Stephen Hawking has overcome some major challenges in life. At the age of 21, he was diagnosed with ALS and told he wouldn’t live to see his 25th birthday.

But more than half a century later, on the eve of his 74th birthday, Hawking was still sharp as ever when he lectured a crowd of 400 at the Royal Institution in London.

In the lecture, he shared a remarkable theory:

Black holes – those scary portals to who-knows-where in space – may not be so inescapable after all.

But the real mind-blower came when Hawking compared that discovery to something a little closer to home – depression.

Stephen Hawking’s Advice For Depression Sufferers

“The message of this lecture is that black holes are not as black as they are painted. They are not the eternal prisons they were once thought. Things can get out of a black hole both on the outside and possibly to another universe. So if you feel you are in a black hole do not give up; there is a way out. Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. If you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.”

Hawking inspirational talk continued:

“If you are disabled, it is probably not your fault, but it is no good blaming the world or expecting it to take pity on you. One has to have a positive attitude and must make the best of the situation that one finds oneself in; if one is physically disabled, one cannot afford to be psychologically disabled as well.”

These words have gone viral, grabbing the interest of even those who aren’t interested in theoretical physics.

It’s not hard to see why; with these words, Stephen Hawking encourages us to keep pushing even when things seem impossible.

And who better to tell us that than someone whose very existence to this day defies all odds?

Whether you have a mental disability like depression or a physical one, hopefully Stephen Hawking’s words will inspire you to get out there and find something you can do well in spite of – or even because of – your circumstance.

You may not discover something extraordinary about black holes but you will find a purpose and meaning – and that’s every bit as cool!

Check out Hawking’s entire black hole lecture below!

Sources:

Fiboni.com

The Daily Mail

Scientific American