Necessary But Not Sufficient

I heard a phrase the other day that struck a chord with me, that I think can help us deal with the idea behind that infamous Scott Hamilton quote:

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”

The phrase I heard was, “… necessary, but not sufficient.”

I think this more properly expresses the role of mental attitude for disabled people. Having a positive, optimistic attitude is probably necessary for achieving independence, happiness, or whatever is your definition of success. But attitude alone isn’t enough to overcome the real barriers we encounter. A positive attitude may be necessary, but it is not, by itself, sufficient.

Now, what constitutes a “positive attitude”? That is another question entirely.