“And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”—Romans
8:28 (NIV)
One of the
most important messages we can give ourselves is that we DO NOT need to accept
limitations of any kind. It doesn’t matter if they’re financial, medical, or
psychological.
In my
last article, I discussed biblical figures who accomplished great feats
with few resources. This time, I’d like to highlight achievers mentioned in the
October, 2007 issue of Reader’s Digest:
“As I like to say, take the shot, even if your
knees are shaking.”—Robin Roberts in Ladies
Home Journal
************
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots. I’ve
lost almost 300 games. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is
why I succeed.” –Basketball legend, Michael Jordan
************
Orlando Bloom (movie star--Pirates of
the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings trilogy)
This amazing man is pictured in the image above. At the age
of 21, he had a serious fall. He walked across a narrow gutter in order to
repair a door, and the gutter didn’t hold up. He fell three stories to the
ground.
Orlando had
to undergo six hours of back surgery, and doctors told him he might never walk
again. He was likely to become paraplegic.
As we know,
this achiever refused to accept the medical prognosis. More than that, he has
been an action star in some of the recent top movie franchises. He refuses to
be intimidated by battle scenes—or anything else, for that matter.
Anne-Marie Faiola (founder of scented-soap retailer, Bramble Berry)
This successful
entrepreneur majored in criminal justice. She had dreams of working for the
FBI, but she got turned down. Anne-Marie settled, instead, for a job as a
corrections officer, which didn’t satisfy her in the least. I’m guessing the
job didn’t pay much, either.
When she
wasn’t working, she engaged in a hobby to relieve her tension: soap making. The
business that began in Ms. Faiola’s kitchen now has a global reach. They have
clients in 50 states, but they also sell supplies worldwide. Here are some
other facts:
- Annual revenue of $3,000,000
- 2,500 products
- 32 employees
Scott Adams (blogger and creator of
the nationally syndicated Dilbert comic strip)
He lost his
voice due to a rare medical condition. A neurologist told him that he had no
chance of recovery. The cartoonist refused to accept defeat and came across a
natural way to work around the disease by reciting rhyming song lyrics. As of
2007, he has been able to talk in quiet tones often.
Pete Hunter (pro football player.
Cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks)
He was a
fifth-round draft pick for the Dallas Cowboys. He was traded to the New York
Jets because of injuries. Finally, Hunter was offered a position with the
Seattle Seahawks because many of their defense team had been injured.
The story
came full circle when the Seahawks played against the Cowboys in an important
game. Hunter made many successful moves. He even intercepted a pass meant for the
wide receiver who had been trash talking him.
My Conclusion
Really,
there’s a heartwarming story of conquering hardship behind most successful
people. The truth is that they started
life as “regular” people, but they pressed beyond their limitations. Often, the
only difference between winning and losing is staying in the game.
How have you fought the odds to make
your dream happen?
