“What if you could see the obstacles you’re facing as hurdles instead of walls?”
These are the words of Sarah Wells who can now proudly state she’s an Olympic Games semi-finalist, but there were many times she thought she’d never make it in athletics.
One of her high school teachers saw her potential for track and field, even though Sarah had previously been cut from every athletics team. She found hurdles and started chasing her dream to get to the Olympics.
Sarah suffered an injury and an instruction from the doctor to rest for three months turned into four. In the end, it was nine months before Sarah could train again, but what she describes as an ultimate learning from the challenge is a positive: “I was strengthening a muscle people couldn’t see: my self-belief”.
Recognising not everyone has that person who believes in them and sees their potential, as her teacher did for her, Sarah went on to set up the Believe Initiative to help students build resilience and “recognise the power of self-belief,” but her mission resonates with people of all ages.
You ‘don’t have to let your obstacles define your outcomes’ and ‘you don’t have to let your circumstances tell you how it’s gonna end up,’ says Sarah.
What if you believed you could?
What skills would you explore?
What passions would you further develop?
If you’re up against a challenge right now, ask yourself those questions and frame your situation not as a wall that stops you in your tracks, but as a hurdle you can jump over.
Will you share a tip, trick, practice or story that helps others find or grow inner strength? ✨ Submit it here: /stories
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