Inspired by Steve Judge’s amazing story
When it comes to writing blog posts, someone once told me to, “write about what inspires you.” Well I was certainly inspired after meeting Steve Judge at a networking event a few days ago.
Told that he may never walk again after a near-fatal car accident in 2002, Steve Judge stared down adversity and not only learned to walk again, but went on to become a two-time World Champion paratriathlete. Now he’s sharing his story with schools and businesses alike, to inspire and motivate others to see the positives, look for opportunities, and to really go for goals.
There are five key things that I took away from his inspirational talk.
Number One: Don’t lean on your excuses
It’s all too easy to make excuses, it’s the safe option right? There are those that lean on their excuses
and play the victim, and there are those packed with personal responsibility that want to make a change and succeed. It’s all about reframing any excuses by turning them into challenges. Success is 10% what you do, and 90% your mindset. Crazy, right?
Number Two: Focus on what you CAN do
Having been told all of the things he couldn’t do, Steve chose to focus on the things that he could do as part of his rehabilitation. Okay, he couldn’t run, but he could swim. There is always something that you can do to move you forwards in the direction of your dreams. Focus on the positives and know that even if you’re not where you want to be right now, you can still get there.
“Your path is beautiful and crooked, just as it should be.” - anon.
Number Three: Step out of your comfort zone
It’s that old cliché of life beginning at the end of your comfort zone, but in the words of Willy Wonka (who else?)…
“You’ll never get anywhere if you go about ‘what-iffing’ like that […] Would Columbus have discovered America if he’d said ‘What if I sink on the way over? What if I meet pirates? What if I never come back?’ He wouldn’t even have started.” - Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.
Being self-employed, you have to step out of your comfort zone if you’re going to make progress, because guess what? Nobody else is going to do it for you! This year I’ve discovered the world of public speaking and I love it! I never saw myself as a public speaker but through networking events and saying YES to opportunities, I’ve found a whole other sphere of my business which is so rewarding and enjoyable, yes you heard me correctly, ENJOYABLE!
Number Four: The importance of setting goals
We all have dreams; as Steve says, these are our goals. All we have to do is work towards them. We need something clear to aim for to keep us moving in the direction of success and our dreams. When things get difficult, always come back to what drives you forward. What’s your ‘why?’ And what lights you up?
“Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive.” - Hafiz
Number Five: No regrets
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
The point is to make any sort of progress that you can each and every day. For Steve it’s about his head hitting the pillow at the end of the day and knowing that he showed up and did the best he could with the day that he was given.
Being self-employed you’re accountable to yourself, but if you know that you did the best you could and you’ve made progress, that’s all you can ask of yourself, and that’s enough.
So there you have it, my five biggest takeaways from Steve Judge’s amazing story.
Find out more about Steve Judge, and watch his inspirational journey here: