Selected Quotes from LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS by Nick Vujicic
[Introduction]
To live without limits, I found I needed:
- A powerful sense of purpose
- Hope so strong that it cannot be diminished
- Love and self-acceptance
- A courageous spirit
- Willingness to change
- A trusting heart
- hunger for opportunities
- The ability to assess risks and to laugh at life
- A mission to serve others first
[Chapter One: If You Can't Get a Miracle, Become One]
(P.7)
Today in my travels around the world, I often see incredible suffering that makes me grateful for what I have and less inclinded to focus on what I may lack.
(P.18-19)
You can wish. You can dream. You can hope. But you must also act upon those wishes, those dreams, and those hopes. You have to stretch beyond where you are to reach where you want to be. I wanted people at my school to know that I was just like them on the inside, but I had to go outside my comfort zone to do that. Reaching out to them in this way brought out awesome rewards.
In time these discussions with classmates about coping in a world made for arms and legs led to invitations for me to speak to student groups, church youth groups, and other teen organizations. There's a wonderful truth that's so central to living. I find it extraordinary that schools do not teach it. The essential truth is this: Each of us has some gift - a talent, a skill, a craft, a knack - that gives us pleasure and engages us, and the path to our happiness often lies within that gift.
If you are still searching, still trying to figure out where you fit in and what fulfills you, I suggest you do a self-assessment. Sit down with a pen and paper or at a computer and make a list of your favourite activities. What do you find yourself drawn to do? What can you spend hours doing, losing track of time and place, and still want to do it again and again? Now, what is it that other people see in you? Do they compliment your talent for organization or your analytical skills? If you're not really sure what others see in you, ask your family and friends what they think you are best at.
These are the clues to finding your life's path, a path that lies secreted within you. We all arrive on this earth naked and full of promise. We come packed with presents waiting to be opened. When you find something that so fully engages you that you would do it for free all day every day, then you are on course. When you find someone who is willing to pay you for it, then you have a career.
(P.22)
If you are still searching for your path in life, know that its okay to feel a little frustration. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Your yearning for more meaning is a sign that you are growing, moving beyond limitations, and developing your talents. It's healthy to look at where you are from time to time and to consider whether your actions and priorities are serving your highest purpose.
(P.29)
Life isn't about having, it's about being. You could surround yourself with all that money can buy, and you'd still be as miserable as a human can be. I know people with perfect bodies who don't have half the happiness I've found. On my journeys I've been more joy in the slums of Mumbai and the orphanages of Africa than in wealthy gated communities and so sprawling estates worth millions.
Why is that?
You'll find contentment when your talents and passion are completely engaged, in full force. Recognize instant self-gratification for what it is. Resist the temptation to grab for material objects like the perfect house, the coolest clothes, or the hottest car. The If I just had X, I would be happy syndrome is a mass delusion. When you look for happiness in mere objects, they are never enough.
Look around. Look within.
[Chapter Two: No Arms, No Legs, No Limits]
(P.33)
Martin Luther King: Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.
(P.49)
If you feel overcome by dark moods, you don't have to handle it yourself. Those who love you won't feel burdened. They want to help you. If you feel you can't confide in them, reach out to professional counselors at school, at work, in your community. You are not alone. I was not alone. I see that now, no I don't want you to ever come as close as I did to making a fatal mistake.
[Chapter Three: Full Assurance in the Heart]
(P.70)
Think about it: I had no way of knowing, as a boy,that my lack of limbs would help me offer my message of hope in so many nations and to so many diverse people. The hard times and the discouragements are not fun. You don't have to pretend to enjoy them. But believe in the possibilities for better days ahead, for a fulfilling and purposeful life.
(P.71)
You can never change your past, but you can change your future!
[Chapter Four: Love the Perfectly Imperfect You]
(P.84-85) - Celebrate your you-niqueness
We humans are a silly bunch. We spend half our time trying to fit in with the crowd and the other half trying to stand out from it. Why is that? I'm guilty of it, and I'm sure you are too, because it seems to be universal, part of our human nature. Why can't we be comfortable with ourselves, knowing that we are God's creations, made to reflect His glory?
As a schoolboy, I was desperate to fit in, just as most teens are. Have you ever noticed that even the teens who want to be "different" usually hang out with kids who dress, talk, and act just like them? What's with that, mate? How can you be an outsider if everyone you hang with wears the same black clothing, black nail polish, black lipstick, and black eyeliner? Doesn't that make you an insider instead?
Tattoos and piercings used to be a rebellious statement of rugged individualism. Now soccer moms in the grocery have tattoos and piercings. There has to be a better way to celebrate your individuality than following the same fads and trends as every mum at the mall, doesn't there?
I've adopted an attitude that might work for you. I've decided that my beauty lies in my differences, in the fact that I'm not like everybody else. I'm uniquely me. Nobody will ever call me "average" or "just another guy". I may not stand tall in a crowd, but I definitely stand out.
{Chapter Five: Attitude is Altitude]
(P.96-1) Pick A'TUDE
1. An attitude of gratitude
2. An attitude of action
3. An attitude of empathy
4. An attitude of forgiveness
1) An attitude of gratitude
You may find it difficult at first to be grateful, but if you just decide not to be a victim and take it day by day, strength will come. If you can't find any aspect of your situation to be grateful for, then focus on good days ahead and express gratitude in advance. This will help build a sense of optimism while getting your mind off the past and looking toward the future.
2) An Attitude of Action
Socrates said "Let him that would move the world, move himself first."
Aside from teasing me about being "disarming," Bill often stresses the importance of leaving a legacy and making every second count just as Carson did, even at such a young age. Bill used to tell Carson something he'd also told me many times. "God does not define man by his earthly body. As it says in John 6:63: "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.'"
3) An Attitude of Empathy
My attitude improved considerably when I grew up a little and realized that many have challenges equal to and greater than my own. When I acknowledged that, I began to reach out to offer encouragement to others with far more empathy. The young daughter of a family friend provided me with a very moving display of empathy on a visit to Australia in 2009. I'd never met the girl, who was only two and a half years old. They'd brought her to a party, and for the longest time she kept her distance, studying me from afar as small children often do. Then, as her parents were preparing to leave, I asked this beautiful child if she wanted to give me a hug.
She smiled and cautiously stepped toward me. Just as she came close enough, she stopped, looked me in the eye , and slowly folded her arms behind her back as if to show solidarity with my my lack of limbs. Then she inched forward a little more and placed her head on my shoulder, hugging me with her neck just as she'd seen me hug others. Everyone in the room was struck by this little girl's incredible display of empathy for me. I've been hugged many times, but I can honestly say I'll never forget that hug, because this tiny child obviously has an amazing gift for relating to the feelings of others. Empathy is a great gift. I encourage you to practice and share it at every opportunity because it heals those who give, as well as those who receive. When you are confronted with hard times, tragedies, or challenges, instead of looking inward, look to those around you. Instead of feeling wounded and seeking pity, find someone with greater wounds and help them heal. Understand that your grief or pain is legitimate, but suffering is part of the human condition, and reaching out to someone else is a way of healing yourself while helping others heal too.
When you feel victimized or self-pitying. I encourage you to adjust your attitude to one of empathy. Reach out to someone else in need. Offer a hand. Volunteer at a shelter Serve as a guide or a mentor. Use your grief or anger of hurt to help you better understand and ease the pain of someone else.
4) An Attitude of Forgiveness
(P.107)
And there's another problem with the blame game. As long as my lack of arms and legs was someone else's fault, I didn't have to take responsibility for my own future. Once I made a conscious decision to forgive God and my doctors and move on with my life, I felt better physically and emotionally, and I felt my time had come to take responsibility for the rest of my life. (個人經歷: NASU50 (Bosco﹑Wilson…etc)
The power in forgiveness goes beyond healing yourself. When Nelson Mandela forgave those who imprisoned him for twenty-seven years, the power his attitude changed an entire nation and had a ripple effect around world.
(P.108)
Self -forgiveness is just as important as forgiving others. I've made mistakes. So have you. We've treated people badly. We've judged them unfairly. We all mess up. The key is to step back, admit you've fallen short, apologize to the injured parties, make a promise to do better, forgive yourself, and more forward.
To live without limits, I found I needed:
- A powerful sense of purpose
- Hope so strong that it cannot be diminished
- Love and self-acceptance
- A courageous spirit
- Willingness to change
- A trusting heart
- hunger for opportunities
- The ability to assess risks and to laugh at life
- A mission to serve others first
[Chapter One: If You Can't Get a Miracle, Become One]
(P.7)
Today in my travels around the world, I often see incredible suffering that makes me grateful for what I have and less inclinded to focus on what I may lack.
(P.18-19)
You can wish. You can dream. You can hope. But you must also act upon those wishes, those dreams, and those hopes. You have to stretch beyond where you are to reach where you want to be. I wanted people at my school to know that I was just like them on the inside, but I had to go outside my comfort zone to do that. Reaching out to them in this way brought out awesome rewards.
In time these discussions with classmates about coping in a world made for arms and legs led to invitations for me to speak to student groups, church youth groups, and other teen organizations. There's a wonderful truth that's so central to living. I find it extraordinary that schools do not teach it. The essential truth is this: Each of us has some gift - a talent, a skill, a craft, a knack - that gives us pleasure and engages us, and the path to our happiness often lies within that gift.
If you are still searching, still trying to figure out where you fit in and what fulfills you, I suggest you do a self-assessment. Sit down with a pen and paper or at a computer and make a list of your favourite activities. What do you find yourself drawn to do? What can you spend hours doing, losing track of time and place, and still want to do it again and again? Now, what is it that other people see in you? Do they compliment your talent for organization or your analytical skills? If you're not really sure what others see in you, ask your family and friends what they think you are best at.
These are the clues to finding your life's path, a path that lies secreted within you. We all arrive on this earth naked and full of promise. We come packed with presents waiting to be opened. When you find something that so fully engages you that you would do it for free all day every day, then you are on course. When you find someone who is willing to pay you for it, then you have a career.
(P.22)
If you are still searching for your path in life, know that its okay to feel a little frustration. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Your yearning for more meaning is a sign that you are growing, moving beyond limitations, and developing your talents. It's healthy to look at where you are from time to time and to consider whether your actions and priorities are serving your highest purpose.
(P.29)
Life isn't about having, it's about being. You could surround yourself with all that money can buy, and you'd still be as miserable as a human can be. I know people with perfect bodies who don't have half the happiness I've found. On my journeys I've been more joy in the slums of Mumbai and the orphanages of Africa than in wealthy gated communities and so sprawling estates worth millions.
Why is that?
You'll find contentment when your talents and passion are completely engaged, in full force. Recognize instant self-gratification for what it is. Resist the temptation to grab for material objects like the perfect house, the coolest clothes, or the hottest car. The If I just had X, I would be happy syndrome is a mass delusion. When you look for happiness in mere objects, they are never enough.
Look around. Look within.
[Chapter Two: No Arms, No Legs, No Limits]
(P.33)
Martin Luther King: Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.
(P.49)
If you feel overcome by dark moods, you don't have to handle it yourself. Those who love you won't feel burdened. They want to help you. If you feel you can't confide in them, reach out to professional counselors at school, at work, in your community. You are not alone. I was not alone. I see that now, no I don't want you to ever come as close as I did to making a fatal mistake.
[Chapter Three: Full Assurance in the Heart]
(P.70)
Think about it: I had no way of knowing, as a boy,that my lack of limbs would help me offer my message of hope in so many nations and to so many diverse people. The hard times and the discouragements are not fun. You don't have to pretend to enjoy them. But believe in the possibilities for better days ahead, for a fulfilling and purposeful life.
(P.71)
You can never change your past, but you can change your future!
[Chapter Four: Love the Perfectly Imperfect You]
(P.84-85) - Celebrate your you-niqueness
We humans are a silly bunch. We spend half our time trying to fit in with the crowd and the other half trying to stand out from it. Why is that? I'm guilty of it, and I'm sure you are too, because it seems to be universal, part of our human nature. Why can't we be comfortable with ourselves, knowing that we are God's creations, made to reflect His glory?
As a schoolboy, I was desperate to fit in, just as most teens are. Have you ever noticed that even the teens who want to be "different" usually hang out with kids who dress, talk, and act just like them? What's with that, mate? How can you be an outsider if everyone you hang with wears the same black clothing, black nail polish, black lipstick, and black eyeliner? Doesn't that make you an insider instead?
Tattoos and piercings used to be a rebellious statement of rugged individualism. Now soccer moms in the grocery have tattoos and piercings. There has to be a better way to celebrate your individuality than following the same fads and trends as every mum at the mall, doesn't there?
I've adopted an attitude that might work for you. I've decided that my beauty lies in my differences, in the fact that I'm not like everybody else. I'm uniquely me. Nobody will ever call me "average" or "just another guy". I may not stand tall in a crowd, but I definitely stand out.
{Chapter Five: Attitude is Altitude]
(P.96-1) Pick A'TUDE
1. An attitude of gratitude
2. An attitude of action
3. An attitude of empathy
4. An attitude of forgiveness
1) An attitude of gratitude
You may find it difficult at first to be grateful, but if you just decide not to be a victim and take it day by day, strength will come. If you can't find any aspect of your situation to be grateful for, then focus on good days ahead and express gratitude in advance. This will help build a sense of optimism while getting your mind off the past and looking toward the future.
2) An Attitude of Action
Socrates said "Let him that would move the world, move himself first."
Aside from teasing me about being "disarming," Bill often stresses the importance of leaving a legacy and making every second count just as Carson did, even at such a young age. Bill used to tell Carson something he'd also told me many times. "God does not define man by his earthly body. As it says in John 6:63: "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.'"
3) An Attitude of Empathy
My attitude improved considerably when I grew up a little and realized that many have challenges equal to and greater than my own. When I acknowledged that, I began to reach out to offer encouragement to others with far more empathy. The young daughter of a family friend provided me with a very moving display of empathy on a visit to Australia in 2009. I'd never met the girl, who was only two and a half years old. They'd brought her to a party, and for the longest time she kept her distance, studying me from afar as small children often do. Then, as her parents were preparing to leave, I asked this beautiful child if she wanted to give me a hug.
She smiled and cautiously stepped toward me. Just as she came close enough, she stopped, looked me in the eye , and slowly folded her arms behind her back as if to show solidarity with my my lack of limbs. Then she inched forward a little more and placed her head on my shoulder, hugging me with her neck just as she'd seen me hug others. Everyone in the room was struck by this little girl's incredible display of empathy for me. I've been hugged many times, but I can honestly say I'll never forget that hug, because this tiny child obviously has an amazing gift for relating to the feelings of others. Empathy is a great gift. I encourage you to practice and share it at every opportunity because it heals those who give, as well as those who receive. When you are confronted with hard times, tragedies, or challenges, instead of looking inward, look to those around you. Instead of feeling wounded and seeking pity, find someone with greater wounds and help them heal. Understand that your grief or pain is legitimate, but suffering is part of the human condition, and reaching out to someone else is a way of healing yourself while helping others heal too.
When you feel victimized or self-pitying. I encourage you to adjust your attitude to one of empathy. Reach out to someone else in need. Offer a hand. Volunteer at a shelter Serve as a guide or a mentor. Use your grief or anger of hurt to help you better understand and ease the pain of someone else.
4) An Attitude of Forgiveness
(P.107)
And there's another problem with the blame game. As long as my lack of arms and legs was someone else's fault, I didn't have to take responsibility for my own future. Once I made a conscious decision to forgive God and my doctors and move on with my life, I felt better physically and emotionally, and I felt my time had come to take responsibility for the rest of my life. (個人經歷: NASU50 (Bosco﹑Wilson…etc)
The power in forgiveness goes beyond healing yourself. When Nelson Mandela forgave those who imprisoned him for twenty-seven years, the power his attitude changed an entire nation and had a ripple effect around world.
(P.108)
Self -forgiveness is just as important as forgiving others. I've made mistakes. So have you. We've treated people badly. We've judged them unfairly. We all mess up. The key is to step back, admit you've fallen short, apologize to the injured parties, make a promise to do better, forgive yourself, and more forward.
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