4 Life Lessons From A Disabled Teen Who Earns Money For His Family Through Esports

Learn from Sa Ye.

After being diagnosed with congenital muscular dystrophy at age 7, Sa Ye’s muscles slowly deteriorated, and now, he isn’t able to move his arms or legs. When his father was out working in the field, Sa Ye was left to entertain himself with a phone, and he started playing esports.

When the costs of his sister’s schooling and his grandmother’s medical bill became too much for his family to bear, he decided to take his gaming seriously. Now, the 18-year old provides entertainment to 380,000 fans by streaming his e-sports sessions. Instead of letting his disability hold him back, he earns more than 10,000 yuan ($1,520) monthly playing video games with his fast-flying fingers.

Here are lessons we can learn from this inspirational teen.

Transform your perception of yourself

Instead of focusing on limbs he can’t move, Sa Ye maximizes the power in his fingers. “I believe I’m as capable as other people,” he says.

The way you view yourself determines how hard you work to achieve your goals. When you believe from the get-go that you’ll never be a skilled writer, you won’t want to put in the years of practice. After all, what’s the point? But when you trust you can succeed, your fortitude will push you past the hurdles.

As Logan Haney puts it, “self-perception can help us reach our dreams or lead us down a road of misery,” which illustrates the power our mindset has on our lives. Appreciate your gifts instead of obsessing over what you lack.

Savor the time you have instead of fretting about the time you’ve lost

Though the average lifetime of someone with congenital muscular dystrophy is in the early 20s, Sa Ye doesn’t waste time agonizing over what his disability may cost him. “I face life with optimism and love life,” he says. “I want to tell [people with disabilities], ‘Don’t shut yourself up; you should live happily every day.’”

It’s easy to get lost in a cycle of worrying about the time you wasted in the past or the threat of losing the future, but this is a self-destructive cycle. Think about it: if your mind is on the opportunities you missed 10 years ago, you’ll let hidden miracles pass you by in the present. If you don’t shake out of this mentality, 10 years in the future, you’ll regret what you still have the power to change now.

Pull lessons from your past mistakes and move on.

With creativity, you can surmount any problem

When faced with financial struggles, most people would think of cutting back on expenses or putting in extra hours at a day job. But Sa Ye was innovative and found a way to capitalize on something many would dismiss as a hobby: his love for gaming.

Similarly, with ingenuity and resourcefulness, you can find a way to overcome the most difficult issues. “Think outside the box” is a cliche, but it’s true.

To expand your creativity, Timothy Carter, contributor to Entrepreneur.com and SEO expert, suggests talking to people with diverse perspectives, seeking boredom, and letting ideas build over time.

Passion is key to success

“Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.” -Jon Bon Jovi

“In the beginning, we didn’t expect him to bring much income to the family. We just thought that he would be happier if he could do what he liked,” Sa Yuquan, Sa Ye’s father said. While Sa Ye was eventually able to monetize his passion, he fell in love with gaming naturally.

When you begin with external expectations, you ruin the process. Start with a genuine love for your craft and foster intrinsic motivation, and your inner passion will keep you going even when you start struggling.

The Takeaway

With his thriving e-gaming career alongside a disability, Sa Ye teaches us these lessons:

• Transform your perception of yourself
• Savor the time you have instead of fretting about the time you’ve lost
• With creativity, you can surmount any problem
• Passion is key to success

Next time you meet people with disabilities, don’t pity them. Instead, learn their stories and how they’ve overcome struggles. You may find someone filled with rich wisdom like Sa Ye, or “Qizai,” as he’s known in the e-sports world.

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