Episode 02: Building a Positive Mindset, Envisioning your Impact, and Limb Difference
AUGUST 18
In this episode of Duke’s Life of Significance series, hosts Sanyin Siang and Pau Gasol interview Ezra Frech, the sixteen-year-old American Paralympic athlete, motivational speaker, and advocate for disability rights. He is also the inspiration and core of Team Ezra, the organization that has raised over $400,000 for nonprofits supporting the physically disabled. In this interview, Ezra discusses his limb difference in the sports world, turning negative experiences into a positive future perspective, and actualizing your dreams: “You can dream it. You can hope it. Or you can make it happen.”
Key Takeaways
1. According to Ezra, living a life of significance is about “devoting yourself to the betterment of humanity and giving back to people.” If you’re unsure how to do that, the way you might go about devoting yourself to others might be aligned with your current situation. In Ezra’s case, his limb differences inspired him to support other physically disabled people in the sport world.
2. To achieve your dreams, you have to take the first step. The first step might just be changing your mindset. To think more positively about a situation, remember a time you overcame an obstacle in your past. Reflecting on past times when you’ve successfully faced a challenge can create a snowball effect.
3. We can’t accomplish much on our own. Friends, mentors, family, and community all have a role to play in becoming our best selves, especially when we are unsure how to move forward. Let others name your strengths and abilities when you’re not able to see them yourself.
“Self-doubt is universal. But I really believe that speaking negatively about yourself or thinking negatively about a situation has no benefits whatsoever. It’s only going to make it feel more daunting or scarier. When situations don’t go our way, we have the opportunity to either continue down a road of sadness or sulking in a dark place, or you can flip your mindset and make the best of the situation.”
Ezra Frech