The Unstoppable Nick Vujicic: How He Transformed a Life Without Limbs Into a Life Without Limits
“You don’t know what you can achieve until you try it.”
One moment Nick Vujicic is jumping out of an airplane, the next, he’s riding the waves.
He is a self-professed adrenaline junkie who is all about living life to the fullest. With no limitations.
While this is inspirational in and of itself, what makes it all the more extraordinary is that he’s living a life of no limits without arms or legs.
Who is Nick Vujicic?
Vujicic was born in Australia in 1982 to Serbian immigrant parents. He was born with an incredibly rare congenital disorder — with no medical explanation — called tetra-amelia syndrome.
Tetra-amelia syndrome (sometimes known as TETAMS) is a very rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs.
RELATED: 16 Nick Vujicic Quotes on Making the Most Out of Every Day
When he was born, the doctors and his parents were shocked to discover that he did not have arms or legs. Three ultrasounds throughout his mother’s pregnancy had failed to reveal the truth.
He credits his parents with providing him with a loving and supportive home and encouraging him to learn how to cope with his disability — which was far from easy.
Nick struggled to do even the most basic of tasks.
Everyday things that most people don’t even think about were daily struggles that Vujicic constantly had to overcome. The odds weren’t just stacked against him, they were mountains, nearly impossible to climb.
He often struggled with depression and asked the inevitable, “why me?” — a question that would plague him throughout his childhood.
“There is no hope” — Nick Vujicic Questions His Purpose in Life
At 10 years old, while other kids his age were riding their bikes, skateboarding, and playing baseball, Nick just wanted to die. Lonely, depressed, and questioning his purpose, he tried to take his own life.
A target of incessant bullying at school and feeling like he was a burden to his parents, he attempted to drown himself in 6 inches of water in his bathtub. He told his dad he just wanted to relax. What he really wanted to do was end his life.
It was the thought of what his death would do to his parents that made him change his mind.
“There was one thing more burdensome than having a child without limbs,” Nick shared in a viral Ted Talk. “What is it? A child without limbs who gives up.”
It was a defining moment in his life.
A High-School Janitor Changed His Life
Years later, he would have another such moment.
When Nick was 17, the janitor at his high school told him he was going to become a speaker. And it turns out, he was right.
At the time, Nick told the janitor he was crazy. He had no idea that those simple words would transform his life. The seed was sown.
Four months later, Nick found himself in front of a group of six people, sharing his story. By the time he was 19 years old, he was speaking to a gymnasium full of 300 sophomore students.
Today, he’s taken the world by storm and is one of the top motivational speakers on the planet. Nick uses his sharp wit and self-deprecating humor to share his positivity and inspiration with millions.
And his message is simple:
“My message has always been love yourself, dream big, don’t give up and hope is everything.”
Thus far, he’s traveled to over 74 countries and stood on some of the largest stages speaking to sold-out audiences.
Key Principles Which Enabled Nick Vujicic to Find His Purpose & Turn Obstacles into Opportunities
Despite his physical limitations, Nick is determined to live a fulfilling life. And he’s succeeding — through sheer will, determination, hope, and a persevering spirit that never gives up.
Even when he fails.
While it may seem difficult to comprehend how someone with so much adversity in their life can not only overcome it but thrive, that is exactly what he’s doing.
So how did he do it? First, by making a choice.
“We have a choice — either to be angry by what we don’t have or be thankful for what we do have.”
Nick Vujicic
If anyone has a right to be angry, it’s Nick. And yet, he flipped his narrative and changed his mindset. And once he began doing that, he was able to start drowning out the bullies’ lies with the voice of truth. He stopped believing that he wasn’t good enough or worthy enough.
And started believing that he was.
He learned to embrace himself and his circumstances and to let the rest of it go.
And when he’s faced with adversity? He chooses to keep going. Even if it means that he will fail, time and time again. After all, you only lose when you stop trying.
“There are some things in life that are out of your control that you can’t change and you’ve got to live with. The choice that we have though is either give up or keep on going.”
Keep on going.
“Life Becomes Worth Living When You Find Purpose.”
At 17 years old, Nick found his purpose. And everything changed. He was still in the same body, still living without arms and legs, still facing the same obstacles. But nothing would ever be the same.
In finding his purpose, he discovered that the key to true happiness and fulfillment comes with knowing three things — Who are you and what is your value? What is your purpose here in life? And what is your destiny when you’re done here?
If you can answer these questions, Nick believes that you have all the tools you need to leverage your full potential.
He says it’s not about wishing you were given more to do more. It’s about doing the best with what you have. Those are the people who will master their full potential and reap the rewards.
“Money can’t heal your heart. Money can’t give you purpose. I don’t want arms and legs, I want purpose,” he says. “I don’t want arms and legs, I want peace. And I don’t want arms and legs, I want to be a miracle for someone else.”
Best-Selling Author, Motivational Speaker, Musician, Actor, Entrepreneur, Husband, and Father
At 10 years old, Nick Vujicic believed that he had no hope, no purpose. He believed that he would never get a job, never get married, and never have children. Today he has all three.
Not only is he a husband and a father to four children but he’s also a world-renowned speaker and so much more. He inspires millions of people around the globe with his resilience and strength.
Nick has written several books that focus on overcoming life’s struggles and finding success in the face of adversity, including Life Without Limits, Limitless Devotions for a Ridiculously Good Life, Love Without Limits, and Unstoppable.
He founded a non-profit organization called “Life Without Limbs” as well as the “Attitude is Altitude” curriculum that empowers young people to be successful, achieve their goals, and make a positive difference in their lives and community.
He is an anti-bullying advocate and works with schools and governments around the globe.
And if all of that wasn’t enough, he’s also acted in the short independent film, The Butterfly Circus, even winning an award for his part.
And he’s done it all without limbs.
Nick’s message is simple but powerful: no matter what challenges we face in life, we can overcome them with determination, hope, and a positive attitude.
He reminds us that we are all capable of achieving great things, regardless of our physical limitations or other challenges.
Nick’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, but it is also a reminder that we all have what it takes to overcome adversity and live a life without limits.
