When I was born my doctors said I wouldn't survive more than a day. I was born with brittle bones disorder and by the time I was 18, I had suffered 200 fractures. Yet, I decided to have a happy, successful life, to achieve my dreams, just like everyone else can achieve theirs. I graduated from college with high honors, I worked with and got to know President Clinton. I became a psychotherapist and today am proud to say I have a thriving practice. I've travelled to 46 states and seven countries, delivering motivating talks that I'm told are inspirational, and I've written several books, the newest, "Get Off Your Buts" has just come out in hard cover. And, I also just fulfilled a life long dream. I threw out the first ceremonial pitch for the White Sox, on my back, the only way I could physically do so. I don't say any of this to brag. I say it to make the point that each of us is entitled to and can have a happy life no matter our circumstances.
And so you obviously survived and thrived, and it seems this disorder has led to your profession and mission. What is it?
I'm passionate about helping people get off their "butts" and stand up for themselves and their lives, so they have the best life possible for them.
How do you think you were able to live a productive life when so many with disabilities have difficulty?
I am fortunate that I have a loving, supportive family, who instilled confidence and sense of well being in me. I was also fortunate that I was able to make a firm decision to live a happy, productive life no matter what. To do that, I had to stop feeling sorry for myself, and stop saying all those buts that so many of us say.
Tell us about your book and why you wrote it.
Where ever I travel, I became increasingly aware that people around me were often using excuses not to have what they said they wanted. That's where the Buts come in - the excuses. But I'm not rich enough. I'm not attractive enough. I'm not smart enough, etc. I realized that these excuses were a big reason why people weren't reaching their goals. And in today's chaotic economic climate, I hear more excuses than ever.
What are some tips for our viewers to get them off their buts!
Take full responsibility. Rather than wasting time blaming others when things go wrong, work on coming up with a solution. Doing so takes the focus off negative emotions that cloud your judgment and puts you on a path to solving the problem.
For more on the http://www.timetostand.com
Sean Stephenson
Expected to die at birth, Sean Stephenson has faced an army of reasons to give up and countless opportunities to embrace pity. He suffered more than 200 bone fractures by age eighteen, reached a height of only three feet, and is permanently confined to a wheelchair. Despite his challenges, he took a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world, including Tony Robbins and President Clinton.
At the tender age of nine, Stephenson found the purpose to his life after suffering a fracture to his left femur from a simple activity that wouldn't have even bruised the average child. His mother then asked a life-altering question, "Sean, is this going to be a gift or a burden?" Her question set Stephenson free, and the answer fueled a quest to show the world that we choose whether every moment is a gift or a burden.
Stephenson has had more life adventures than most people who are twice his age. Spending time in the political sector, he worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Congressman William O. Lipinski and in the White House alongside President Clinton. He has also testified in front of the United States Senate on two separate occasions. After realizing that he could change the world in ways besides politics, Stephenson branched off and developed a thriving professional speaking business addressing schools, companies, associations, prisons, hospitals and public seminar events. Stephenson graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, where he received High Honors in the College of Liberal & Arts and Sciences. He received his psychotherapy degrees from American Pacific University in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he is currently completing his Doctorate in Clinical Hypnosis. As a board-certified psychotherapist, Stephenson runs a private practice out of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.
Over the past decade, Sean Stephenson has traveled to over forty-seven states and six countries, where he has found that individuals are notorious for making excuses. "I would work harder, 'BUT' it won't make a difference." Sean addresses the excuses as well as the "BUTS" that fuel the insecurities behind them. "I would love myself, 'BUT' I am not pretty enough, wealthy enough, popular enough, etc." Sean has created a movement committed to educating people how to get off their 'BUTS' and STAND in life.
Stephenson has recently written his fourth book, "Get Off Your 'But': How to End Self-Sabotage and Stand Up for Yourself" (Wiley, May 2009), which is a hands-on guide for overcoming the forces of negativity and self-sabotage. The book offers an inspiring program for surviving difficult time, eliminating excuses, ending insecurities and standing up for happiness and success in life.
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