Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994), US Olympic-winning Athlete
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| "My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother." --Wilma Rudolph |
Every other Tuesday, @womenatliberty provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. Wilma Rudolph was a gold medal-winning athlete for the United States in Track and Field. In the 1960's she was considered the fastest woman in the world. But, if you know her story, you know that she overcame great odds to become one of the greatest athletes of all times.
Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely and at the age of four she contracted polio which left her paralyzed for a time. She eventually walked on her own, but she had to wear a brace. In her tween years, she shed her brace and became active in basketball and track. Defying the early prognosis of her doctors, Wilma Rudolph became a world class athlete in Track and Field winning a bronze medal for the 4x100 relay in 1956 and two gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash in the 1960 Olympics. As the quote above reflects, Wilma believed she could do anything; her mother, family and coach also believed that she could do anything. Her belief and their support took her to greatness.
Today's Leadership Tuesdays' article, "How The Impostor Syndrome Helps You Find Your True Self" by J. Clara Chan, is about how women specifically deal with self-doubt and how they differ in how they perceive their abilities when they are successful versus how men perceive their own abilities under the same circumstances. Everyone at one time or another deals with that familiar "negative voice" in their head that leads to self-doubt. I'm sure Wilma Rudolph, given her early childhood health challenges, also had to deal with that voice. However she did not believe or give in to that voice. The author of the article says that a healthy amount of self-doubt can lead you to "work harder, learn more, and ultimately become better at the task or skill at hand". And that's what Wilma Rudolph did.
And frankly, that's what we all must do. Speak to that negative voice in your head just like it is speaking to you and say what Wilma Rudolph said, "I can do anything!"
To read today's article, click here. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here.
To learn more about Wilma Rudolph and view a short video on her life, go to: http://www.biography.com/people/wilma-rudolph-9466552
Nona O.
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