Defining Moments Determine Who We Will Become

Defining moments have a way of changing us.  When considering some of the defining moments in your own life I (Cindy) believe you would agree that we are never quite the same person after a defining moment.  We either move forward or backward - but we always move.

In Leadership Gold John puts it this way, defining moments are like intersections in our lives. They give us an opportunity to turn, change direction, and seek a new destination.  They present options and opportunities.  In these moments, we must choose.  And the choice we make will define us!

Think of defining moments in your own life and how they have formed who you are now.  They change us every time!

In 2017, I had the pleasure of serving on the John Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award Committee.  Each year one individual wins this award and is invited to share more of their story with the team.

Maybe you have heard of Bonnie St John who was quite graceful as she accepted her award and had us join her on stage for a group picture which I’ll always treasure, and shared part of her story with us.  Hers is a story of resilience and making the most of defining moments.

You see, Bonnie is a Paralympic medalist, an author, and a very successful business woman. 

When she was 5 years old Bonnie had to have her right leg amputated below the knee because it had never grown and she would have more quality of life if it were removed.  Through the many struggles and victories as she grew up, Bonnie found great joy in skiing.  She became such a skilled amputee skier that she had a chance at the Paralympics and took it. 

In one of her most defining days during the Paralympics it was down to her and one other person on the slalom.  Bonnie is up first, as she races down the hill she hits one turn a little off and she falls.  Everyone had fallen in that same difficult spot.  Up she comes…she’s okay and picks up some time as she finishes.  Her time is really good even with her fall.

The second skier is up to race.  She is off to a fast start, doing amazing, and she falls too!  But she’s back up and finishes with excellent time… as Bonnie tells the story… when looking at racing time her time was faster but the other skier got up quicker and she won. Bonnie had lost the gold.  And she describes this as one of those defining moments in learning when you fall to get up quicker than everyone else.

Bonnie shared with us that day that people fall down, winners get up, and gold medal winners get up faster.  She gave me an edge that day and a whole new perspective on being resilient and getting up quicker when I fall.  Bonnie moved forward from this defining moment and continues to let it catapult her success today.