In this blog post, we will reflect on what true competitiveness is through the life of Dr. Lee Seung-bok, who overcame a severe disability and achieved success.
There was an eight-year-old boy who lived a difficult life as an immigrant in the United States with his parents, who worked all day long without a moment to rest, and his younger siblings, whom he had to take care of. His parents were always busy and tired, so he took care of his younger siblings in their place, but he himself had no one to take care of him. Outside the home, he was met with nothing but cold, discriminatory stares from people who looked down on Asians. The discrimination he experienced simply because he was an immigrant left deep scars on the young boy’s heart, and he gradually began to distance himself from people. The only way for the boy, whose self-esteem had fallen so low, to be recognized by others was through gymnastics. After discovering his talent for gymnastics by chance, the boy began to devote all his energy to practicing gymnastics in order to become a proud and wonderful person who would represent Korea.
Every day, he stayed alone in the practice room and sweated. Even when other children were playing, he hung from high bars and jumped into the air, trying to exceed his limits. This was because he could forget the discrimination and loneliness while he was doing gymnastics. Through his consistent efforts, he became an excellent gymnast and a promising candidate for a gold medal at the Olympics. However, one day, the boy had an accident. While performing a somersault in the air, his neck was stretched out and his chin hit the floor, severing his spinal cord. The accident changed everything. The boy, who became quadriplegic, had to give up his dream that he had been pursuing for seven years.
Although he had to give up his first dream, he did not give up on his life. He made the obstacle that had thwarted his dream his second goal. He could hardly move anything below his neck, and even sitting in the same position caused excruciating pain in his back, but through endless effort, he achieved new success. He had no choice. It was either give up or overcome. Ten years after the accident, he was accepted into Dartmouth Medical School, became a senior intern at Harvard, and eventually became a rehabilitation specialist at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Many people call him Super Boy instead of his real name.
The Super Boy mentioned above is Dr. Lee Seung Bok, one of only two doctors in the United States with quadriplegia. I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Lee Seung Bok speak two years ago. Listening to his difficult and moving story of how he overcame great adversity to achieve success, I realized that although Dr. Lee Seung-bok cannot move his body freely, he has outstanding competitiveness, including his brilliant mind, good character, and self-confidence. However, I believe that his most outstanding competitive advantage is his positive attitude. Most people would give up and find it difficult to get back up when they realize that the path they have been following for seven years with dreams of future success is a dead end. However, Dr. Lee Seung-bok emptied his heart of any lingering attachment to his lost goal and filled it with expectations for a new goal and belief in himself.
Dr. Lee Seung-bok was unable to use his fingers and needed tools to write patient charts, and he had to use a wheelchair to move even short distances, but he did not despair over his disability. Rather, he said that he felt a deeper emotional bond with patients in the same situation and that his disability was no longer a disability but a blessing. His words, actions, and way of life were truly examples of a positive attitude. Dr. Lee Seung-bok said that he gained more than he lost due to his disability, and what I want to learn most from him is this positive attitude.
Some may argue that innate abilities are more important than a positive attitude, which I believe is the most important thing. This is understandable because we have seen many people around us who perform their jobs with ease thanks to their outstanding abilities without having to work hard. However, our life is not a 100-meter dash. In a long marathon, what really matters is not the ability to run fast or physical strength, but attitude, or mindset. There is also an important difference between attitude and ability. Attitude is involved in the entire process, from deciding what to do to carrying it out. Ability, on the other hand, only helps you put into practice what you have decided to do. Threading a needle starts with attitude. No matter how skilled you are at sewing, it is useless if you cannot thread the needle. The same is true for Dr. Lee Seung-bok. If it weren’t for his positive attitude, he would never have had the opportunity to use his outstanding abilities. Therefore, I believe that the secret to Super Boy’s second success after experiencing a major setback is his positive attitude that does not give in to momentary difficulties.
In the end, Dr. Lee Seung-bok’s story is not simply a success story about overcoming disabilities, but an example of how important human will and attitude are. Through this story, we can learn how important it is to maintain a positive attitude in any situation. We are reminded that the strength to move forward toward new goals without becoming frustrated in the face of life’s great challenges comes from that attitude. Dr. Lee Seung-bok’s journey gives us all true courage and hope.
