“Your obstacles don’t care about what you’ve been through.”
- Chinna Balachandran

Fail is a four letter word that most of us avoid like the plague. We live in a society that is obsessed with achievement, yet has no tolerance for failure. But any successful person will tell you that regular and consistent failure is not only part of the path to success...failure IS the path. Without embracing failure, you'll never learn how to overcome obstacles or become resilient in the face of adversity thus never achieving your goals.

You don’t get to choose your obstacles, so when obstacles choose you, you have to be ready. That was certainly the case with today's guest, Chinna Balachandran. In 2019 Chinna was suddenly and unexpectedly afflicted with an acute subdural hematoma, or in layman's terms, a slow brain bleed with a mortality rate of 50%-90%. The brain bleed was so severe that his brainstem compressed into his spinal cord. When he awoke from emergency brain surgery, he found himself paralyzed on the left side of his body, unsure of his cognitive abilities, and incapable of taking care of himself.

Now just two years later Chinna is back to work as a school psychologist, an advocate for neuro-trauma survivors, newly married, and has competed on American Ninja Warrior two times. His recovery, on paper, is nothing short of miraculous. But when you hear him talk, he tells it as a simple practice of accepting where he was day after day, taking tiny steps forward, and celebrating the small wins. Failure was simply a stepping stone on the road to success.

Though I sincerely hope you never have to endure a traumatic brain injury, the lessons learned from this conversation apply to any obstacles you might encounter. Prepare to be inspired and armed with practical strategies to take on your own road to success.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

Chinna’s life before his traumatic brain injury.
The events that led up to his brain injury.
What led Chinna to become a school psychologist working with deaf and blind children.
The details of his brain injury and the awful prognosis he received.
The list of side effects and symptoms that he was plagued with after leaving the hospital.
The thoughts that Chinna had when he was in the hospital and recovering.
How he decided to train for American Ninja Warrior.
KEY TAKEAWAY: The first step to any challenge is accepting where you are now.
Gratitude and celebrating small wins was essential in his recovery.
The secret formula for success in three steps.
Chinna’s strategy for being prepared for setbacks.
The shift in mindset he made between year one and two of ANW to improve his performance.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Do not ignore the psychological aspect of any performance or skill you are trying to perform or learn.
How the lessons learned in ANW can be applied to your own life.
Chinna’s advice to his younger self. (I’m stealing this and putting it on a t-shirt!)

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Dr. David Fajgenbaum: What 5 Near-Death Experiences Can Teach Us About Living

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Guest Bio:

chinna-balachandran-bio

Chinna Balachandran works to support students' ability to learn and teachers' ability to teach as a school psychologist in Southern California. He currently works in a Level 14 locked psychiatric residential treatment facility for adolescents. He has worked in residential settings that specialize in low-incidence disabilities and typical public schools throughout the last decade.

In addition to practicing school psychology, Chinna was also once a hobby boxer. After driving home from a spar in early 2019, he began noticing signs of neurological dysfunction. He had unknowingly sustained an acute subdural hematoma, a slow brain bleed. He was incredibly fortunate to awake from surgery at all, but he suddenly found himself paralyzed on the left side of his body, unsure of his cognitive abilities, and entirely incapable of taking care of himself. He has since recovered and resumed his school psychologist responsibilities in full while also learning a new sport to compete on NBC's American Ninja Warrior, in the hopes that his journey can help others suffering like he was.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

Ep166: How a Near-Death Experience Turned Massive Failure Into Growth | with Chinna Balachandran, ANW

The Zack Arnold Podcast

Ep166: How a Near-Death Experience Turned Massive Failure Into Growth | with Chinna Balachandran, ANW