A DETERMINED Rugby man who was born with a disability has written a motivational book about overcoming limitations which is inspiring people across the world.
Matt Parsons was born with Erb’s Palsy, a birth injury which paralysed his left arm due to nerve trauma.
After years of physiotherapy he regained some movement, but as a child he was told he would never play a sport or a musical instrument.
But he overcame the odds with fierce determination, going on to play for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club as a teenager, and playing gigs as a solo musician and with his band Jacklines.
Currently working as the Head of Design Technology at Bablake Senior school, the 39-year-old continues to prove doctors wrong by teaching Technology in the school workshops, doing many practical tasks which doctors said would be impossible.
And now he is helping others by sharing his motivational advice through his book If I Can You Can – Law of Attraction and Synchronicity in Action.
He said: “One of the biggest issues has been from a mental health point of view. I’ve struggled with anxiety and lack of self-love and respect.
“Doing day-to-day tasks have their challenges, from eating, getting dressed, getting showered and all the things we take for granted.
“I have to find new ways of doing things – I’ve learned to ‘accept and adapt’.
“Growing up, my parents were told that I wouldn’t live a normal life and that I would struggle to do activities other children would do. As a young kid, you’re not really aware. It’s as I grew up and hit my teenage years that it started becoming more of an issue.
“I went through stages of wondering why this happened to me, but as I grew up I used it as a ‘superpower’. I wanted to help raise awareness and inspire others with the same injury.
“I want to succeed in my ventures and if I decide to do something, I will see it through until the end. My highly driven motivation comes from having this injury. Without it, I wouldn’t have done half the things I’ve done in my life.”
If I Can You Can documents stories of how Matt triumphed in the face of adversity, offering tips and techniques to help with self-love and self-confidence.
“It inspires you to be self-reflective and to shed the limiting beliefs which we have engraved into our minds,” he said.
“I had the idea on the way to work one day. I felt as though I had to put it into a book and hopefully inspire some people.
“It feels great to help other people in similar positions to my own. You never know how people will react when you do something creative, but I decided that if it helps just one person, then I consider it a success.”
Matt plans to continue spreading the word by releasing an online coaching course called If I Can You Can Coaching next year.
“The limits in your life are ones that you place on yourself,” he said. “If you have a vision and enough determination and motivation, you can achieve any goal you set yourself. One thing I learned is that you have to act on any inner nudges or inspiration, as you just don’t know where they will lead you.”
If I Can You Can is available to buy on Amazon in Paperback, Hardback and Kindle. Visit www.mattparsons.co.uk for more information about the projects Matt is working on.
