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by: HealthyWealthynWise
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Word Count: 474

Success isn't something you're born into; it's something to strive to reach with every step you make. Bonnie St. John knows that fact all too well. When she trips over a step, she gets back up again. The stereotypes out there say she shouldn't be a success, but she became a successful Olympic skier anyway.

Bonnie St. John grew up very poor. She was a black girl from San Diego being raised by a single mother. Worse still, she was an amputee. Her leg was taken from her when she was five years old. Although she had no money and no snow, she longed to be a skier. Her mother actually encouraged her in this crazy idea.

Bonnie has always been motivated to succeed by her desire to see others motivated by her. She grew up hearing the same lies we all hear: blacks don't ski; blacks don't swim; blacks don't play golf. All black people can do is play basketball or football. These stereotypes are simply not true at all. Today, Bonnie joins over ten thousand African-American ski club members every other year for a convention.

Before her days of fame, when she was just a kid, a classmate named Barbara Warmath invited Bonnie to go on a family ski trip during the Christmas break. It was a moment of dreams. Bonnie was the kid everyone either teased or didn't notice. She rode a special bus and was exempt from PE classes. This was the chance of a lifetime.

Bonnie St. John's friend invited her in early November to accompany the family on the Christmas ski trip. That gave her only a few short weeks to come up with the money and ski gear to be able to go. With the help of odd jobs, the Yellow Pages, and the Salvation Army, she was ready!

Skiing isn't easy for someone with two good legs, so it's no surprise that Bonnie had a horrible time getting started. Her prosthetic leg was a much bigger challenge than she could have imagined, and since she knew nothing about skiing when she acquired her gear, she was left cold and wet by her knit mittens. Bonnie wouldn't trade this experience for the world, though.

Later, Bonnie St. John joined the Ski Club so that she could obtain the appropriate ski gear and take skiing lessons. She was able to meet and race with many other amputees as well. The more she raced, the more she realized how much she enjoyed the challenge. She decided to train for the U.S. Olympic Ski Team.

Everyone can be successful, but each of us must face our own obstacles head-on. Some challenges are tougher than others, of course, but with a little creativity and a lot of determination, anything can be overcome. Don't give up on your dreams. Pick yourself up when you fall, and try again.

About the Author

Do you possess the motivation to succeed? Bonnie St. John conquered immense problems to fulfill her passions. Go to Bonnie St. John to learn how you can learn from her experiences.

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