Dec 18, 2019
Winston Ben Clements is on a mission to inspire one billion people.
Winston was born with brittle bone disorder, a frustrating and
debilitating disease that resulted in multiple surgeries throughout
his childhood. Instead of being limited by his condition, he
decided to embrace it and build a life with meaning and purpose.
His TEDx talk, “Your Limitations Are An Illusion,” has inspired
thousands of people from all over the world.
Key Takeaways
[2:25] Winston’s mother is one
of his heroes. She walks the talk and inspires him to be a better
person.
[4:10] Winston’s first speaking
gig went really poorly but he was determined to develop the skills
he needed to perform well on the big stage. This drive to
constantly better himself (and with the encouragement of a mentor)
led him to speak at TEDx.
[6:00] Winston was born with
brittle bone disorder, which means his bones can break very, very
easily. Throughout his childhood, he had to learn what it meant to
be resilient and to overcome obstacles none of his peer group was
facing.
[10:15] Winston has a goal to
inspire a billion people with his story. It’s a lofty goal and it
scares him.
[15:15] With such a big goal,
how does Winston plan to help people inspire somebody else? It
comes down to living and breathing what you preach. He credits Sean
Stephenson for inspiring him and he serves as a reminder to Winston
that you can make a big difference by being the person you say you
are.
[22:00] People can often
overlook Winston as a person because all they see is his
disability. Winston has a choice to get upset/angry at the
situation or move past it and focus on what’s really important:
good friends and good company. We all have a choice on how we want
to react.
[28:55] How can the average
person cultivate resilience? First, it’s important to take a step
back and recognize the difficult situation you’re faced with. It’s
okay to feel upset/angry in the moment. Once you’ve given space to
feel frustrated, then switch your perspective from seeing it as an
obstacle to how this can define you into being a better version of
yourself.
[31:15] Get excited that you
have obstacles in your life! When you pass through the other side,
you will be proud of yourself.
[36:15] Define success on your
own terms and use your own values as a guide toward what kind of
life you want to design for yourself. Everyone has a different path
toward happiness and fulfillment.
[45:00] Are you struggling to
make progress? Pick one habit and focus on that habit for seven
days. You will see progress. Stop being a strict consumer of
knowledge and start being an implementer.
Quotable Quotes
- One
of the most disappointing things is setting a goal that is
realistic, and then realize it wasn’t fulfilling at
all.
- “If
you’re the only minority, focus on your personality because that’s
where your strengths are.”
- Shift
your thinking from the perceived obstacle and shine the light on
your gifts.
- “The
obstacle is not in the way, the obstacle is the
way.”
Winstonclements.com
Twitter: @WinstonSpeaker
Instagram: @WinstonSpeaker
Winston’s TEDx — “Your Limitations Are An
Illusion”
Toastmasters.org
Sean Stephenson
Extreme Ownership: How U.S.
Navy SEALs Lead and Win, by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Instagram: @WeStudyLeaders
LinkedIn:
@TheLeadershipPodcast
Facebook: @westudyleaders
Twitter: @westudyleaders
Website: The Leadership Podcast
info@theleadershippodcast.com
~~~~~ ~~~~~
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