Overcoming Our Limitations
- Steven Pereira
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
"Mum, I won't let my deafness define me," declared a 9-year-old boy. The little boy was determined not to let his hearing impairment hold him back from doing what he wanted to do. He loved playing competitive basketball. Despite his challenges, he was very good at reading the play of the match. He also demonstrated his astuteness of the game plan when on the court. Over the years he won many trophies, and one year he achieved the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
That was the kind of grit and determination that drove renowned author Helen Keller (1880-1968) who was both deaf and blind to succeed in her endeavours. Keller was only 19 months old when she lost her sight and hearing due to an illness. Even with these disabilities she went on to write well known books like The Story of My Life, Let Us Have Faith and The Miracle Worker.
Another author who was blind, though not through illness was James Thurber who wrote The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Thurber was blinded as a child when his brother shot him in the eye with an arrow while recreating the legend of William Tell (A Swiss legend about a master crossbowman who as a punishment by the authorities was forced to shoot an apple off his son's head. Which he succeeded in doing). Because of the accident Thurber was unable to access sports and other activities in his childhood, however as a result Thurber developed a creative mind which he used to express himself through writing.
Even if disabilities or limitations strike at birth, through illness, or through an accident or misadventure, this quote from Helen Keller should drive us to overcome any limitations that we perceive we may have. She said, "Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging."
A few weeks ago, I came across an article which prompted me to share this topic on overcoming our limitations. Often, we limit ourselves by speaking negatively into our situation. We define our potential through the lens of what we see today and not what possibilities we see tomorrow. Here are a few self-limiting negative sayings which we may be guilty of uttering or have heard others say:
I'm too old to learn a new skill.
All I can do is sit in this wheelchair and watch the day go by.
They keep telling me that I'm useless.
What can a guy with one arm do?
They say being autistic limits my options.
I'm blind, what can I do?
My family can't break out of this poverty cycle.
If you plan to carry these or other self-limiting sentiments into the new year perhaps now is the time to take a fresh look at the tremendous possibilities open to you if only you are prepared to call it out and 'speak' life and positivity into your perceived disadvantages.
Ben Carson, born in 1951, a retired neurosurgeon, academic, author and former US government official, was quoted as saying, "Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyse you; they're supposed to help you discover who you are." Carson's parents divorced when he was 8 years-old and was brought up by his mother. Although Carson showed potential as a student, he performed poorly in school until his mother challenged him and his brother with reading and writing assignments after school. Carson developed a newfound interest in learning and eventually earned a scholarship to Yale University.
The article I read was about the work of Austrian psychotherapist Alfred Adler (1870-1937). Adler developed the Theory of Individual Psychology and Personality around the turn of the twentieth century. As part of this theory, he introduced the idea called the theory of compensation. According to Adler, compensation is a concept that explains how people naturally respond to feelings of weakness or inferiority. He explains that when someone feels they are lacking in some area, whether real or imagined, they try to make up for it by developing other skills or strengths which may not have been discovered otherwise. For example, a person who feels shy might work hard to become a great listener or develop talents in art or sports.
According to Adler this process helps individuals build confidence and achieve personal growth. However, if someone is unable to compensate, they may develop an inferiority complex, feeling stuck or overwhelmed by their weakness or current circumstances. Overall, compensation is a healthy and natural way to overcome our limitations, challenges and improve oneself. Adler noted that some of history's greatest composers, like Mozart and Beethoven, had degenerative issues in their hearing. He even documented how people across various professions used their weakness as springboards, and not what some people would have considered as stumbling blocks.
According to Adler, setbacks like birth defects, physical ailments, or poverty were not just obstacles to overcome - they were often the conditions that produced greatness. In one study of small-business owners, 35% identified as dyslexic. Their learning challenges led them to cultivate strong oral communications, sharpened interpersonal skills, and a tenacious work ethic - traits that helped fuel their success in business.
Referencing a more contemporary example, singer-songwriter, Stevie Wonder, born in 1950, who wrote hits like "Superstition", "Isn't She Lovely" and many more was born premature which resulted in a condition known as retinopathy of prematurity leading to his retinas becoming detached. His blindness did not get in the way of him becoming one of the greatest music icons of all time.
Then there is Nick Vujicic, a Christian evangelist and author. Vujicic was born in 1982 in Melbourne, Australia with a condition known as tetra-amelia which led to phocomelia, which meant he was born without limbs. Despite this affliction Vujicic used his disability, travelling the globe to inspire people to lead more fulfilling lives. Vujicic in a matter-of-fact quote said, "I can be angry about not having limbs, or I can be thankful that I have a purpose. I choose gratitude."
Mexican artist Fria Kahlo (1907-1954) contracted polio as a child and later was involved in a bus accident which caused multiple fractures in her spine, right leg, collarbone, ribs, and pelvis. Her shoulder was dislocated, her right foot crushed, and her abdomen was punctured. Kahlo's injuries plagued her for the rest of her life, and she underwent more than 30 medical procedures. While bedridden Kahlo taught herself to paint, and she read frequently studying the Old Masters of art. Today Kahlo is regarded as a cultural icon in her native Mexico for her many self-portraits and works inspired by nature and the artifacts of Mexico. Her works are considered a great contribution to Mexican culture and history.
Ralph Lauren was born Ralph Lifshitz in 1939. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Albania, and the youngest of four siblings. Lauren grew up typical of the impoverished lifestyle experienced by new immigrants living in the Bronx, New York, during the 1940s. He and his brother George legally changed their name to Lauren because of bullying at school. Lauren dropped out of school, but today the brand Ralph Lauren is synonymous with high fashion and is a global multibillion-dollar enterprise. When interviewed about his legacy, Lauren said, "I never went to fashion school. I didn't know what a designer was. I knew I had something, but I didn't know what it was. And it could just have easily been nothing." Lauren goes on about the importance of dreaming and using the dream to propel him forward. He said, "People ask how a Jewish kid from the Bronx does preppy clothes? Does it have to do with class and money? It has to do with dreams."
Irrespective of the challenges we face, and our limitations that others or our minds have set, know that we can rise above our circumstances and declare, like that 9-year-old boy, "I won't let my ________ (state your limitation) define me!"
Overcoming our limitations, like the people in the above examples, and many others who have overcome their personal challenges require a shift in one's mindset. The status quo may not be where you want to be, thus requiring a change only you can initiate. In the words of Renee Giarrusso, founder of RG Dynamics a Melbourne-based consultancy company, "Reframing has never been blind positivity. It isn't about ignoring reality instead it's about choosing which part of reality you focus on. It's a mindset too that allows you to take control of your narrative instead of letting your environment dictate to you."
Another overcoming trait is having an action-oriented courage. Like Helen Keller, Fria Kahlo and Stevie Wonder, each of them took steps beyond their condition to change themselves and as a result impact the world. I am sure they did not set out on the latter, but their action in developing other skills because of their disability - Adler called it compensation - led them to leave their own legacy.
Lastly when faced with challenging situations take the view that these obstacles, which may be considered as limitations are actually opportunities for growth. Paraphrasing what Nick Vujicic said, he could have stayed angry all his life, but he was thankful for his God-given purpose. Not only did he change, but he helped change the lives of thousands through his evangelical ministry.
We all have a purpose, irrespective of the condition we are in. A story is told of an old lady in her nineties who was confined to a wheelchair living in an aged care home. One day, when her pastor was visiting, she asked despondently what she could do while in her current condition. The pastor with a smile and encouragement said that while she still had breath, she could be a 'prayer warrior' for those in the congregation who were sick or destitute and who needed healing, and deliverance. The old lady who was beaming at this time answered his call to be prayer intercessor.
The old lady demonstrated a shift in mindset, an action-oriented courage and had the humility to know that growth was still within her. From the Hebrew Bible, through the prophet Isaiah God speaks saying, "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he [God], I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." (Isaiah 46:4)
From the article which prompted this essay, it concluded with these words, "Remember your greatest advantage may be hidden in your greatest disadvantage - if you choose to leverage it. So instead of despising your weaknesses, thank God for them. In His hands, they can become tools that shape your calling, refine your character, and unlock your true potential. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)"