#25 - Overcome Any Challenge And Come Out Stronger with Chris Norton
Today’s guest is High Performance Coach, Author, and Dad of 5 - Chris Norton.
When life hits you with something you didn’t choose — injury, trauma, partner’s depression, viral attention plus private pain — how do you keep moving forward and make it meaningful? He shows that you can reject other people’s predictions, build progress from tiny daily actions, and turn your story outward to give hope.
In today’s conversation Chris Norton explores what it really takes to come back from a catastrophic spinal cord injury — from nodding his head in a hospital bed to walking across his college graduation stage and, years later, seven yards down the aisle with his wife. He and Dr. Wells unpack the moment he refused the doctor’s prognosis, the midnight conversation with his dad about “doing all the little things,” and the later, quieter season when his wife Emily struggled with depression even while their video was going viral. Chris shows how purpose, faith, and accountability can turn suffering into service through speaking, his foundation, and foster/adoptive parenting. It’s a masterclass in radical hope.
You will learn how to shift from “why me?” to “what now?” after a life-altering event; why refusing a prognosis can ignite years of disciplined rehab; how micro-wins (a toe wiggle) become the fuel for massive goals (walking across a stage); how to support a partner who’s battling an invisible challenge like depression; and how Chris and Emily use their story to raise money, foster kids, and run a foundation for others with spinal cord injuries.
You will discover that you don’t control the circumstance — you control the response. Focusing on the 3% possibility instead of the 97% limitation unlocks energy, action, and hope.
Most people think they have to feel ready before they act; Chris shows you can act while scared, grieving, or exhausted — and that action itself is what creates momentum and meaning.
Key take aways:
Don’t let others set your ceiling.
Win today with tiny actions.
Be honest about mental health.
Your story can serve others.
Stand — even if you need help to stand.
“Do not let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do.”
Today’s Expert Guest - Chris Norton
Chris Norton is a motivational speaker, author, and founder of the Chris Norton Foundation. After a 2010 college-football tackle left him paralyzed from the neck down with a 3% chance of movement, he spent years in intensive rehab and ultimately walked across his college graduation stage and, later, seven yards down the aisle with his fiancée — moments that have been viewed more than 300 million times worldwide. Today he and his wife, Emily, speak, write, and parent a growing family of adopted and foster children.
Chris doesn’t just tell a comeback story — he shows the whole story: the hard rehab, the doctor who said “never,” Emily’s post-college depression, and the decision to keep loving and fostering kids while still in a wheelchair. His message — “focus on the 3%” — is portable to sport, business, and family life, because it’s about controllables, daily reps, and using your pain to power someone else’s progress.
Follow Chris Norton on Instagram & Linked In.
Check out his website.
The Seven Longest Yards:
Our Love Story of Pushing the Limits While Leaning on Each Other
He was told he'd never walk again. She was losing hope that she'd ever feel whole again. This is their miraculous true story of defying the impossible.
"In my very first impression of Chris, I was blown away by his determination to stay positive, do the work, and trust that God had a bigger story in mind . . . this book is a master class in the power of perseverance." -Tim Tebow
Quadriplegics simply do not walk again - yet millions watched as Chris Norton defied incredible odds and took step by impossible step across his graduation stage. With his fiancée Emily by his side, those unbelievable steps became the start of an extraordinary journey for them both. Told from both of their unique perspectives, this moving story invites you to find, as Chris and Emily have, that God can transform our lowest points into life's greatest gifts.
In a moment, Chris went from a talented college football player with a promising future to a quadriplegic with a 3 percent chance of ever moving or feeling anything below his neck, much less walking again. Determined to prove the doctors wrong, he pushed himself through grueling, daily workouts to achieve his goal four years later: walking the stage to receive his college diploma with Emily's help, and to the world's astonished applause.
This podcast contains advice and information relating to health and wellness. It should be used to supplement rather than replace the advice of your doctor or another trained health professional. If you know or suspect that you have a health problem, seek your physician’s advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast / interview / article as of the date of publication. The author and publisher disclaim liability for any medical or other outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this material.
