Experience is not what happens to a man. It is what a man does with what happens to him. Aldous Huxley
What if at age 46 you were burned beyond recognition in a terrible motorcycle accident, and then four years later were paralyzed from the waist down in an airplane crash? Then, can you imagine yourself becoming a millionaire, a respected public speaker, a happy newlywed and a successful business person? Can you see yourself going white water rafting? Sky diving? Running for political office?
W. Mitchell has done all these things and more after two horrible accidents left his face a quilt of multicoloredskin grafts, his hands fingerless and his legs thin and motionless in a wheelchair.
The 16 surgeries Mitchell endured after the motorcycle accident burned more than 65 percent of his body, left him unable to pick up a fork, dial a telephone or go to the bathroom without help. But Mitchell, a formerMarine, never believed he was defeated. "I am in charge of my own spaceship," he said. "It's my up, my down. I could choose to see this situation as a setback or a starting point." Six moths later he was piloting a plane again.
Mitchell bought himself a Victorian home in Colorado, some real estate, a plane and a bar. Later he teamed up with two friends and co-founded a wood burning stove company that grew to be Vermont's second largest private employer.
Then four years after the motorcycle accident, the plane Mitchell was piloting crashed back onto the runway during takeoff, crushing Mitchell's 12thoracic vertebrasand permanently paralyzing him from the waist down. "I wondered what the hell was happening to me. What did I do to deserve this?"
Undaunted, Mitchell worked day and night to regain as much independence as possible. He was elected Mayor of Crested Butte, Colorado, to save the town from mineral mining that would ruin its beauty and environment. Mitchell later ran for Congress, turning his odd appearance into an asset with slogans such as, "Not just another pretty face."
Despite his initially shocking looks and physical challenges, Mitchell began white water rafting, he fell in love and married, earned a master's degree in public administration and continued flying, environmental activism and public speaking.
Mitchell's unshakable Positive Mental Attitude has earned him appearances on the "Today Show" and "Good Morning America" as well as feature articles in parade, Time, The New York Times and other publications.
"Before I was paralyzed, there were 10,000 I could do," Mitchell says. "Now there are 9,000. I can either dwell on the 1,000 I lost or focus on the 9,000 I have left. I tell people that I have had two big bumps in my life. If I have chosen not of the experiences you are having which are pulling you back can be put into a new perspective. You can step back, take a wider view and have a chance to say, "Maybe that isn't such a big deal after all."
Remember: "It's not what happens to you, it's what you do about it."
--Jack Canfield and Mark V. Hansen
Questions:
1.What happened to Mitchell when he was 46?
2.Is he married?
体坛英语资讯:Fabregas will stay at Arsenal, says Wenger
体坛英语资讯:Palmeiras remains interested in Ronaldinho Gaucho
体坛英语资讯:I just want one more cookie: Kobe
体坛英语资讯:South Africas four soccer teams ready for Charity Cup battle
体坛英语资讯:Mexican swimmer stripped of six medals over doping
体坛英语资讯:Murray fires coach Maclagan
体坛英语资讯:Russian Olympic champion Kaniskina walks to gold in Barcelona
体坛英语资讯:Olympic champion Guo Jingjing to skip Asian Games, says official
体坛英语资讯:Tour de France winner Contador to leave Astana team
体坛英语资讯:Barcelona defender Marquez signs with Red Bulls
体坛英语资讯:Brazilian volleyball team to play four-team tournament in Poland
体坛英语资讯:Kuerten, Agassi negotiate ten year anniversary tennis match
体坛英语资讯:Maradona dropped as Argentina coach
体坛英语资讯:Mourinho accepts difficulty of beating Barcelona to title
体坛英语资讯:Raul in tears at Real Madrid exit
体坛英语资讯:Chinese ace Li Na reaches second round at Danish Open
体坛英语资讯:Raul signs with German club Schalke
体坛英语资讯:South African soccer star relaxed about overseas offer
体坛英语资讯:Brazil to invest $18.7 bln in World Cup infrastructure
体坛英语资讯:Football legend Di Stefano leaves hospital
体坛英语资讯:Italian, Dutch win open water gold at European swimming championship
体坛英语资讯:Lionel Messi Arrives in Beijing with Barcelona
体坛英语资讯:African athletics body says Kenya will host major event in 2011
体坛英语资讯:FIFA inspects Australia for World Cup bid
体坛英语资讯:Germany wins U-20 World Cup womens title
体坛英语资讯:Maradona to analyze continuity at Argentinas charge
体坛英语资讯:I will be focused on playing for Arsenal: Fabregas
体坛英语资讯:Kenyas hopes in sprints pay off in 400m
体坛英语资讯:Greece win open water team gold at European Swimming Championship
体坛英语资讯:Barcelona places faith in youth team