His mind was sharp, but his vision was blurred. He could think, but could not talk. He wanted to write, but could not use his hands. With one eye sewn shut, his only means of communication was by blinking his left eye. Yet despite his obstacles and challenges, he was able to produce a bestselling book that was turned into a movie.

Jean-Dominique was the editor of the French ELLE magazine, living a fast-paced life in the world of fashion when a massive stroke struck him in 1995 and left him paralyzed. He had become a victim of an extremely rare disease known as “Locked-in Syndrome”. While Jean-Dominique’s mind was fully functioning, the blinking of his left eye was his only means of communication. Yet he refused to give in to the circumstances and decided to fight back. Here’s what he did:

1. Accept the situation. Easier said than done, Jean-Dominique realized that lamenting on the situation was not going to change things for the better. As such, he decided he was going to face the challenge courageously.

2. Focus on what he still had and what he could do. Since whatever you tend to focus on usually becomes a reality, Jean-Dominique chose to focus on what he could still do. He could still “write” a book.

3. Setting goals and developing plans to achieve them.

4. Taking action. In order to achieve his outcome, Jean-Domnique knew he had to be more persistent than ever. Nothing could substitute hard work.

What is the challenge you are currently facing in your life? Are you prepared to learn something from it or are you merely a victim of it? What are your plans to overcome this challenge? Are you prepared to take the necessary action to get what you want?