Adversity is a Better Teacher than Success

Here’s a story I heard (by Mark Hughes):

Kevin was a 9½ when he was involved in a terrible car accident and lost his left arm. His parents wanted him to have as much as a normal life as possible so when he recovered, they suggested that he took a sport. He had two good legs and two good feet, they were thinking soccer. But Kevin said he wanted to do Judo. So his parents took him to a Judo instructor. The instructor looked at Kevin and said, yes, I can teach you, I will take you.

So for the next several of months, Kevin goes to Judo classes twice a week. The instructor only teaches him this one move though. After a few weeks, Kevin asks: “Aren’t you going to teach me another move?” The instructor says: “This is the only move you really need to know. We’re going to work on it until you perfect it.” So they practice and repeat the same single move again, and again and again and again and again...

Finally, the first competition comes around. He’s fighting other 10 and eleven year old. He wins his first match. He uses the move. Wins his second, third, fourth match... and finds himself in the finals! “I can’t believe it; I only know one move and I’m already in the finals!”

When he gets in the ring for his final match, he is up against a 12 year old – and they can be huge! The 12 year old is dropping him to the mat again and again and the ref almost stops the match. The coach turns to the ref and says: “No, let him finish the match.” He turns to Kevin and says: “Kevin, do THE move!”.

Kevin knew what the move was, he only knew one move! So Kevin does the move, drops the opponent and wins the match!

Now on his way home, sitting on the front seat next to his instructor, his trophy sitting on his laps, he says: “Sir, I can’t believe I won the match! I only know one move! I can’t believe it, how did I possibly win the match?”

The instructor says: “There are two reasons why you won that match. First, the move that I taught you is the most difficult move for anybody to master. Second, the only defence against it is for your opponent to grab your left arm.”

You don’t succeed in life in spite of your adversity, you succeed in life because of it. The adversities of life carry the seeds of success.

Make today a special one. Blessings,


Patricia

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