© Victor Ochieng’
This life is rife with strife. It is also replete with perplexing problems. Albeit, there are people who beat all odds and rise to stardom. Such people become points of reference to all and sundry.
A classic case is Nicholus James Vujicic – a speaker par excellence born in Australia in 1982. His story is full of glory. For this is a person who was born without arms and legs. But somehow, through the strength of faith, he can punch 43 words per minute on a computer. He can swim, surf, skydive and speak in front of thousands. He is a perfect practitioner of the Philosophy of Possibility Thinking attributed to Dr. Robert H. Schuller – the putative author of You Can Be the Person You Want to Be.
It is sad to state that Nick was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, which is a rare case characterized by absence of arms and legs. He has a small foot on his left hip, which helps him balance. When life gave him lemons, he did not cry for oranges, he chose to try to make lemonade. He is now a radiant ray of light and a beautiful beacon of hope to plenty of people across the world.
Peter Bowes penned a piece for BBC in 2015 revealing how Nick struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts while still young. When he was 17, his mom showed a soul-stimulating story of a woman with a severe disability who defied all odds to pursue purpose in life. The piece enthused Nick to view life from a different perspective. He started delivering pep talks to infuse other people’s lives with hope.
Preaching and delivering powerful pep talks became his purpose. He has visited over 50 countries to speak to people. We are glad that God made Nick understand his reason of existence. That in this side of eternity, there is no one who is a biological accident or a museum piece. Every person can find a way to serve both divinity and humanity. Maybe, this awareness and awakening dawned on him because he read the sacred scriptures about life enshrined in the holy book – Bible. I guess he also read the true treasure trove of Rick Warren titled Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?
Like other children, Nick went through formal education to gain requisite knowledge, core-competencies and useful skills. It is instructive to note that at the age 21, he graduated with a sterling degree in Commerce – majoring in Accountancy and Financial Planning at Griffith University.
In 2002, Nick moved from Australia to California in the Free World – United States. He decided to settle there. It is where he decided to become passionate about public speaking. What is this passion? It is when what you do is what you love, and what you love is what you do. Mike Murdock put it aptly, “What generates passion and zeal in you is a clue to revealing your destiny. What you love is a clue to something you contain.” Without passion, man or woman is just a mere latent force and a possibility, like the flint that awaits the shock of iron before it can give forth its spark. The observation of Tim Redmond adds it some weight: “There are many things that will catch my eye, but there are only few things that will catch my heart… It is those I consider to pursue.”
Consequently, in the year 2005, in the bid to act as a pipe of hope, he founded Life without Limits – an international non-profit organisation: through it, he has touched lives of plenty of people with powerful programmes oscillating around talks and training.
Again, in 2007, he started another organisation called Attitude is Altitude – a life-changing motivational company. Digging deeper, the name of the organisation – Attitude is Altitude – is in perfect agreement with the wise words of Zig Ziglar: “It is your attitude, not your aptitude that determines your altitude.” Attitude is equal to mindset plus beliefs. Aptitude is natural ability. In the Geographical language and lingo, altitude is height above the sea level. In this context, altitude is the far we can see and reach. It is the acme of great achievement.
It is wonderful to write that in 2008, Nick lived in Texas close to Dallas. In 2012, he met the love of his life – Kanae Miyahara. They had a tour of hearts. Nick said “I do,” because he felt he was done. As Chinua Achebe once put it: He fell for her, and she fell for him, and they called it a game. As a couple, they have sired four children.
Fortunately, in 2010, Method Fest Independent Film Festival feted him for his short film – the Butterfly. He scooped the highly-coveted award for his peerless performance. He paid the price for the awesome award. Lending credence to the saying: No price, no prize.
Above all, Nick has published heroic books worth reading, which include: Life without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Great Life (2010), Your Life without Limits (2012), Limitless: Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life (2013), Unstoppable: the Incredible Power of Faith in Action (2013), the Power of Unstoppable Faith (2014), Stand Strong (2015), Love without Limits (2016) and Be the Hand and Feet: Living Out God’s Love for All His Children (2018).
Finally, this a man with a lot of sense and substance. He has changed lives of many people across the world. Therefore, it is incumbent upon decision-makers to create for him crucial chances in schools, colleges, corporates and churches. For his story forms part of what people should hear in order to melt mountains of impossibilities that impede progress and success. Through his story, they will change their obstacles to miracles. As perfectly put by Henry Ford, “Obstacles are frightful things we see when we take our eyes off our goals.”
The writer is an editor, orator and author. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
