can be a very powerful interview answer . First of all, each hiring manager will appreciate your honesty. Seeing how open you are while talking about your life, they won’t doubt the credibility of your other answers.

What’s more, they will certainly remember what you said. And it is important that they remember you once the interviews end, and they are deciding about the best candidate, or who moves into the next interview round.

* Special Tip: This isn’t the only difficult question you will face while interviewing for any decent job. You will face questions about prioritization, dealing with pressure, dealing with ambiguity , and other situations that can happen in the workplace. If you want to make sure that you stand out with your answers and outclass your competitors, have a look at our Interview Success Package . Up to 10 premium answers to 31 tricky scenario based questions (+ more) will make your life much easier in the interviews. Thank you for checking it out!

Employers like the never give up attitude

Maybe you failed in ten other interviews, but you are still here, trying your luck again. Or you did not get to the school of your choice. Instead of opting for a simple job and quick buck, you worked on your preparation, gained some valuable experience and tried again. You failed, but you failed better . Again it did not discourage you. Never giving up and wanting it badly, you eventually succeeded.

Working life is not easy. You will face conflicts, deadlines, sometimes seemingly unrealistic goals . Once you have the “never give up” attitude, however, you will continue even when others already quit. And that’s exactly what the employers love to hear.

* Do not forget to check also : How to dress for an interview? 5 things to consider when choosing clothes to wear.

Do not restrain from philosophical answers

One thing that is really missing in young generation, at least in my opinion, is creative thinking . Leading interviews, we hear the same answers each and every time, maybe with a slight adjustment here and there….

But what if you said that you did not believe in obstacles, that all limitations were self imposed ? Or when instead of obstacles you faced in work or school you talk about obstacles you carry within ? Or you may even say that you were lucky enough to face no big obstacles–with your place of birth, good upbringing, and love all around.

Interviewers do not expect such answers, but they are a clear indication that you can think outside of the box , and do not stick to the same way of thinking and doing as most people. And that’s not a bad impression to leave in the interviews, especially when you compete with many other people for a lone vacancy, and try to stand out from the pack. Keep it on your mind when thinking about your answer to this tricky question.

Ready to answer this one? I hope so! Check also 7 sample answers to other tricky interview questions :

• Interview Success Package – Up to 10 premium answers to all interview questions. Get rid of the job search headaches, streamline your interview preparation, and ace your next interview.
• Who has impacted you the most in your career?
• Why should we hire you?
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Nevada Today

A passion for learning: ph.d. candidate reflects on the importance of growing from mistakes, lauren parker studies cellular molecular pharmacology and physiology.

Lauren Parker hopes to study female reproductive diseases that affect fertility.

As a first-generation Filipina college student, Lauren Parker has suffered from her fair share of imposter syndrome and self-doubt but chooses to use each new experience as a learning opportunity, rather than a roadblock. Her lifelong passion for learning and a desire to share knowledge led her to pursue a Ph.D. in cellular molecular pharmacology and physiology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med).

Currently a first-year Ph.D. student, Parker is examining how a small drug molecule affects prostate cancer metastasis. Depending on the results of this project, she intends to continue to study the effects of this drug on cervical cancer and other reproductive diseases.

As she narrows her research focus, Parker hopes to study female reproductive diseases that affect fertility as well as how to make assisted reproductive techniques less invasive and less troublesome for women.

After completing her Ph.D., Parker is interested in exploring industry research or clinical research and ultimately sees herself returning to academia to pursue teaching and a research lab.

Why did you decide to pursue research?

“I decided to pursue research because I love learning and challenging myself. From a young age, I knew that I wanted a career that involved teaching in some capacity. It wasn’t until I started college that I learned you could have a career dedicated to researching a specific area of science. When I came to the realization that I could teach and conduct research related to reproductive biology, I knew that a Ph.D. was what I needed to do so that I could one day become an academic. It is very motivating to know that I can share my knowledge in the form of teaching and in the form of contributing to the greater knowledge within scientific research.”

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your UNR Med education and how did you overcome it?

“Being a first-generation college student and entering my Ph.D. program without a master’s has resulted in some serious imposter syndrome. It is difficult not to feel inferior when you are surrounded by classmates who have more knowledge and research experience than you. My first semester was challenging in the way that I was afraid to ask questions when it felt like I should already know the answers. I’ve come to realize that many of my classmates feel the same way as I do, we all are just really good at hiding it – and that is extremely validating.

“Additionally, all of my instructors have been very kind and even happy that I ask for help and/or clarification, which has been so relieving. Ultimately, I came to the realization that I needed to make the most of my graduate education. I acknowledge that I have so much to learn and I try my best to reframe my self-doubt by instead embracing the fact that I have an amazing opportunity to learn from my experienced peers and from the well-respected experts in my program."

What specialty or area are you most passionate about pursuing, and what draws you to this field?

"I am incredibly passionate about reproductive biology. Specifically, I am interested in studying female reproductive diseases that affect fertility and how to make assisted reproductive techniques less invasive and less troublesome for women. It sounds cheesy and simple, but what drew me to this field is the fascinating way that life is formed. It is mind-blowing to me that you can take a male and a female gamete, cells that we can’t even see with the naked eye, and when you bring them together, they hold the instructions for creating a human being."

Can you share a memorable experience during your training that has significantly impacted your journey?

“As I was getting to know everyone in my first lab rotation, I was talking with our Research Associate Professor about my past research experiences and how I felt I was not allowed to make any mistakes. He told me ‘You’re going to make some mistakes, that’s inevitable, but you learn your best when you make mistakes and fail,’ and that was so reassuring to hear.”

What advice do you have for future students interested in pursuing research?

“Always be kind and try your best to attend/participate in your program’s events – even if you think it’s not related to your research/goals or if you think it might be boring. It’s really important to show your face and to be a somewhat active member of your program. Being kind and showing up can bring you more opportunities than you might think.”

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