Nick Vujicic was born in Australia in 1982 to parents who were immigrants from Serbia. He was born with a rare disorder called tetra-amelia. This disorder manifests itself as one where a person is born without arms or legs. He has one foot attached to his lower torso. He calls this his chicken drumstick and uses it for typing. Most of his everyday needs require assistance. His parents helped him view the positive side of life.
As a child, he was often bullied by his classmates. He was depressed and tried to commit suicide by drowning himself in the bathtub. When he was saved, this became the defining moment of his life. He came to realize what his death would mean to his parents.
Another defining moment came when he was 17. The janitor at his school told him he was going to be a speaker. Little did he know that just four months later he would be speaking in front of others. Today he is one of the most sought-after motivational speakers in the world. You can see one of his presentations here Nick Vujicic SPEECH – MOTIVATIONAL VIDEO – 2016| Never give up| Nick’s life without limbs – YouTube.
Nick graduated from college with a double major in accounting and financial planning. He is now married and the father of four children. His speaking engagements have taken him to countries all over the world.
He found his purpose by inspiring others to have faith in themselves and their abilities. He has shown that gratitude always wins out over anger. He is living proof of how one can use adversity to find one’s purpose in life. He has also shown that it’s okay to turn to others for help.
In addition to his speaking, he has founded a non-profit called Life Without Limbs to support young people as they seek their purpose. He is a strong voice against bullying behavior.
Nick Vujicic is a role model for what neuro-scientists are now discovering. Everyone can achieve great things with the right attitude and mindset, as well as a nurturing support system. And all of that starts when we find our purpose. Whining about your life is not a path to success. Excuses are the seeds of failure. A life of lifting up others is one of purpose, while a life of demeaning others is one of faithless starvation.
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“My message has always been love yourself, dream big, don’t give up, and hope is everything.”– Nick Vujicic