True success doesn’t come from privilege. It comes from spirit. Bonnie St. John is a perfect example of this. If you believe the stereotypes of the world are true, you’d have a hard time believing how much success Bonnie has seen in her life as an Olympic skier. When life knocks her down, she gets right back up.

Bonnie St. John was raised by a single mother in San Diego. They were very poor, and what’s worse is that Bonnie had to have one of her legs amputated at age five. Without any snow or money, her crazy dream was to be a skier. Her mother was always supportive of her and never tried to compensate for the disability.

Black people don’t ski? Black people don’t swim? Black people don’t golf? Not true! The stereotypes are everywhere. I’m sure the Tiger Woods’ of the world would agree! One of Bonnie’s motivations for success was always to motivate OTHERS to success. She remembers this goal from as far back as her teens. Today she’s one of ten thousand members of an African-American ski club.

A friend from school invited Bonnie to go skiing when they were both just children, and it changed her life forever. Bonnie St. John was the kid nobody liked. She was exempt from PE class, she rode a special bus, and she was teased at recess. Barbara Warmath was different, though. She didn’t tease. She encouraged.

To say that Bonnie was excited about the trip is quite an understatement, but she had several obstacles to overcome before she could go. How would she be able to ski gracefully when she had only one good leg? How would she get the equipment she needed without any money? Without the luxury of the internet, she turned to the Yellow Pages and the Salvation Army.

Skiing proved harder than even Bonnie St. John could have imagined. She was constantly falling down as she fought with the prosthetic leg. She didn’t know what equipment to buy, so her knit mittens left her fingers cold and met. None of it mattered, though. Bonnie was having the time of her life!

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.

Anyone can have success in their life. Each of us has our own obstacles to overcome. Some are tougher than others, but all can be achieved with some creativity and determination. Never give up on your passions. Live your life to the fullest, and get up each time you fall.