No Limits | Max Blackburn | TEDxYouth@Manchester

let me start by telling you a true story
about a woman called Joan Joan was an
active grandma his little spending time
with her family she was extremely fit
and went swim half a mile three times a
week but one morning ten years ago Joan
didn’t wake up after being rushed into
hospital the medical team had discovered
an abscess on her spine which had caused
meningitis
septicemia and ANCA philetus her family
was devastated she was in a coma with no
neurological response Joan was battling
with death after six months of legal
wrangling and the medical team wanted to
switch off her life support Joan did the
unexpected and woke up after a lot of
care she was told that devastating news
that she’d be on lifelong oxygen support
and that she would never walk again
that’s into a new life in a wheelchair
one year later whilst out shopping she
met the consultant who had delivered the
news that she would never walk again to
her surprise Astor why aren’t you out of
that chair yet unbeknownst to her he had
made a terrible mistake and mixed joan
up with another patient
however an incredible thing happened
this chance meeting gave Joan the belief
belief is a powerful thing it allows us
to tell ourselves positive stories which
give us a positive mindset but
resilience is not just about mindset
it’s about setting future goals and not
focusing on the past so she set herself
a goal that in six months by Christmas
she would walk again
so that’s when she started projects walk
again she knew that she couldn’t eat an
elephant at once it had to be done in
bite-sized chunks so she formulated a
plan every time she was on her own she
would move her legs building up the
muscles gradually lifting self to
standing taking one small step at a time
holding onto furniture her motivation
was twofold the fear of having not
having the independence she craved and
the pleasure of seeing her family’s
faces at Christmas once she walked again
that Christmas a true miracle happened
but it wasn’t really a miracle it was
determination hard work a can-do
attitude a positive mindset and a goal
that will give her family the best
Christmas present ever now on to my
second story the story about a boy who
would use lessons from Jaron to turn his
exam results around and help him achieve
his dream of owning his own business
with a business management degree
necessary to that so what has he changed
now he’s more prepared with his
schoolwork sets goals each week of what
he needs to achieve does not dwell on
failures of the past learns from his
mistakes and moves forward he has a
contingency plan of a gap year and
motivates himself by the fear of what
will happen if he does not achieve his
dream and the pleasure of what will
happen if he does sometimes external
factors change our goals be flexible
don’t focus on what might have been
instead focus on what will be no your
motivation and your belief goals and
mindset will carry you forward to
achieve success and happiness I have
something to tell you the woman in the
story is my grandma’s own and the boy in
the story is me she’s an inspiration to
me and everyone around her and I hope
she’s inspired you in some way as well
today thank you you