Turning Your Struggles into Your Story with Chris Norton
When Chris Norton went out to play his sixth game of college football, he had no idea the life-changing effect that game would have on his life. On the field that day he contracted a spinal cord injury that would alter the course of his life and leave him with a three percent chance of ever walking again, or doing any other type of small movement, like scratching his face. In our conversation, Chris shares what a dark and difficult time this was in his life and how he was motivated by his determination to overcome the odds and walk again. What he didn’t know at the time was that years later he would walk across the stage at graduation and that a video of that moment would go viral around the world. Since then, his story has been published and has also been recorded in the documentary, 7 Yards: The Chris Norton Story, which can now be found on Netflix. Chris describes what he has learned in the years since his injury and how you can still live a meaningful life, even if you’re bound to a wheelchair. He talks about the incredible relationships he has formed during his life, and how he and his wife Emily have come to adopt six kids and foster nineteen. We also spend some time talking about Chris’s first public speaking opportunity and how he realized that it was possible to pursue speaking as a career. He shares what speaking has meant for him and his family, how he’s honed his craft through study and coaching, and what he’s done to sustain his speaking career long-term. Today’s episode is deeply inspiring and a testament to appreciating and fully embracing the life you have! Tune in to hear more of Chris's story and what it means to live a meaningful life.