Inspiration, A Pathway to Success

I do a lot of reading.  In fact it is one of my favorite past times.  Yesterday I read a really great book.  It was the story of a woman who overcame personal disability and became an inspiration to the gymnastic world.  That woman was Aimee Walker-Pond and she became an International Elite Gymnast in spite of being deaf, blind in one eye, and being born with hip displasia.

The reason that this story is so inspirational is because what she did was just not possible.  According to experts, Aimee lacked the sense of inner ear balance and depth perception it takes to be able to land the jumps and flips required for gymnastic competition.  I guess someone forgot to tell Aimee that.

Why am I talking about this today.  As I finished this book I had the sense that, the things that are holding me back are nothing compared to the challenges that Aimee overcame.  Yes she is an extraordinary woman, but if someone could overcome those kind of odds to compete on an international level, then its very possible to overcome the obstacles that I have to my success.

Reading books to increase knowledge and ability in order to advance our goals is necessary, but I think that reading stories about people who overcome great odds is vital as well.  Its those stories that show the impossible can be done.  Its those stories that make us ask ourselves why not me.

One of my companies has some Youtube videos that they call Diamond Documentaries.  They are less than 10 minutes long and each person featured has reached the top of the company.  These individuals talk about where they started from, why they do what they do and how they have been able to affect others lives for the better.  It has been recommended that anytime I get discouraged that I sit down and watch a few of those.  Why is that?  Once again it is for the inspirational value that they contain.  Now each individual's story is different and each had their own obstacles to overcome, but just because I don't share the same challenges does not make their inspirational value any less.  Each documentary shows that it can be done and has been done.

There is another company that I used to be a part of that like to wear bumblebee pins.  There is a purpose for these pins.  After much study it was determined that a bumblebee did not have the proper wingspan needed to fly.  Its wings are much too small to create the lift needed for its body size.  Yet a bumblebee flies. The bumblebee achieves the impossible everyday it takes to the sky.  Wearing that pin reminds those consultants that the impossible is absolutely possible.

So if you find yourself discouraged.  If you find yourself doubting that you can do anything.  Find yourself some inspiration.  What inspires me may not inspire you, but find something that does.  Then focus on that inspiration until you find yourself doing the actions it takes to succeed in spite of your obstacles.