Happiness

Dr. Matt Townsend talks with Mike Shlappi in the first ever episode of "The Matt Townsend Show" on BYU Radio; the "Inaugural" edition. Shlappi, who was one beat of the heart away from death during an accidental shooting by his friend, shares his story. Now a world-class athlete, Shlappi has four olympic games under his belt, four medal attempts, and four medals (two golds, two bronze). Though he could have sat and stewed, Shlappi made the decision to accept his circumstances and get to work. The following statement is representative of his philosophy, "If you resist change, you fail. If you accept change, you survive. If you make change, you succeed." Differentiating between mood and attitude is a key point of this discussion. Pilots point out that their most important instrument is an "attitude indicator" as opposed an "altitude indicators." Attitude indicators give pilots the orientation and direction of their aircraft relative to the earth's surface. Attitudes are critical to the orientation of our lives and our chances for fulfillment and success. Additionally, it is beneficial to not bear the burdens alone, allowing other people to help build you up. In retrospect, Shlappi reflects upon the bullet that spent two years in his spine and how it can be held with esteem. He likes to say that he has earned the Gold, the Bronze, and the Lead, nodding to the bullet that was the basis of his book, "Shot happens," which tells his story and his coping process. For a link to Mike Shlappi's website, click here.