I HATE Running!

A lot of folks don't know I was in the Army.  Just out of high school, I joined because it seemed like a good way to go to college.  Funny, one of my friends joined the delayed entry program, and he got me to go to all the functions with him.

His recruiter, Sgt Macon, worked on me for a year.  Told me about all the advantages the Army offered, really walked me through the sales process.

Finally, after a year, I wanted to join but there was one thing holding me back…running.  I Hate Running!

I told Sgt. Macon, "Srg, I can't run.  You guys are going to have me running all over the place and I can't do it.  I hate running, I'm no good at it, and those Drill Sgts'll have me running until I can't stand!  I just can't do it."

Sgt Macon said, "Farnell, they can't make you run more than you can run.  Let me tell you something, when I was in basic I fell out of a run.  I sat down under a tree and started to catch my breathe.  The drill sgt started yelling at me, 'You'd better get up and get in formation, Pvt..what do you think this is a picnic?'  I just told him I couldn't run anymore…period!  He leaned over and quietly said, 'Macon, look you need to get up and walk.  It's fine if you're blown up, but I can't leave you sitting here.'  I got up and walked, he laid off and everything was fine.

If you can't run Farnell, they can't make you run!"

With that Macon had me.  I went to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station), took the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), picked a MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), and signed up.

When I came out of the station, Macon was there to pick us up (I had gone with a whole group).  He looked at me with a grin and said, "Finally got Farnell!"

I thought, "Oh sh*t, what did I just do?"

On ship out day I went to the airport, got on the plane, had a delayed flight, didn't get the Entrance Processing Center until about 2:30am, collapsed in bed and had a short stocky drill Sgt yelling at me at 4:30 to get up.

I thought, they must be kidding, right?  

They weren't!

Two weeks later I was being sent to my basic training company, with a Drill Sgt that looked like the meanest man I've ever seen in my life, Drill Sgt Frederickson.   

Macon was right, they couldn't make me run more than I could run.  What he didn't tell me is, how much farther I could run than I believed I could run AND how much it hurt to find out where my limit was.  

And you know what. I only dropped out of one run the entire 8 weeks of basic.  And believe it or not, I actually came to enjoy the running.  

Here's the point for you, there are 2 barriers to getting things done, to achieving your goals and having the business (or life) of your dreams.  

One is the barrier you think is there…that's the barrier which was keeping me from signing up.  The second is the real barrier…that's the barrier I hit when I dropped out of the run.  There was a lot of room between those 2 barriers, and by the end of basic I had even pushed the second, the real barrier, back.  In other words, by the end of basic I wouldn't've dropped out of that run.

There are barriers you face that you put in your own way, then there are very real barriers.  You've got to learn the difference, otherwise you'll hold yourself back.  

The only way to learn the difference?  Push…HARD!  

Run too far, expect too much, try to hard, and you'll find where the real barrier is.  Then you'll have a more accurate view of the real limits you face.

Macon helped me experience the truth, on accident.  I hope I've helped you see the truth.

To your success
Everte Farnell

PS. If you don't believe me, I just got word from a business my wife and I have ownership/control of, a nationwide supplier told us we ordered more material than any of their other customers on the west coast of Florida, and we are in the top 5 in ordering volume in their entire nationwide network of stores.  All from a low volume mom and pop business just 2.25 years ago, when my wife and I acquired the interest in the business.  We 10 timed it in 2.25 years.  Something others would tell you is impossible in this economy, but we did it!  

Don't allow your beliefs to hold you back!

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