Physically Challenged Athletes Inspire Us to Face Diversity

I recently had the opportunity to go to the Challenged Athletes Foundation event in La Jolla. Anyone in attendance was very inspired by the athletes competing in various events including a long distance triathlon and a bike ride that had taken place over 600 miles. All of the challenged athletes had physical disabilities that they had to work with in order to compete in the events. They were happy, they were smiling, they were proud. And they had spent countless hours learning to become comfortable being uncomfortable.
How can someone facing adversity begin to move forward? What steps can you take to get closer to your dreams? I believe some of those answers lie in the lessons learned from talking to the “Challenged Athletes” who competed in some very challenging events.
One of the first lessons is to surround yourself with people who are already doing what you would like to be doing. In the case of these athletes, many of them watched other people compete before they ever decided to do so themselves. They read about the events, they listened to other people’s stories and asked a lot of questions. If you have a desire to run in a 10k, go watch one first. Observe the participants and talk to them about their experiences. Or, maybe your dreams have nothing to do with athletics and everything to do with business. In fact, maybe your vision is to become a business owner. If that’s the case, then begin attending events where you will be able to connect with local business owners. Try out the Chamber of Commerce or other local business groups. Don’t be afraid to ask questions as anyone who owns a successful business will be more than happy to share their story with you.
Second, you have to define what you want, start visualizing it and really believe that you can do it. Schedule 15 minutes a day with yourself to envision doing exactly what you are going after. What does that feel like both mentally and physically? Why is it important to you? What will you obtain by accomplishing this? Most importantly, think about how you are going to react when the inevitable happens and the going gets tough? What measures can you take to ensure that you will continue moving forward? After already facing adversity, these athletes have no room for failure in their vocabulary.
For the challenged athletes, having a support crew is also extremely important while preparing for and competing in events. That crew is there to support them through whatever challenges they may face during their training and on the day of their event. Who will be your support crew? Consider hiring a coach, if your goal is to sign-up for a triathlon or a marathon. Or, if you would like to advance in your career or business, consider hiring a coach that is an expert in the area where you would most like to improve. There are also many great inexpensive resources out there (such as SCORE) for people who would like support without spending a fortune.
After talking with many of the challenged athletes about their experiences and successes, there was one topic that came up repeatedly. In order to reach your goals, you have to take care of your body. Without that you have nothing. Get good sleep, drink plenty of water, eat well and nourish yourself. Plan for your physical and mental success and make it a priority. When you feel energetic, it is that much easier to whole-heartedly go after what you really want.
Whether it is a health issue, death, divorce or failure, we all face adversity at some time in our lives. If you are there right now, then draw from every ounce of strength you have and find your will to succeed. If you are lucky enough to be in a good place right now, then build upon what you have and really go for what you want. If nothing else, remember that the challenged athletes I saw and spoke with yesterday took their disabilities and turned them into some grand abilities. You have it within you to do the same.