“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
― Henry Ford
My guess is Henry probably had a few people tell him that there was no way he could revolutionize American Industry, and I bet you if you looked out the window at the parking lot right now you would most likely see a Ford.
The same can be said about treatment & recovery after an injury, attitude can make all the difference, regardless of the situation. An individual’s drive to get to their goals can limit their time in treatment if they follow the instructions i.e. stretches and exercises suggested by their PTA or physical therapist. A body in motion tends to stay in motion. That’s as relevant to thought & momentum as exercise is to the diligence put forth by the patient in their efforts to get better.
I think it’s fair to say nobody wants to be injured, but, not everyone wants to put all the effort forth in order to get better either. Some people can handle pain a little better than others can, and some people just have more energy. But, I can assure you that with a good attitude it’ll be a better process regardless.
Speaking from experience, I watched a good friend of mine learn how to walk again after a bad accident. He was told he would not be able to run again, and for him that was a hard pill to swallow and he never really accepted that outcome. After 3 months of Physical Therapy he had made improvements in his stride that specialists assured him he wouldn’t see for over a year. About 8 months later he was training for his first 5K since the accident. He’s still running to this day but, he would never had made the improvements he had made had he given up, and by working hard, he’s in better shape now then he was before that truck hit the side of his car.
So I’d like to think it’s like Henry said. Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you're definitely right!
By Mattias Kasparian