Jim Clemmer

I met Chad Hymas years ago when he was a speaker at an executive retreat I was facilitating. He was putting his life back together after a devastating accident that left him a quadriplegic.

Chad’s an inspiring speaker on overcoming obstacles and making the most of tough circumstances life may have handed us. How he lives his message is even more inspiring.

The next time you’re tempted to complain about the inconveniences of air travel watch Chad’s video . Sub-titled, “Who needs legs when you have wings?” it shows the big obstacles Chad has to deal with in traveling alone 260 days a year. He’s completely unable to transfer himself from his wheelchair, bath, or use the toilet on his own.

When I was writing Growing @ the Speed of Change: Your Inspir-actional How-To Guide For Leading Yourself and Others through Constant Change I came across this piece written by an unknown author:

Everyday Choices
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don’t have more money or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive. Today I can lament all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that thanks to them, I was born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can embark upon an exciting quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do. I can moan because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can gripe because I have to do housework or I can feel thankful because I have shelter.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

Central to Growing @ the Speed of Change is the model “Which Framing Level? Wallowing, Following, Or Leading“. When the ‘you-know-what’ hits the fan, it’s way too easy to wallow in it. Leaders like Chad show us how to soar out of the swamp.

Originally appeared on clemmergroup.com here: https://www.clemmergroup.com/blog/2016/03/03/everyday-choices-to-lead-follow-or-wallow/