Q & A Time

Q & A time…

What is the biggest obstacle you have faced in life & how did it impact you?

Most people would instantly think quadriplegia but for me I’d say that instant shift in identity. From being that fun outgoing ‘yob’ to suddenly the ‘guy in the wheelchair’. Initially I thought that people couldn’t see beyond this. Originally it shattered my confidence.

So from there, I guess I set out to prove not only to myself but to others that I was more than just this ‘guy in the wheelchair’. I was still my crazy and ambitious self, even quite ridiculous at times, but above all still a person. Rediscovering this truth was my biggest obstacle.

What would you say are your greatest achievements in life thus far?

Truly I wish I could say family here, instead though I’d have to say beating the odds. Doing all those things that society ‘believes’ aren’t possible for someone in my predicament. Like it is true that I have run a half marathon in my wheelchair.

I mean who dictates what is possible anyways? Well for me I’ve run with what I’ve had, and had a fair old crack – I’m very proud of that!

How did you work through your struggles to achieve the success you have today?

Persistence, persistence, persistence. I mean sure to point out the obvious here, life hasn’t been all that easy with limbs that don’t work. Then combine that with all the medical struggles and what not, the additional time it now takes to do everything, it would have been far too easy to bring on the excuses. Or to become distracted.

So what I found myself doing was jumping in boots and all with absolutely everything, and damn well chasing down that goal. I’d just never give up. No matter how trivial it seemed, I knew that persistence was the key to living a life, and by that I mean a fruitful life.

What is one tip you have for keeping motivated?

Possibly I say this because I’m an eternal optimist, but my secret sauce is undoubtedly to dream big. Just to escape for a while, to let creativity flow, or to even plan future events – dreaming provides me with the belief that there will be that better day. Then in turn that gives me something to focus on and work towards.

Who is someone that helped you on your journey from struggle to success?

My Farther. Now there are so many different ways that he has helped me, though by far the most important has been to provide a friendly ear. To have that someone to converse with has always spoken volumes, and it hasn’t even been so much about advice or bouncing ideas either, in actual fact it’s been about having someone to listen.

You see in our noisy society this seems to be a very underrated and lost art form. Simple things can be very powerful. Just being heard made me feel human again.

What qualities do you think are essential in a person in order to be successful?

Well I’d say there’s really only one – authenticity. I mean success can come in many forms (academic, monetary, interpersonal) but if you’re doing it without true intentions I can’t really see the point. Like to ‘keep up with the Joneses’, or living life under somebody else’s pretenses or expectation, it’s a pretty skewed definition of success.

Now this by no means suggests that you can’t work for somebody else or align with them, it’s about matching values. Or better put – you have one life, don’t live somebody else’s – that’s success.

Do you think there are benefits to going through hardships before achieving your goals?

I guess hardships provide perspective and growth, and in many ways these are two very desirable human traits. In fact it’s much like a quote I once heard (that went something like), ‘it’s not about having a million dollars in the bank, it’s about the person that I had to become to get there’.

Hence life really is about the journey and not the destination – and I used to think this was some lame bumper sticker quote but oh my gosh it’s true.

What are some plans and goals you have for the future?

Heaps… but mainly I’m working out how to tell my story. Yes I am pregnant with a book; I just hope I can do the events of my rather surreal life justice.

Lastly, what is one piece of advice you have for others to overcome difficulty and achieve success?

It’s actually a quote from Burmese diplomat Aung San Suu Kyi, ‘if you’re feeling helpless, help someone’. It has helped me many times.