What would you do or think if at the age of 46 – at the prime of your life – you got burned beyond recognition in a terrible motorcycle accident and just 4 years afterwards became paralyzed in an airplane crash?
I am sure you would think there was no other reason to stay alive anymore. I’m even more convinced that you would never imagine yourself becoming a millionaire, respected public speaker, a happy newly wed and a successful business person.
You would never even think along the lines of running for political office or engaging in dangerous sports like white-water rafting or even sky – diving.
His name is W. Mitchell. He was able to achieve all of the great feats mentioned earlier on. He was involved in an accident that left his face deformed. After several surgeries, he was left fingerless and his legs so thin and motionless that he was confined to a wheelchair. The accident also left him unable to pick up a fork, dial a telephone or go to the bathroom without help. You can just imagine how hopeless his situation seemed at that time. But Mitchell, a former marine officer never believed he was defeated.
Hear what he said “I am in charge of my own spaceship. I could choose to see this situation as a setback or a starting point.”
6 months after the accident, he was piloting a plane again. He later went ahead to buy himself a Victorian home in Colorado, some real estate, a plane and a bar.
Then he teamed up with 2 friends and co-founded a wood-burning stove company that grew to be a major employer of labour. After recovering from another plane crash, he as elected major of his community.
Mitchell later ran for congress turning his odd appearance into an advantage for him with slogans such as “Not just another pretty face.”
Despite his shocking looks and physical challenges, Mitchell began white-water rafting, he fell in love and got married, earned a master’s degree in Public administration and continued flying and very active in public speaking.
Mitchell’s strong positive mental attitude has made it possible for him to appear on popular TV shows making him a superstar even in the midst of his troubles. He was quoted to have said “I tell people that I had 2 big bumps in my life. If I have chosen not to use them as excuse to quit, then maybe some of the experiences you are having which are pulling you back can be put into new perspective. You can step back, take a wider view and have a chance to say “May be that isn’t such a big deal after all.
What an amazing story!
Dear listener, its not what happens to you, its what you do about it that counts. Please consider the man in our story who despite his daunting challenges rose high and accomplished greatness. What are you currently going through? You can rise above it and succeed.
This man lost most parts of his body yet overcame his problems and succeeded. There are millions out there who have every part of their bodies functioning yet are failures. There are blessings in those challenges.
I want you to think about this for the rest of today.
And then…we will continue tomorrow.
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