Why Motocross?

Do you believe in love at first sight?  Motocross was that way for me.  From the first race, I had a passion that stirred inside me that gave me an adrenal peace only that sport could for me.  It's the only place I've been able to release stress of all kinds.  Simply because it's the only place I've been able to completely turn off my mind, it requires that type of focus and concentration.

Motocross was always a challenge.  I've never been naturally gifted at it.  But my love grew with the fact that it challenged me and I had to work that much harder at it.  It's not the easy that we truly love in life.  It's what we are motivated to let push and challenge us to be better. 
While all that is true, that's just the tip this love gave me.  Memories, so many beautiful memories have been forged by motocross.  Weekend trips I would take with my dad and brother where we would meet up at the track with three or four other families, and just be together as a larger family.  We would all stay at the same motel and create ruckus together through the evening.  The next memories were when I went solo, racing professional I was always the runt of the litter.  But I fought hard to better myself, my speed, and my abilities.  Where I lacked in natural speed I made up in strength, this hard work and dedication forged a respect with my peers that I will never forget.  Traveling together in packs as privateers(self funded) to achieve a common goal, weekend in and weekend out.  And what the self funding taught me in business is what no college could, with personal experience of marketing, advertising, follow through, customer service, budgeting, basically business.

All this led to memories I was granted on a whole other side of the sport from the work I had put it in.  Being a trainer was a whole other set of glasses I got to wear that gave me the gift of seeing the sport through the eyes of the elite.  I was able to build friendships that changed my perspective of how to view tracks, lines, and the way you accelerate to go fast.  I also learned the unglamorous of what this sport can do to an individual and those that cared for them. 

Its what motivated me to bring Christ back into being part of this great sport with a ministry and devotion.  I was internally motivated to get back to the family side of the sport with my own and a new generation of Families to share it with me.  
God gave us free will with his love for us, we get to choose and create our own consequences.
If you asked me I could have my legs back for sure, but it would cost me all that... what would your answer be?

Hurry up and wait...

You ever have those moments in life where you have a deep realization of the change your life has taken, a complete irreversible change?  It becomes clear that your on another path now and you have a complete different outlook on that 5 year plan.  Marriage, becoming a parent, winning the lottery(I wish) are all life changes that we don't actually embrace until they are part of our present.

I'm ready to go home.  The staff is great here, the nurses and cna's have been awesome.  I really click with my therapists and enjoy working with them.  But I'm tired of feeling alone at night, disconnected from so many parts of my life.  Starring at the same neutral gray has become a real downer and its time for the next chapter.  I'm ready too, I do everything myself.  The obvious stuff we take for granted is what I'm referring to; getting in/out of bed, goimg to the bathroom, showering, getting dressed, what most do half asleep.  It's gotten to the point where I feel guilty calling in the nurses for help.  If push comes to shove I could do the task, I just use them out of a matter of convenience.  Yes it's time to go home and use out patient therapy to conquer the next Chapter.

The only caveat is that home is real.  Up to this point I've been in an entire different world so everything has somewhat of a dream state.  Home is familiar, well, a familiar of a different nature.  Going home is an awakening.  Up to this point I've been killing it in the simulator, but now its time to take that first solo flight.

I'd be lying if I was to say there was no fear, but it's there.  I try to remember I was also afraid several times I lined up on the gate for a race.  That fear can destroy your chances and freeze your abilities, or it can ignite that deep drive in you to accelerate success.  I use this analogy to remind myself what I can and need to do. 

I have a huge support system in friends and family that will help and be there every step of the way.  I also have a guide, a God that has a plan.  I just need to follow that plan and stick to it, ride the adventure that is.

It's time to go home.... I've had the realization, its time to start down the new path and get this plane off the ground.

Passion and Focus

I was strolling through the channels one Saturday afternoon in 1996, looking for a basketball game.  Hoping to check out Jordan and his Bulls do their thing, I paused for a moment as I came across supercross on ESPN and was introduced to McGrath...I was hooked.

I was planning the first year of races I wanted to hit after testing the waters the prior September with a race in Rupert.  I figured it would take $1,100 to cover my required expenses for this, with many nay-sayers I raised $1,600.00 in sponsorships.  I didn't eventually turn pro through speed and ability.  I achieved the level through hard work, constant training and practice.  I also put a race program together that earned me $10k to 20k a year for my racing. 

When I took over my first agency I was quickly passionate and fixed on helping others with Life insurance to protect families.  My competitive nature sought out competition in this passion.  The prior agent from the agency I had taken over used to brag how he had sold 47 policies in his first year as an agent.  I sold 48.  When I was congratulated for this I was also told in passing that nobody could sell 100 policies in a year, this at a dinner in December with a fellow agent and my DM.  In the following year I was officially ranked 1st in the state and 25th of 12,000 in the nation with 103 policies sold.

I don't write this to brag or pat myself on the back...

A lot of people ask me how?  My answer is first you have to be passionate.  You have to have a deep desire and motivation for what you seek.  Second and most important you have to be focused.  Focus is the true key to success.  The number one enemy is distraction; not enough time, other tasks come up, others occupy my attention, and whatever excuse you may have are all distractions that divert your focus.  You have to prioritize and passion makes that easier.  Passion allows you to block the distractions and have more of a tunnel vision to focus.

I bring up my past because it's a reminder of what I'm capable of accomplishing.  God has truly blessed me in the abilities he's given me and what they've allowed me to do.  My past is a carrot in front of me to remind myself not to squander those abilities as I push forward with new goals and challenges.  I recently found an excellent You Tube video that also serves as a great reminder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJWIRyUAur8

There is no "I" in recovery.

Right after my accident, in the hospital, after all the tests had been done they had concluded that my pelvis/hip was broke(amongst several other things).  It was relayed to us that I would have to be transported to SLC or Portland to have the surgery done.  A day or two later we were told that 2 doctors decided they could handle the procedure locally.  Feeling a little uneasy, one of the doctors came in to the hospital room to introduce himself and explain they would like to do the surgery the following day at 1pm.  Danielle quickly spoke up and interrupted the doctor; ''HOLD ON, we were told nobody here could do this procedure and now you guys are wanting to, we don't want a half-ass job done here".  After the instant shock of the intestinal fortitude of Danielle's statement wore off, a crack of a half smile came across my face.  I knew she had me taken care of.

While I was a bit of a love-aholic during most of my dating years, Danielle was not a girl I had love at first sight for.  I didn't even fall in love with Danielle, I grew in love with Danielle.  She grew into a partner in life that I thank God for every day.  I don't know how I would go through this without her.  To have someone that keeps life running while handling hospital and rehab bills, preparing the house and life for my return home, and finding us a new home at the same time is a true blessing.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes one to help a mx junkie get things together and get through recovery as well.  So many pictures are casted everyday on the negative in this world.  But there is still a lot of good to be seen.  The help and support of all family and friends has been nothing short of a miracle.  It has been amazing to see what people are willing to step up and how they will help. 

It just reiterates to me the importance of the relationships we build and who we surround ourselves with.  The success of life in so many ways are not on us alone but the community we build around us.  Thank God once again my community are Champions!

Uninterupted

It's no surprise to most that I have been called OCD a time or two.   I'm definitely a routine person. Prior to my accident, I would wake up every morning on my own, pour my juice, and drink it while building my breakfast and coffee.  I would listen to ESPN radio while eating my breakfast and drinking my coffee.  I would then go workout in the gym, shower, and dress for work.  It was like clockwork.  I remember how upset inside and disrupted I would feel if Joie woke up early on a particular day and disrupted my flow.  My work day shared the same rhythm of consistency.  Any changes were like a bomb inside that upset the apple cart and made my skin crawl. 

What I didn't notice was this ongoing routine being unchanged and uninterrupted for years to come was just a dressed up, disguised rut.  With my life fixed forward and no ability to go left or right, tunnel vision had me letting time fly with no challenge or growth. 

I'm a shy pee'er.  I like my personal bubble, and it's big.  Public bathrooms,  doctors offices, gym locker rooms were used only in case of emergency.  I took the time to teach myself a mnemonic device for public restroom situations.  A single mind picture I used over and over again to pee in the comfort of my home, so that I may recreate the same thought in a restroom with someone standing next to me and still relax.  Never, never, NEVER, could I even dream (maybe a nightmare) let alone think about having to shower, or preform bowel functions in front of complete strange men and women.  I anticipated my wife to be the last to ever see me in my birthday suit.

Then God put a giant boulder in the middle of my rut and I smacked it at Mach 100 (almost literally).  We find that the minute we think we have life figured out it's severely disrupted.  At the time of impact we think it's a catastrophe we won't recover from.  But a good friend once pointed out during a particular challenge, God sees the whole timeline from beginning to end,  and although we feel lost in the middle with several questions, its often not until way down the road looking back that we understand the vision and purpose the Lord had for us. 

I'm keeping that in mind as I venture down this new path.  God has truly humbled me in so many ways.  My personal bubble was popped with a bazooka.  Shyness is a thing of the past.  I never thought it would take me 45 minutes just to get dressed as part of my new morning routine.

The point is I'm excited!

The rut is no longer before me, there is a whole new groomed path with all new challenges.  I just have to make sure I don't form a new rut so I keep growing.