…or, better still, escape it altogether.

I caught this amazing article on Sky News at the gym this morning

The video at 00.21 states “Trained in a special harness, rats regained voluntary movement in their hind legs, willing themselves towards a chocolate treat. The researchers say that within weeks they became the athletes of the rat world.”

Without getting into a debate on the the whys and wherefores of animal testing, the potential of this discovery for curing paralysis is enormous.

What struck me as most interesting though was the almost throw away line from the reporter at 01.31 in the video:

“The scientists believe the rat’s determination to move increased the growth of new nerves and was important to the recovery.”

With no limiting beliefs, the rats just focussed on the goal of the chocolate and willed themselves to get there, resulting in them not only regaining the movement in their legs, but even surpassing the abilities of uninjured rats.

We should never underestimate the power of belief and determination.