you should take, that you should then go do that. You can, but the persistence, discipline and commitment that are required, may be lacking, if it's not coming from a true source, like inside of you would be. Goals can be really powerful when they're inside. When did I want to become a Navy Seal? It was just inside, and it was this very powerful goal. I never would've gotten through all of that training if I didn't have that closely held goal. The goal to run and to be athletic again, that was inside me. Nobody needed to tell me what it should be. I didn't need to write it down on paper. It just was inside me. Because I held those goals really close, doing the work that was going to be hard, was easy to want to do, if that makes sense. "It's going to be hard, but I want to go do it." So, I had the discipline, the commitment, and all that it was going to take. You can't fake these things. Therefore, I think the strongest goals will just come naturally.

FS: Can you give an example of some of your shorter and longer goals?

DC: In the very beginning, in the hospital, I really wanted to run again. I had no idea if it was going to be possible, but because my limbs were long enough and there is a running prosthetic I had heard of, I thought it was possible. I really wanted to do it, but it was long term, I couldn't put a timeline on this. The challenge was this major setback, I don't have legs. The goal was I wanted to run. So, I should learn how to walk first. I needed to get out of the bed, before that. I needed to get in a wheelchair before I walk. It's segmenting into shorter goals.

FS: When you do your talk about inspiration, overcoming adversity, are there a few key points that you could share?

DC: I talk about sharpening and narrowing your focus when things get difficult, which is what I was alluding to; setting shorter term goals. When things get hard, that’s the time to sharpen and narrow your focus, instead of thinking so long term that it becomes overwhelming and discouraging. The other thing I talk about is perspective. When I went over to Walter Reed, there was a physical transfer but also a transformation in my mind, because I was surrounded by dozens of service members, some of whom were only nineteen and missing, in some cases, three limbs or four limbs. It allowed me to think about what I should be grateful for and focus on what I still had. The fact that I had my arms, that they were in good working order, became really apparent when I was around triple and quadruple amputees. This is the idea of perspective. I think it’s appreciating what you have. I can talk about this, but to really realize that, I think you have to challenge yourself and you have to constantly remind yourself about what you can still do or train to do, and what you still have. The best way to do that is to actually go do things. I had to be thankful for my arms, so I should go swimming with my arms or go cross country skiing with my arms.

"You have to constantly remind yourself about what you can still do or train to do, and what you still have. The best way to do that is to actually go do things."

FS: That's great advice. Do you have any additional tips for those facing a mobility issue where either their legs are paralyzed or they lost their legs or for whatever reason they can't walk like they used to anymore?

DC: Although I became a Paralympic athlete, that doesn't have to be the model for everybody. I saw service members want to go down the road of politics, go to graduate school, or get a college degree and enter the workforce. All of that is wonderful. You don't have to do the purely physical activities to show that you overcame a physical setback. Maybe that's why I was driven, but I'm also very athletically minded. I think what I'm getting at is, I love being an athlete and I always loved it. I think it's acknowledging who you are in your core, what you loved to do as a kid, what you love to do now, and I think that can guide you in the future. It doesn't have to be the physical route like I've taken. But that was who I was in my core. I think when you align your goals that are going to get you through this challenge, whether you achieve them or not, you're at least moving forward, and hopefully some small wins can create some momentum psychologically. If you align where you're trying to go with who you are, I think that can really help you get through it.

FS: For people who are not mentally tough, do you have any suggestions how to get there?

DC: I think we are all tough in our core. It's maybe that some people erect more barriers than others. If you do what I was saying about aligning what you want to do with who you are, and pursue what you love, and really do it, I think it can really help.

What is the other choice? What is the alternative? Just to feel sorry for yourself? You may be allowed that for a while, but eventually life goes on. In some cases, setbacks happen later in life, but when it's happening in your twenties or thirties, this will eventually be "normal." I remember thinking in the beginning that if I lived to old age, most of my life will have been lived without legs. So, I might as well just get used to it now. It's hard to do that, but it does become "normal." What is the alternative? For years and years to feel sorry for something just doesn't seem realistic. So, I need to move forward. We're tough in our core, resilient in our core. Look at some of the barriers that may be there and overcome some of them, whatever they may be.

FS: You have a very positive attitude. Do you have any idea how you’ve got such a positive attitude and how you can encourage others to have a more positive attitude?

DC: Maybe it’s DNA or my environment or the way I was raised. I’m not sure. If someone is negative, I’m sure a psychologist would have much better advice than I can give on that. I think there’s something to be said for just doing things. Whatever’s going on in our head, if you’re actually doing something constructive, then doing something can transfer into your mind.

FS: Your leisure time, if you call it leisure – your fun time is your sports?

DC: Yeah. I was very goal oriented as a Paralympic athlete. I did win a gold medal. You can't do better than a gold medal. You can get another one, but I don't really feel like getting another.

I've gone through three Paralympic cycles. I'm entering my fourth. I don't have any more goals within the sport. I decided to create some new challenges that are outside of the sport, but still