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“every single day take a small step to your bigger goal, it is a daily incremental process, I believe that if I can do something, I will do it."
Mark Nixon is an elite basketball player from Canada who was aiming for the 2012 London Olympics until a catastrophic car accident that left him paraplegic and without feeling from the waist down. That accident he believes saved his life and showed him his purpose. He was on the Canadian team for the Paralympics but another injury prevented him from going, they won gold. He is a keynote speaker, and a mindset and disability advocate across North America.
He works and lives independently, cycles 15km each day and coaches both able bodied and wheelchair basketball and has a passion for working with children. Mark shares with Ed Andrew what it is like to live with a disability and how others perceive you, he is the founder of perception 21.
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discussing his accident and injuries, and his first question, "was anyone else hurt" this is the main thing that allowed me to progress as he was the only person involved
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was playing high level basketball before and trying to play professionally in England and France, and his goal for the London 2012 Olympic games
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being on the squad for Canada for Paralympics in 2012, and missing out due to injury
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the make up of wheelchair basketball - most of the team walks after the game
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living independently and mindset (13)
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cycling 10-15 km per day now and staying fit, "emotions play a bigger part in regulating body temperature when you are paraplegic"
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working with Corey Poirier to get to the next level of speaking, have spoken in front of groups of 2,000 people, "speaking gives me something to live for"
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the title of his talks is perspective 21, dealing with expectation and perception
"the accident was given me more confidence than I have ever had before"
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discussing being in a wheelchair and how his actions will determine other people's reactions to him, discussing how how happy and outgoing the disabled community is
"I was meant to be here for a bigger and better reason, I can give back to those younger kids now, I was living too fast before the accident" - (26)
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his recovery mentally physically and emotionally - and discussing his "wake up moment" - "the emotional side makes we feel worse, so from this day forward we start looking at the positive" (31)
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discussing mindset "I honestly believe that it is the power of the mind" - talking about the compound affect Darren Hardy - "every single day take a small action for your bigger goal in mind, it is an daily incremental process"
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on gratitude - mindset moving forward has to be positive - key goals to hit - wake up and be grateful for being alive, have your family, grateful to move your eyes or hands (36)
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build up your guts - Get Uncomfortable to Succeed
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living with disability, the incredible support of the Government and not "stressing over things that I have no control over"
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discussing his message - " the way we perceive our situation that will allow us to have a better life thereafter - "very saddened that it takes traumatic injuries like this to make us appreciate things far more, appreciate the things you have - it is totally on your approach, you can always find that way if you choose to"
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on vulnerability "you can see my hardship but I cannot see yours"
To contact Mark, book him for a speaking gig, please click on any of the links:
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