Unit 8 Optimism

I guess I have always been a very motivated person and when my accident happened 11 years ago, I saw it only as a challenge I had to overcome. I was paralyzed during a football game. I had only been playing professionally for two and a half years when I was injured.

Doctors told me that I would never walk again, but I didn’t listen to them. I listened to my heart. It has taken me over a decade of very challenging and exhausting work but it was well worth it!

Not only can I walk but I can water ski, snow ski , hike, kayak and enjoy a life with my wife and daughter. I am also a motivational speaker for people who are overcoming physical challenges.

It is important to have role models in our life. I know that if I didn’t have any, I wouldn’t be where I am today. To be honest, learning to use my body again demanded intense focus, dedication, love, and above all, optimism. The way I see it optimism is the difference between success and failure.

【美】 Meredith Walker 著 陈怡芬 译

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