Lessons from Rick Hansen

A testament to the indomitable human spirit, Rick Hansen, the "Man in Motion," has inspired millions with his incredible journey and unwavering dedication to creating a more accessible and inclusive world. Following a spinal cord injury at the age of 15, Hansen embarked on a remarkable 26-month, 40,000-kilometer journey around the globe in his wheelchair, the Man in Motion World Tour. This epic feat was not only a personal triumph but also a catalyst for a global movement to break down barriers for people with disabilities.

On Perseverance and Overcoming Adversity

"It's not what happens to you, it's what you do with it that counts." [1] This is one of Hansen's most frequently cited philosophies, emphasizing the power of attitude in the face of challenges.
"The goal you set must be challenging. At the same time, it should be realistic and attainable, not impossible to reach. It should be challenging enough to make you stretch, but not so far that you break." [2]
"There is nothing you can't do, if you set your mind to it. Anything is possible." [2]
"If you believe in a dream and have the courage to try, anything is possible." [2]
"When I was first injured, I would have sold my soul for the use of my legs. I wanted it all back. I was angry at the world... At the end of the day, though, the challenge of my disability has forced me to ask the right questions." [1]
"I had to really dig deep and understand that you can have pain or suffering or a physical disability and still be whole as a human being." [3]
"There are no walls too big in life that can't be climbed." [4] This was a realization Hansen had while wheeling on the Great Wall of China during his tour.
"When you see something that's not right, you have two choices. You can accept it and complain about it, or you can step up and do something." [3]
"I absorbed a lot of anger, a lot of resentment, a lot of depression, but I found the ability to kind of take baby steps forward." [5]
"One stroke, one stroke led to another." [4] This simple mantra helped him keep going during the grueling Man in Motion Tour.

On Disability and Perception

"My disability is that I cannot use my legs. My handicap is your negative perception of that disability, and thus of me." [2]
"I had to learn to paint a new perspective of what was possible, shatter those perceptions that people with disabilities were people to be pitied." [6]
"Nowhere in the definition of an athlete does it say that you need to use your legs in order to be one. It's measured by your heart, your passion, your courage." [4][6]
"We need to change how we think and talk about accessibility and inclusion in order to break down barriers for the one billion people in the world who have a disability." [7]
"Disability will affect everyone." [8] Hansen highlights the universality of disability, whether through aging, illness, or accident.
"The stigma creates a perception that there are two classes of athlete." [9] Hansen has spoken about the separation of the Olympics and Paralympics and the perceptions it creates.
"I inherited all the traditional stereotypes and stigmas that most Canadians in the 1970s had about people with disability." [9] This highlights his personal journey of overcoming his own preconceived notions.
"Accessibility isn't just for people who use wheelchairs -- it's also for those with mobility challenges, temporary injuries and parents using strollers. Accessibility is for everyone." [7]
"We have to ask ourselves what is the Canada that we want? Well, we can reflect back to our constitution and our charter and it clearly says we want people with disabilities to be included as equals." [10]
"Disability isn't just a person in a wheelchair." [10]

On Making a Difference and Leaving a Legacy

"I honestly believe that my best work is in front, not behind me. I am driven by a deep passion and need to make a difference and leave this world a little better than when I arrived. That's what keeps me going." [2][11]
"The end is just the beginning." [6] This was a realization Hansen had after completing the Man in Motion Tour, understanding that his life's work was just starting.
"Life is not a destination, it's a journey for all of us." [4]
"We need every citizen to believe that they are champions and difference makers, with a responsibility to play small or large roles in making Canada and the world a better place." [12]
"When I finished the tour, I realized the end was just the beginning. I would have to make it a life mission." [13]
"I can't wait to unfold the next chapter of my life. I believe that all of us have the ability to be able to make a difference in our own life no matter what challenges." [6]
"My life mission has been to help create a world without barriers for people with disabilities, so they can achieve their full potential." [9]
"One day I believe that the wheelchair will be something you'll see in a museum." [4]
"How would we have known that we would be still engaged from what was a project to a life mission and journey." [14]
"With that in mind, we can truly translate the Man in Motion from a single event to a legacy that will have a global impact to match the vision that I had and that I still have now." [14]

On Teamwork and Community

"When I was struggling and couldn't go any further, somebody else came along and they filled my sail with wind – there is always someone who will come along and help us move forward." [13]
"We are all interconnected, relying on each other as a global society, as a family and a community." [12]
"'We' reflects and respects our diversity as human beings and implies that together we are stronger." [12]
"The Cable Cars was a defining moment in my life because it just made me feel like I was home, back being the person I wanted to be, an athlete." [8] Hansen speaking about his wheelchair basketball team.
"It's people that make up this great country. It's our attitude and our perspective along the way that makes the difference and how we work together to truly share our values and ultimately bring out the best in each other." [1]
"Together, anything is possible." [15]
"My dedicated team at the Rick Hansen Foundation allows me to feel I am supported by a fantastic group of change makers." [16]
"It will… depend entirely on teamwork." [3]
"We can do it if we work together to unleash that potential that's unlimited." [6]
"The journey isn't over. Canadians and people around the world are more united than ever and see accessibility for people with physical disabilities as a human right." [17]

On Attitude and Mindset

"You have to be the best you can be with what you have." [2]
"Hope was the most important and the only thing that I had during those difficult times." [18]
"Focus on what you can do, not on what you can't do." [18]
"I had to fight for everything... One, because if you don't fight for it, you know, life takes over, and you become a victim." [5]
"It's okay to feel nervous, afraid, or uncertain or even negative about something because that's where your point of reference is, but my question is, can you ask the other question which is, is it true? You get a chance to be able to reframe." [9][10]
"Live each day to its fullest. Try to see that there is love, beauty and meaning in spite of pain, suffering and challenges." [17]
"I didn't need to be cured in order to be whole as a human being." [10]
"You can still have love and receive love and have meaning and purpose. You can still do all the things that you do in life and do it in a different way." [3]
"I look back with a sense of amusement, and sometimes pride. 'You go, guy.'" [3]
"You look back and feel overwhelmed by how quickly time goes by." [13]

Learn more:

Lessons from Rick Hansen

On Perseverance and Overcoming Adversity

On Disability and Perception

On Making a Difference and Leaving a Legacy

On Teamwork and Community

On Attitude and Mindset

Written by Antoine Buteau

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