To Whom Do You Listen?

Let me tell you about a little girl who was born into a very poor family in a shack in the backwoods of Tennessee. She was the 20th of 22 children, prematurely born and frail. Her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she had double pneumonia and scarlet fever-a deadly combination that left her with a paralysed and useless left leg. She had to wear an iron leg brace. Yet she was fortunate in having a mother who encouraged her.
Well, this mother told her little girl, who was very bright, that despite the brace and the leg, she could do whatever she wanted to do with her life. She told her that all she needed to do was to have faith, persistence, courage and an indomitable spirit.
So at nine years of age, the little girl removed the leg brace and took the step the doctors told her she would never take normally. In four years, she developed a rhythmic stride, which was a medical wonder. Then this girl got the notion, the incredible notion that she would like to be the worlds greatest runner. Now, what could she mean — be a runner with a leg like that ?
At age 13, she entered a race. She came in last—–way, way last. She entered every race in high school, and in every race she came in last. Everyone begged her to quit. However, one day, she came in next to last. And then there came a day when she won a race. From then on, Wilma Rudolph won every race she entered.
Wilma went to Tennessee State University, where she met a coach named Ed Temple. Coach Temple saw the indomitable spirit of the girl, that she was a believer and that she had great natural talent. He trained her so well that in 1960 she went to the Olympic Games in Rome. There she was pitted against the greatest female runner of the day, a German girl named Jutta Heine.
Nobody had ever beaten Jutta. But in the 100 metre sprint Wilma Rudolph won. She beat Jutta again in the 200 metres.Wilma had just earned 2 Olympic gold medals. Finally came the 400 metre relay. It would be Wilma against Jutta once again.The first 2 runners on Wilma’s team made perfect handoffs with the baton. But when the 3rd handed the baton to Wilma, she was so excited she dropped it, and Wilma saw Jutta taking off down the track.
It was impossible that anybody could catch this fleet and nimble girl. But Wilma did just that! Wilma Rodolph had earned her 3rd Olympic Gold Medal.That day she made history as she became the first woman ever to win three gold medals in the same Olympic Games. And they said she would never walk again……… !
Do you have someone telling you that you cannot do or achieve something that you really want to do?
Well, who do you believe?