Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeffrey Selby.
Hi Jeffrey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Westminster, Maryland, in a blue-collar family, and I learned pretty early that if you wanted something, you worked for it. I never had some big master plan for where my life was going to go.
For years, I knew something physically was different with me, but I did not really know why. In 2005, I was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 3, a progressive neuromuscular disease. I was told there was a good chance that one day I could lose my ability to walk. Obviously, that gets your attention.
But life kept moving. I worked, raised my family, and built a career in real estate in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Real estate has been a big part of my life and has taught me a lot about people, relationships, persistence, and how to keep going when things do not work out the way you expected.
Over time, I started realizing that my story might be able to help other people. Living with SMA, dealing with setbacks, going through the ups and downs of business and life, and still continuing to move forward gave me a different perspective.
That led me into advocacy and motivational speaking. I became more involved with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the SMA community, and I have also participated in clinical research. Being able to share the patient perspective and maybe help someone else has become very important to me.
Today, I am still active in real estate, but I am also putting more energy into speaking, advocacy, and The Purpose Pathfinder.
One thing I am careful about saying is that I did not “overcome” SMA. I still live with it every day. I have just learned how to build a full life alongside it.
That is really where my message comes from: life does not always follow the plan, but what you do next matters.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road.
Living with SMA has probably been the biggest challenge. Over the years, things that used to be easy have gotten harder. Stairs are difficult, getting up from low chairs can be a challenge, and sometimes I have to find a different way to do things that most people never even think about.
The uncertainty has probably been just as hard as the physical part. When I was diagnosed, I was told there was a possibility I could eventually lose my ability to walk. You try not to live your life thinking about that every day, but it is always somewhere in the back of your mind.
I have also had plenty of challenges that had nothing to do with SMA. Business has had ups and downs, relationships have had difficult seasons, and there have been times when life went in a completely different direction than I expected.
What I have learned is that I cannot control everything that happens to me, but I can control what I do next. Sometimes that means pushing forward. Sometimes it means changing direction. And sometimes it simply means figuring out another way.
I still get frustrated, and I still have bad days. I just try not to stay there very long. I would rather focus on what I can still do and what I can do with the life I have right now.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have worked most of my adult life and have spent many years building a career in real estate. That has taught me a lot about people, relationships, perseverance, and showing up when people need you.
As I have gotten older, though, I have started looking at work a little differently. I still enjoy real estate and plan to continue doing it, but I also feel like I am being called toward something more.
Living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy has given me a story and a perspective I never expected to have. Over time, that has led me into advocacy, patient consulting, motivational speaking, and consulting with pharmaceutical companies working in the neuromuscular disease space.
I have also been building my speaking work through The Purpose Pathfinder, where I talk about resilience, purpose, adapting to change, faith, and what we do when life does not go the way we planned. More information about my speaking work can be found at www.jeffreydselby.com.
What I think sets me apart is that I am not speaking about resilience from a textbook. I am still living it. I am still working, still adapting, still dealing with SMA, and still figuring things out as life changes.
My faith has also become a much bigger part of my life, and I feel a real responsibility to use my experiences and the opportunities I have been given to help other people.
At this point in my life, I still want to work, build, and accomplish things, but I want what I am doing to have more purpose behind it. If something I have lived through can encourage someone else to keep moving forward, then that means a lot to me.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy has changed quite a bit over the years. When I was younger, I probably measured happiness more by what I was accomplishing, what I was building, or what goal I was chasing next. I still enjoy working and accomplishing things, but today happiness means something much deeper to me. I love spending time with my family, especially traveling with Angie, making memories together, and sharing this newer part of our faith journey. Our faith has become much more important in our lives, and being able to grow in that together has brought me a lot of peace and happiness. I also get a tremendous amount of happiness from giving back and helping people who may be struggling or simply feel like nobody understands what they are going through. I think there is real value in being able to sit across from someone and say, “I may not have lived your exact story, but I know what it feels like when life does not go the way you planned.” Living with SMA, going through business challenges, personal setbacks, disappointments, and changes in direction has given me a perspective I did not ask for, but one I can now use to help others. That is a big part of where I see The Purpose Pathfinder going in the future. I want to help people understand their past without letting it control their future and realize that some of the hard things they have gone through may eventually become part of what gives their life meaning. I also enjoy the simple things—traveling, laughing, spending time with people I care about, meeting new people, and staying involved in life. At this point, happiness for me is really about connection, purpose, faith, family, and knowing that I am still growing and still able to make a difference in somebody else’s life.
Pricing:
- Speaking fees vary based on the type of event, location, audience, and length of presentation.
- Programs are available for businesses, nonprofits, community organizations, and faith-based groups.
- Custom presentations can be developed around resilience, purpose, adapting to change, leadership, and faith.
- For speaking inquiries and availability, visit www.jeffreydselby.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jefffreydselby.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyDSelby
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selbyjeff/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingSpinalMuscularAtrophy
