If someone tells you that people with disabilities are not successful or that they don't know what to do with their lives, call them on it. First of all, if someone is telling you something like that, it is because they are trying to convince you that you need to believe that there is something wrong with you and with your ability to do things on your own. The reality is that a person with any disability can do anything in life. And the truth is that they are the ones who make it possible for us to live our lives without limitations, by overcoming their disabilities.
But this is not true, just because of what the person with the disability may have told you. Think about this: A disabled person does not have a physical disability. A disability is something that occurs to a body. It is not necessarily a physical thing, but it is a limiting factor in life. And you can overcome almost any disability.
Take an autistic person, for example. They have great strengths in whatever area of life they focus on. The problem with that is that they have a learning disability and a communication disability. Which means that they have problems communicating in the spoken language, but they are very good at writing in the written language. All that is required of them is to learn how to use the language effectively, and they can go on to lead a very successful life.
Another example is that of a physically disabled person, like a severely burned person. Their physical abilities are not impaired to the point that they cannot take part in standard everyday activities. In many cases, they are so used to the pain that they don't even notice it. This type of person will do almost anything, including running a marathon. Even though their abilities are impaired, they have the ability to do so.
Now, consider a person with a mental disability. They may be very intelligent and have vast potential. Unfortunately, when it comes to the society's perception of their intelligence or potential, they are often considered to be below the average level. Because of their disability, they cannot live the same life as the average person.
This is the reality of disabilities. They do not define people's success. But, on the other hand, they do influence the way that people see those with disabilities. Those with the perception that people with disabilities are lazy or useless are usually seen as not very smart. Conversely, people who see people with disability as highly intelligent, capable of brilliance, and have enormous potential are usually perceived as the epitome of success.
For any person to decide what reality is, whether it is true or false, one must always look within themselves to determine the truth. In this case, it is important to remember that the truth is not always what other people say it is. Often, all one needs to do to prove that the reality of disabilities do not define a person's success is to look at their own life. What do they see in themselves that other people do not see? If they see their abilities and potential in life and believe that everyone should have the same opportunities, they will have no problem recognizing the truth that people with disabilities are not less successful than non-diverse individuals.
To sum up, all persons are capable of greatness. Whether someone has a disability or not, their greatness is equal to that of another. Everyone deserves a chance to live his or her life to the fullest, to achieve whatever it is he or she dreams of. So long as people accept that both disabilities and differences are equally valid, nothing can stop them from living their lives to the fullest, whatever it is that they want to. To do so, one simply needs to look within himself or herself and be honest about his or her abilities.