Most people, when asked to imagine life with a chronic illness or disability, imagine being miserable. Yet many people, facing tremendously difficult circumstances, find ways to thrive. Adversity, it turns out, can focus people (and organizations, I imagine) on what matters, on what is important. And such focus can improve well-being. I will present data on people's perceptions, misperceptions really, of life with chronic illness, and tell some stories of people with serious illness that offer lessons for how to live a better life. The talk is based on my second book: You're Stronger Than You Think. You can read about this (worst-selling) book at my website: www.peterubel.com