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Who Is Stopping You?

What Cliff Young did 27 years ago is still inspiring people today.  Maybe you know his story.  I thought it would inspiring to relate it again today.

Cliff Young is still a hero in Australia.  And there are some parallels from his story that all of us could apply today.  That’s because there are a lot more obstacles in our world today then there were a few short years ago.

Many people are confused about what has happened and afraid of what is going to happen.  There are some who believe that because of the current economic situation, success is no longer an option; they feel like everything is against them.

This Guy Is Nuts!

But back in 1983 there were plenty of people who thought that Cliff Young was out of his mind, absolutely crazy to even consider running in a race.  After all, this was no ordinary race.  This was the Sydney to Melbourne race, considered to be the world’s toughest race.  The distance is 875 kilometers, or just over 543 miles!

That year almost every one in Australia who found out Cliff was participating thought it was insane for him to undertake such an impossible feat.  The reason they thought it was impossible for Cliff was because Cliff was not a runner.  He had never even participated in a run before.  On top of that, he was 61 years old.  Many feared that he would die trying.

The Sydney to Melbourne race takes at least 5 days to finish.  Cliff Young entered the race against world-class athletes. He accomplished the unthinkable and inspired the whole nation.

Nobody Told Cliff!

The professional athletes participating in that race knew that in order to complete the race, you would need to run 18 hours and then sleep for 6 hours. But Cliff Young, having no experience in these kinds of events, did not know that he should limit himself to running only 18 hours a day.

The morning after the race began, much to everyone’s surprise, Cliff was not only still in the race but had not stopped for the night.  He was still far behind the world-class athletes, but he just kept on running, even waving to spectators watching the event on the highways.

Cliff  kept running. Every night he got just a little bit closer to the runners leading the pack. By the last night, he passed all of the world-class athletes. By the last day, he was far in front of them.

And The Winner Is…

Not only did he run the Melbourne to Sydney race at age 61, non-stop, without dying, he won first place, breaking the race record by 9 hours and becoming a national hero!

Australia fell in love with the 61-year-old potato farmer who came from nowhere to defeat the world’s best long distance runners.  He finished a 543 mile race in 5 days, 15 hours and 4 minutes.

Cliff did not know that he was supposed to sleep during the race.  He said when running throughout the race, he imagined that he was chasing sheep and trying to outrun a storm. He wasn’t even aware that there was a prize for first place.

When Cliff was awarded the first prize of $10,000, he said he did not know there was a prize and insisted that he had not entered for the money. He said, “There are five other runners still out there doing it tougher than me,” and he gave them $2,000 each. He did not keep a single penny for himself. This act endeared him to all of Australia.

How’s Your Race Going?

So what is stopping you from doing the things that you want to do in your life?  Is it the economy?  Is it the uncertainty of our times?  Have you decided to give up and just accept things as they are?

Cliff believed he could run that race, even though from all appearances it was impossible and no one believed in him.  He had persistence.  He simply decided to keep moving forward.

I don’t know if Cliff believed in God, but regardless of the economy and regardless of the odds, none of that puts our God out of business.  For those who do believe in God, we not only keep moving forward toward our dreams with persistence, but we put our trust in a loving God Who truly does want to see us succeed.

What is stopping you?  It may not be the current situations we face today.  It could just very possibly be you who is stopping you.

Michael A. Verdicchio
2010

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Go For It!

It’s Another Podcast!

Football season is here and Veterans Day is right around the corner.  This short podcast (5:31) combines both.  It is about your dreams.

A number of years ago I emceed a business breakfast and Rocky Blier was our keynote speaker. Listen to his story.  Does this inspire you to recapture your dream and go for it?

Enjoy the podcast.

[If you cannot see the player below, just click the title above]

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Penguins On The Plane

I have never heard of this.  In fact, I have never even thought of this.  But it happened on a flight from San Diego to Phoenix.

Yesterday morning I picked up Chris, an employee of the company I work for, around 9:30.  As I was driving him to the office, I casually asked about the flight.  I couldn’t believe his answer.

He said, “There were penguins on the plane!”  “Are you kidding me?” I asked.  “Dude, they were walking down the isle, he said.

“No way,” I said in total disbelief.  “Check this out,” he said excitedly pulling out his smart phone.  “I got pictures!”

I glanced at the picture on his phone and just could not believe it.

Yes, there were indeed penguins on the plane, in the cabin, on his flight.

The birds were being transported from the San Diego Zoo to the Phoenix Zoo.

The flight attendants thought it would be fun for the passengers to see the penguins, so they took them out of their cages for a few minutes.  Then, it was back in the cages which were setting in the extra space in row 1.  Yes, of course it was Southwest Airlines.

Have You?

Have you ever seen penguins on the plane?  Have you ever even expected to see penguins on a plane? I have flown a lot in my lifetime and have seen a lot of interesting things, but never have I seen any penguins on the plane.

In fact, I have never even thought about penguins on a plane.

Later in the afternoon I started thinking about the times when God did something very special for me in my life; something that I just didn’t expect. Has God ever surprised you?

And then I thought about the verse in the Bible that says that God is able to that which is exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Now of course I know that God did not put the penguins on the plane to surprise everyone.  That’s silly.  But I think it serves as a pretty cool reminder that there are things that God is able to do for us that we haven’t even thought of.

Never forget that God really does love you.  You are His child.  And He has promised us that He really is able to do that which is exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

Michael A. Verdicchio
2010

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2 Lessons From Colonel Sanders

It’s Another Podcast!

Some people are frustrated and feel like giving up. Over the years many people have given up on many things because of set backs and lack of progress.

This short podcast (5:39) gives you two powerful lessons from Colonel Sanders.  Having these two qualities can make a huge difference in your life. Do you have them?

Enjoy the podcast.

[If you cannot see the player below, just click the title above]

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Shut Up!

I originally published this article in August, 2007.  After what I wrote in yesterday’s Pep Letter, I thought this would be a really good follow up.

Shut Up!

The title of this article might seem obnoxious to some people.  Others might find it down right rude.  But give me a moment or two, so I can explain why you may really need to shut up!

Words are indeed very powerful.  That’s no secret.  But most people do not realize just how powerful their own words are.  The truth is your words can change your life.

I’m talking specifically about the words you think and speak to yourself about yourself.  Some refer to this as, “self talk.” Whatever you call it, we all talk to ourselves.

Throughout the course of the day, we all mutter things to ourselves about ourselves.  We all have thoughts about ourselves.  Very few realize that those words and those thoughts are literally life changing.

What Are You Saying?

The sad thing is that what many people speak to themselves is negative.  They say things like, “I just can’t lose any weight.”  I’ll never find a better job.”  “I can’t find the right person to marry.” “My life is just miserable.”   And on and on they go.

If you consistently speak words of failure, you will continue to fail.  If you consistently speak discouraging words, you will continue to be discouraged.   If you consistently speak words of helplessness, you will not find the help that you need.

Here’s the key.  You will bring into your life that which you mentally focus on. This is reinforced by the words that you speak to yourself.  It is a universal law.  It is the way God designed us!  The dominant thoughts that you hold in your heart is what you will absolutely manifest in your life.

Low Self-Esteem

Do you know someone with a very low self-esteem?  I can absolutely guarantee you that people with a low self-esteem repeatedly speak discouraging words to themselves about themselves.  On the other hand, those with a high self-esteem continue to speak to themselves about victory, success and possibilities.

The words that you speak to yourself, and especially the words about yourself, will either bring you to success or failure.  What a great key in life this really is!  This is something you can do every day, throughout the day!  Speak words of success and victory to yourself.

Yes, it will take effort.  There may be a number of areas that you will need to adjust your thinking and self talk.  But isn’t it worth it?  Of course it is!

This Doesn’t Work

Now I know the naysayer will quickly pop up and try to tell you that you are out of touch with reality.  You can’t say things are going well if they really are not, can you?  That’s living in denial isn’t it?

No, it is not denial. It is choosing to change your reality from where it is to where you desire it to be. When planning a vacation you might hear someone say, “I am going to Hawaii; I can see myself now, lying on the beach…”  Is that being out of touch with reality? Or, is that planning, expecting, and visualizing what is desired?

Start your day by declaring, “This is going to be a great day!”  “Things are going to be fantastic for me today.”  My life is on track and I am headed for success.”  “Yes, I will erase all of my debt.”

Here’s Where “Shut Up” Comes In

When you begin to make an effort to speak positively to yourself about yourself, that little voice in the background will pop up and say, “Oh who are you kidding?  You’re never going to get out of debt.”

Tell the voice to, “shut up!” Then repeat the positives that you have just spoken to yourself.  “My life is on track and I am headed for success! Yes, I will erase all of my debt.”

And don’t just say it; express it with passion; feel it; breathe it; know that it is coming!

And here’s another helpful key. Make a decision to never, ever speak negatively about yourself, ever again!  If you do, then immediately say, “Shut up!”

Now, I know the phrase “Shut up” is a harsh phrase. I could have said, “Stop it,” or, “Be quiet,” or something like that.

But I think, “Shut up” carries a lot more force!  And if there are defeating thoughts in your mind, they really do need to shut up and go.

Just as changing the little rudder on a big ship will change the direction of the ship, so too changing what you speak will change the direction of your life. The words that you speak, whether out loud or silently, are an indication of what you believe in your heart.  

That’s why the words that you speak to yourself about yourself will determine the course and direction of your life.  So, whenever you need to, go ahead and tell yourself to shut up!

Mike Verdicchio
August 2007

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Honk! Honk!

Honk! Honk!

That phrase has been included in quite a few of the emails that I have received over the past week. It is in response to last week’s Pep Letter.

Since there are some visitors who do not get The Pep Letter, I thought I’d post that article here on the blog.  I figure in doing that you would then understand what all the honking is about.

So…

Let The Honking Begin!

Perhaps you have heard the sound of a flock of geese honking as they fly by overhead.  But do you know why they honk?  After reading this article you may be encouraged to do a little honking of your own.

Geese are really magnificent birds.  It is always an awesome sight to look up into a blue sky and see them flying in their familiar “V” formation.  This formation is with purpose and it serves them very well.  Because of the aerodynamics involved, it reduces the energy it takes for them to fly by as much as 50%.

It has been calculated, by those who study geese, that by flying together in that “V” formation, it can add as much as 71% greater flying range than if the birds were flying solo.  If you think about it, this is also true for people who decide to work together with others who share a common goal or destination.

But what is all that honking about?  Is that simply their way of singing as they enjoy their flight?  Are those the sounds of fatigue?

Believe it or not, science has discovered that all that honking in formation by geese serves to encourage those at the front to keep up their pace.  In fact the lead goose is the one who sets the pace and really determines the speed the rest of the flock will travel.  And when the lead goose gets tired, he simply rotates back into the formation while another goose takes the point position.

I think it is remarkable that they honk to encourage those at the front to keep up the pace.  Flying great distances, geese work hard flapping those big wings so that they can get to where they are going.  It is not effortless; it is hard work.

Humans could learn some great lessons from the way God designed the geese to succeed at what they are doing.  Perhaps the most obvious is to not try to do it all by yourself.  Flying together with those who share the same common goals and destinations that we do, helps all involved in arriving at the desired destination.

But what about “honking” for each other?  Do you need any encouragement these days?  Do you think someone else could use a little encouragement as well?

We can certainly utilize the concept and principle.  We can encourage others in our own formations.  There are those in our family, those we work with, and those in other interests that we have, who could all use a little “honking.”

The Bible talks about edifying others, building them up instead of tearing them down.  The days that we are living in are very challenging.  As a result, people need to be encouraged, edified, and built up.

We all know how it feels when someone is critical and looks for every fault we have.  But, we also know what it feels like when someone believes in us and encourages us.  And, while there may be a lot of complaining going on these days, we can choose to be one setting the example of encouragement.  If we do that, it will catch on, and others will fly right there with us, honking words of encouragement.

Did you know that when one goose gets sick or wounded and leaves the formation, two other geese follow it down and stay with that injured goose to protect it? They actually stay right there with that goose until it is able to fly again, or, until it dies.  Isn’t that a great lesson of helping and standing by each other during difficult times?

So the next time you see, or hear, a flock of geese passing by, stop for a minute and watch.  Think about the way the Creator designed these winged creatures to enjoy their lives to the fullest.  And, remember, we could learn some valuable lessons from these birds. Let’s encourage each other! Let the honking begin.

Mike Verdicchio
September 2010

By the way, something I didn’t put into this article is the fact that geese mate for life.  So, in that sense, I would encourage you to honk at your husband or wife!


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My Mistake

On Yesterdays post, This Is Really Big, the podcast did not play. I have fixed the problem.

What happened?

It was my mistake. While there are times that glitches do happen in the internet world, this was simply my mistake.

In order for people to be able to hear an audio file I need to upload the file to my web hosting server. Then it is always a good idea to check and make sure that it was indeed uploaded. It was not, and I didn’t check.

At the bookkeeping job yesterday, I received a forwarded email of someone admitting their mistake. A number of invoices have not been paid, and this person just flat out admitted that he made the mistake, and that he was taking care of it.

It was refreshing to me to see him admit his mistake.  Most of the time people either make excuses, or blame someone or some thing for their own mistakes.

Making mistakes is not fun, but everyone makes them. When you do, just admit it, fix it, and move on.

Have a great Tuesday,

Mike

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Remembering

Last year on this date, I posted a video by Alan Jackson.

Rather than re-post it today, I have just put the link to that post.

9-11

Feel free to leave comments on this post, or on the other one.

Mike

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I’d Rather See A Sermon

Yesterday I mentioned a line from a poem that I heard many years ago. So, I found it online and am posting it here for you today.

I’d Rather See A Sermon by Edgar A. Guest

I’d rather see a sermon
than hear one any day;
I’d rather one should walk with me
than merely tell the way.

The eye’s a better pupil
and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing,
but example’s always clear;

And the best of all preachers
are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action
is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it
if you’ll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action,
but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lecture you deliver
may be very wise and true,
But I’d rather get my lessons
by observing what you do;

For I might misunderstand you
and the high advice you give,
But there’s no misunderstanding
how you act and how you live.

Both this, and yesterdays post, remind me of living life with the love of God.  The Bible talks about letting your light so shine that others can see and then glorify God.  It also talks about being a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.

Maybe, just maybe, there might be some who need stop “talkin'” and start “walkin.'”  What do you think?

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Live It

A friend of mine sent a story to me recently.  I don’t know if it is tre, but it makes a very good point.  What do you think about it.

A Christian

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area.

When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, “You’d better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.”

Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it’s only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a ‘gift from God’ and keep quiet.”

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, “Here,you gave me too much change.”

The driver, with a smile, replied, “Aren’t you the new preacher in town?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I’ll see you at church on Sunday.”

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, “Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.”

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is an example of how much people watch us as Christians!  Always  remember that you carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself a “Christian.”

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch  your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they  become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Again, I don’t know if the story is true or not, but don’t you think that it makes an excellent point?  It reminds me of a line from a poem I heard many years ago:  “I rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” In other words, if you believe it, then live it everywhere you go.

(Chere, thanks for sending this to me)

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Should You Do Or Should You Be?

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