Through overcoming my own condition (the aftermath of getting hit and drug by a semi-truck at the age of eight) and having coached hundreds of others through major life challenges, I have seen that it is possible. Any individual, regardless of the circumstance, can thrive in spite of the obstacles they face. From whatever position we begin, there is a process to become stronger and more functional. A process to diminish pain and reduce suffering. A process to turn shame into pride. We just need to find it.
I have worked with individuals hit by vans, buses, trains, and boats. Individuals that have fallen from cliffs, and others that have been thrown from vehicles and rolled down embankments. People attacked by viruses, sharks and their own immune system. I’ve worked with individuals on crutches, walkers and in wheelchairs. Individuals with braces, implants, and prosthetic appendages. Those with mangled limbs, missing limbs, limbs that don’t move and limbs that move uncontrollably. Individuals just out of the hospital, and those having lived with a life long condition. Individuals with problems with the brain, the nervous system, the immune system, the skeletal system, their joints and soft tissue. Individuals that are overweight, underweight, young, old, have heart disease, diabetes, cancer. I haven’t seen it all, but I’ve seen enough. I have found no matter what the condition, no matter the circumstance, a better version of yourself can exist.
How much progress you can make is up to you. The truth is, despite your condition, no one knows how far you can progress. This does NOT mean that anything is possible. There are limits, but they are typically not the limits we think we have. Our true limits can only be discovered through hard, dedicated, and creative work. If we are unsatisfied with the situation that we find ourselves in, we have to ask ourselves, is this the best I can do? Have I truly hit my limits? In my own case, after dealing with my condition for twenty plus years, the answer was ‘no’. What I thought were my limitations for all those years turned out not to be my true limits. Many things I thought were out of my control, I brought under my control. I found that my strength, function and how good my body felt were not limited to what was offered in physical therapy. I looked beyond PT and built my own strength and conditioning programming centered on CrossFit and the ideas of Dr. Kelly Starrett. Next, I found that the function of my leg brace was not limited to what was currently available from the hospital. I designed my own leg brace and worked with the University of California of San Francisco, the University of California of Berkeley Engineering and Stanford University Engineering to make it a reality. Finally, I found that my own perception of my disfigured leg wasn’t limited to shame and embarrassment. I challenged myself to open up, I began working with anyone that would listen, I attended medical conferences, I entered competitions and ran races. I put myself into vulnerable situation after vulnerable situation all in the name of progress. Through this I built a mindset of prioritizing progress over protecting my ego, and as a result turned my shame into pride.
This process of improvement is not waiting around and hoping for miracles. I tried that with my own condition for twenty odd years and it didn’t work. Now, I don’t believe in miracles. I believe in hard work, dedication and creativity. I believe in learning as much as possible. I believe in flipping over every stone. I believe in talking to anyone who will listen. I believe in trying new things, discarding what doesn’t work and going deeper on what does. I believe in doing the work that is necessary every day, no matter how hard. I believe in the process. I believe it, because it works.
The circumstances of our life are presented to us as a unique lock, we can fashion ourselves into the corresponding key. If you are up for the hard work, here is my promise: What is weak can be strengthened. What is missing can be built. What is painful can be diminished. What is embarrassing can be made proud. What seems meaningless can be made fulfilling. You can make progress.