You don't know what you can do…
...until you try. I believe you can do a lot more than you think. Your beliefs are your limiting factor. What do you believe?
How do others feel after being around you?
If we feel irritated, conflicted, or bad about ourselves after interacting with someone, we don't have a very favorable impression of that person and we are not likely to want to be around them again or do anything to make their life easier. But if someone makes us feel good…
We all like positive attitudes
One study showed that 95% of people who were fired were not let go because of incompetence, but rather the inability to get along with others. A positive attitude and ability to work in harmony with others was also correlated with getting promoted. It seems that people in positions to…
Dig deep
I wrote this long before the race, but right now, Tanner and I should be about mile 780 ish. That was my goal, make it to mile 780 by the second daybreak Pacific Time. Hopefully we are around Lareto which is mile 800. Hopefully I made it about 280 -…
Public Declaration
When we want to accomplish a goal, declaring it publicly is one way to keep ourselves on track. If we quit, we know others will know that we said one thing, and we didn't do it. So we stay with it. Today, I am riding in the desert. I may…
Today, I'm trying to sleep.
I'm in the San Nicolas Hotel in Ensenada, Mexico. I rested yesterday and slept as much as I could last night. I'm trying to sleep more. At midnight, I will have a helmet and riding boots on. I'll have carbon fiber neck and knee braces on. I'll have a hydration…
Borrowing against your savings
I hear about people who have 401K plans to save for retirement, and then borrow against their account. This makes no sense at all. We must learn to live on a fraction of our take home pay. In the book "The Richest Man in Babylon," a personal finance classic, it…
The Black Magic of Compound Interest
When you borrow, compound interest is working against you. Credit cards can be 10% to 25% interest! Once you borrow at those high rates, the credit card company says you only have to make a minimum interest payment, because they don't want you to pay the money back. Why? The…
The Magic of Compound Interest
If you saved $1000 one time, and got 5% interest each year, in 40 years you'd have $7,039. At 10% interest, in 40 years, you'd have $45,259. Can you save money? If not, by definition, you will always be broke. If you can save money, and invest it to get…
You don't know what you can do…
…until you try. I believe you can do a lot more than you think.
Your beliefs are your limiting factor.
What do you believe?
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Emotion is created by motion.
Get moving.
Today is 112233
For anyone who is interested in giving thanks together for this miraculous life is welcome to join us at Shilo Baptist Church located in Bridgeport CT tomorrow at 10:00 am. I am looking forward to meeting you and your family there. Let us share the joy and love together because together we are invincible.
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
How do others feel after being around you?
If we feel irritated, conflicted, or bad about ourselves after interacting with someone, we don’t have a very favorable impression of that person and we are not likely to want to be around them again or do anything to make their life easier.
But if someone makes us feel good about ourselves, we like them and want more, and want to reciprocate.
How do you make others feel about themselves?
How you make others feel is a direct reflection of how you feel about yourself!
We all know people like Larry described. The doom and gloom or negative gossip or pity party. All of which are self fulfilling prophesies to isolation. The bible says in Mark 22:39 says ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ I think David hit a nail on the head in that many people do not love or feel good about who they are. Perhaps “Loving and treating others better than we do ourselves” would change our world for the better. Be blessed my friends
Good Positive energy! Very Important!?
Fabulous. really needed that today. and so true. will send this to everyone I know
I believe this post summarizes perfectly well why I feel like helping some people and going above and beyond the expected social norms. There is absolutely nothing wrong in helping each other feel better and succeed in life. Larry, thank you for fighting and for the daily encouragement and when you feel down please go for a walk and think about the difference you daily made in so many people’s lives. Thank you
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
We all like positive attitudes
One study showed that 95% of people who were fired were not let go because of incompetence, but rather the inability to get along with others. A positive attitude and ability to work in harmony with others was also correlated with getting promoted. It seems that people in positions to do the promoting like to be around nice people.
How would you rate the attitude and friendliness of yourself and the few people around you at work?
So true!
Very True!! I would like to believe that being positive is contagious, but sometimes it is not. I do believe having a positive attitude gives you power over your situation instead of your situation having power over you.
Very true and I so agree with Kim’s comment
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Dig deep
I wrote this long before the race, but right now, Tanner and I should be about mile 780 ish. That was my goal, make it to mile 780 by the second daybreak Pacific Time. Hopefully we are around Lareto which is mile 800. Hopefully I made it about 280 – 300 miles in the second night (last night) and made it through the bad 20 mile long rocks in the dark (yikes!) before the Military checkpoint at San Ignacio.
If I am at mile 780 or better, I should be able to finish about 7:00pm tonight. The two tougest parts of the course (580-600 and 778-830) will be behind me soon.
Now it’s the second full day. Most of the night riding is behind me. I hope to finish before dark. I have at least 330-350 miles to go if all goes as planned. 18 miles from the end is a section called “The Waterfall.” No water involved. It’s a steep downhill with rock ledge drop offs of 2 and 3 feet. I hope it’s not dark when I get there.
By now my back, hands, shoulders and knees are in extreme pain. I have blisters on the bottom of my feet. My butt is raw. I am playing every mental trick I have to keep going. My team is worried about me. I am going slower. I am still moving forward, watching the clock, doing mental calculations. I get reports on Tanner’s location when I see my truck. I pretend he has a magnet on the back of his bike, pulling me forward.
This is the plan (except for the pain part – that’s not planned, just an unavoidable reality). The last 300 miles I should average about 30 mph – so you can do the math as to when I may finish. I don’t know what time I will start, but I probably have to finish by 11:00pm to be the oldest finisher in Ironman history (53) and for us to be the only father and son Ironman finishers ever, let alone in the same year!
Send me some good energy. I will fight.
Google earth the course-imagine you and your son finishing and what that will look like and feel like. Get deep into that and the rest will take care of itself. You got this ?
GIT-R-DONE
Larry & Tanner,
My brother Don and I have been following your progress since the beginning of your journey and we will till the end. Our prayers are
with you both for a safe and successful triumph to the end.
God speed.?
Larry and Tanner
I am with you guys “not literally ” but it spirit , thoughts and prayer .You are almost there .Safe and Strong Finish ??
Larry and Tanner
Don’t Give Up -Don’t Give In -Keep Moving
You both will be in my thoughts today.
Like you told Maryanne ….” tell Bob that huge job is like the Baja….one check point at a time ! “ And it got me through to the finish line.You already know what to do…..you teach this 🙂
Thinking of Both Larry and Tanner sending prayers and be safe
Go Go Go Go Go Go, Never Quit! GOOOOOOOOOO!
Keep going! you guys have this!
Larry &Tanner adapt and overcome
God speed to both of you.
Bob Garbo
Larry keep it going you can do it! I,m enjoying your journal entries and would have loved the challenge if I was a little younger.
Boys you got this!!!!!!!!!!
We are all proud of your accomplishment here!!!!!!
Take it home for you…..
Also you need to get back home soon so you can take Nancy off the list….
HURRY!!!
Larry and Tanner, I`ve been sharing your exploits with my family and friends. Amazing foresight, effort and dedication as to every aspect. Prayers and all good energy be with you for a safe and gratifying journey. You both represent the embodiment of modern day heroes engaged in an epic quest! Proud to be your friend. Mark
Sending energy to you now Larry. At this point, when you’re reading all these old comments, Tanner has had to drop out. I don’t know if you would have been made aware of that. Upsetting either way. So you are on your own, giving it your all. You can do no more. Good luck .
Dig deep !!! Keep going !!!
You’re ROCKIN’ it Larry! And you manage your blog as you go. While you’re trying to find inspiration for that last 300 miles, just remember how many you are inspiring. Namaste.
its on the way God speed
Larry, you’ve got it!!
You guys are awesome. Sending you both good vibes.
Go and kill it!!!!
You maybe a little crazy but love it! Can’t wait to hear the whole story! be safe.
I am confident you can make it! Our thoughts with you…
Great that a father and son will take such an adventure
and have bonding time. Awesome, God speed, What an
inspiration.
You got this Larry. May the force be with you. God know you have motivated plenty of us… You got all my energy going your way.
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Public Declaration
When we want to accomplish a goal, declaring it publicly is one way to keep ourselves on track. If we quit, we know others will know that we said one thing, and we didn’t do it. So we stay with it.
Today, I am riding in the desert. I may be somewhere around Valle Trinidad or Bahia Los Angeles on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. All my life I’ve seen a map of North America and Mexico, and being from the east coast I never thought much about that little stick of land on the Pacific side of Mexico. It is beautiful varied desert landscapes with picturesque oceanscapes along the west, and the Sea of Cortez to the east.
I’ll be riding alongside the Sea of Cortez and then race over to the Pacific side and see the ocean there – back and forth several times.
I have to trust myself. I’m an expert rider – that’s not an issue. I have to read the terrain and judge carefully how fast I can go at any one stretch. There are surprise washouts, switchbacks straight up on one side and straight down on the other, rocks of all sizes strewn everywhere. I can handle all this with a sharp mind.
I must watch out wherever there are people along the race course – and over the 1134 miles there will be 400,000 of them. This race is a big deal down there. But where they congregate in the middle of nowhere spells trouble. They are watching the tough spots and waiting with their cameras. Sometimes the tough spots are man-made booby traps – a dirt jump followed by a pit or rocks usually. I have to pay attention carefully.
I must ensure not to get hurt. Sometimes just sticking a foot out to save yourself can twist a knee or foot, as happened to Tanner when we pre-ran the course two weeks ago. At mile ten, he injured his foot and could not walk that night and had to ride in the truck for four days as I finished riding the course.
I have to feed my energy out slowly. Adrenaline is not your friend when you have to ride 40+ hours. I must relax on the bike, and twist that throttle while not winding myself up any more than required.
I must not get dehydrated, and I must not run out of water (with electrolytes). I must eat correctly. Relying on energy drinks and gels for 46 hours is a mistake.
I must talk positively to myself – even if I have to lie. I must face reality at the same time, not taking wild chances. I must watch the average speed and the clock. I must not miss a single gas pit stop – a small trailer set up every 50 miles or so, often in the middle of nowhere. If I do, I’m out.
I must not break the bike. At times I will approach 100 miles per hour. I must be vigilant. Other times I will be working hard in a tight winding river wash filled with rocks to make 18 miles per hour. If I drop the bike in the rocks, it may poke a hole in the engine case. If I drop it in the silt, it will vacuum it in and blow up the engine. The bike and I are inseparable partners. We are one.
I must not get lost. 1134 miles is a long way. I must watch my tiny GPS screen as there are thousands of wrong turns to potentially make. Taking your eyes off the course to look at the GPS can be dangerous. The timing of my looks will be important.
I must see Tanner to the finish. There is absolutely nothing more I can do for him, other than be his wingman and see him at the finish.
And I must finish.
You will finish.
Good Morning Larry & Tanner – May you both ride this course all the way through to the end. This is what you have been training for your whole life. Be safe and expect to win big. If anyone could do it, then anyone could do it. See you at the finish line. God Bless and God Speed to both of you!!!
The Godbout Family
Well, I would feel trapped and sick, terrified of every bend, wanting to get off. However, if I believe that the track is my destiny and that God is in charge of the machine, then the nightmare becomes something thrilling. It becomes exactly what it is, a roller coaster, a safe, reliable toy, which will eventually stop, but while the journey lasts, I must look at the surrounding lanscape …
you guys are amazing.good luck.
You made me feel like I am there watching this. It’s a little hard to breathe, trying to factor all the potential pitfalls, especially the ones you can’t control.
You were brave to put this out there , what you are doing. You both must finish. Sending good vibes of strength and hope and all the luck you will need.
Good luck .. keep pushing forward
Very Inspiring! Thank you. Wishing you and Tanner safety and success.
Good luck & God bless you guys. You got this!
With a little luck, some prayers and your skill you and tanner will finish.
Best of luck to you Larry and Tanner! We are following your journey and believe in you that you will finish.
Best wishes Larry! I hope the race is going well and that you take 1st!
Larry, you are EXTRAORDINARY! All my life, I thought of love as some kind of voluntary enslavement. Well, that’s a lie: freedom only exists when love is present…while the journey lasts, I must look at the surrounding landscape and whoop with excitement. The person who loves wholeheartedly feels free. It is a gift that I can be part of this journey.
Make it back for your family. They matter the most!
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Today, I'm trying to sleep.
I’m in the San Nicolas Hotel in Ensenada, Mexico. I rested yesterday and slept as much as I could last night. I’m trying to sleep more. At midnight, I will have a helmet and riding boots on. I’ll have carbon fiber neck and knee braces on. I’ll have a hydration pack on with tools, wire, zip ties, a satellite tracker and satellite phone. I’ll be sitting on a 2009 Honda 450X motorcycle customized for desert racing – a truly badass machine. Next to me will be my son, Tanner, similarly outfitted on his own race machine.
We will be on the starting line of the longest non-stop cross country race in the world – the Baja 1000. This year we will be facing 1134.4 miles of hostile desert and a 46 1/2 hour time limit. We will endure cold (last year below freezing at night), heat (last week 104F during the day), blinding dust, a billion rocks, millions of cacti, 100,000 miles of barbed wire, thousands of large hooved animals, booby traps built by locals (I was taken out by one last year) and perhaps as dangerous as anything – the other race vehicles.
When we begin, it will be dark and cold. We will race through that night. Then we will race all day long. Then we will race all night long. Then we will race all day long. Then we will race to the finish in the night. There is a 46 1/2 hour time limit.
The other race teams in custom race trucks and buggies of all kinds and motorcycles have teams of drivers and riders. They will ride a few hours, maybe three or four, and turn the vehicle over to a teammate. Not us. We are solo. It’s the “Ironman” class (nothing to do with swim, bike, run) where you do it all yourself.
We have teams supporting us. Each of us has a driver, a mechanic, a video guy, and some friends following the chase truck in another vehicle to help anyway they can.
I’m trying to sleep. In 24 hours sleep, and even lying prone as I am now, will be a highly prized activity, but unavailable. I’ll see my chase truck sometimes just 90 minutes after I saw them last, and other times not for 6 hours. When I see them, I’ll get a chance to eat, refill my hydration pack, get the bike checked over and fixed if necessary, and rest my riding muscles.
Less than 20 people have ever even finished this Ironman class in the Baja 1000. Most don’t due to injury, exhaustion, or mechanical failure (crash). I’m trying to sleep.
This year, friends Todd Lutinski (MA), Franz and Trevor Froelich (CA), Bobby Miles (OH), Ralph Carpinella and John Sayour (CT) will be following the chase trucks in secondary vehicles. They’ll drive down paved roads and meet me as the course snakes out of the desert to meet paved roads.
You can follow the race live at score-international.com. My race number is 714x and Tanner’s is 775x. The 7 at the beginning means Ironman class and the x at the end means motorcycle. We should get off the starting line somewhere between 1-2am PST (4-5am EST).
This will be the biggest mental and physical challenge of my life.
I must finish.
Best of luck to you both!
Good luck my friend! I’m with you in spirit
I have 100% faith that you’ll do it. I wish you the best of luck and all the prep and planning will pay off.
Bill Scott
Larry, you are truly an inspiration to all that you touch. Good luck to you and Tanner and I have no doubt you both will do well.
God speed!
You will finish.
I believe in you both I know you both will finish this is your year. good luck Larry and Tanner stay moving don’t quit.
BELIEVE FAITH PO1
Chris
Good Luck! This is very inspirational and awesome!Looking forward to this adventure! Myself and everyone from DryZone will be with you!
I`ll be holding thumbs for you guys!
Larry
You are amazing and an inspiration. Will definitely follow your race – thanks for the link. Do why you always do and kick some Baja ass!
“ INVICTUS “
Larry & Tanner,
Good luck and may God all mighty ride and guide you to safety to the finish line. Our thoughts and prayers are with you today and though out this amazing race.
Best,
Steve Godbout
Good Luck and May the FORCE be with you!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck Larry and Tanner from all of us here at TDC! Ride smart and be swift!
Never give up! Not everyone can do or even attempt to do this race-if anyone can it would be you and Tanner. Wishing you both a safe journey to the finish line.
Good Luck!
You got this!
“The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph.” Stay safe Larry and Tanner!
Larry, while you have it… Keep On Truckin’ !!! Gods Speed.
Larry, When we met at the Think Daily Live we where talking for a minute about the building and you jokingly said “doesn’t it smell new”. Well when the dust starts flying and it gets hard to breath just think of that great new smell and push forward! Best of luck to you both! You got this!
Enjoy the ride and wish you the best of luck!
We’ll all be thinking of you both over the next two days – you got this!!!
Stay strong even though luck has little to do with it I wish you the best
Larry and Tanner, Adapt improvise and overcome
When the situation gets critical .
Best of luck to both of you.
God speed!
Bob Garbo
Good luck ! You can do it 1 Mental toughness will be key. When I completed the ironman (swim,bike,run) a couple of weeks ago I always thought of the dark moments like going through a tunnel. No matter how dark it gets in the middle of the tunnel there is always light at the end ! Looking forward to seeing your name added to the finishers list ! be safe !
Have an Awesome time I am certain that I am not alone in saying that “you got this” and we are all there with you both, cheering you on. Go Get the Trophy and bring it home,
It is all about you now.
David Sawransky
Good luck! Sending positive, power vibes your way! You are AWESOME! You can do it! Go Larry! Go Tanner!
I wish you and Tanner all the best for the journey you’re facing today. You’ve trained. You know what’s coming. I have every faith that the two of you will persevere and make it to the finish line..
Good luck! Have fun with this challenge!
Good luck!?
I wish you and Tanner much success on this adventure. I will be praying for you both as well as your crew. Good luck! You both have trained hard, you have this!
Best of luck to you and your son Larry!
They will finish this unbelievable race that words can’t discribe I hope I can. We will all say a prayer for these 2 very tough men in the quest to be two of the toughest mentally parpared people in my world. Good luck.
Larry, I know when you make up your mind to do something you do it. I wish you nothing but success in conquering this race. You can do this! All the best to you & Tanner and stay safe.
All the best to both Larry and Tanner and please be safe.
Praying for everyone
NEVER GIVE UP….YOU GOT THIS! We’ve got you’re back….from our knees!
Good luck Larry and Tanner!
Excited for you both on this adventure! I greatly admire your grit! All the best to you. I’ll be praying and cheering for you here in CT.
The Saber team is cheering you on and wishing you and Tanner God Speed and safe travels through this grueling event. Keep your eye on the finish line and the prize that awaits you both. Many prayers ! The Saber team
Good luck to both of you! I can’t wait to hear the story in SOE! Very inspiring!
God Speed
Good luck & safe travels for you both!!
You got this! Looking forward to reading the story
You GO Tanner – You GO Larry !!!!
Good Luck! God Bless you and Tanner!Stay Strong Guys!??
Best of luck to you both!!
You got this!!
Good luck to you and Tanner . Say safe race hard ! Prayers for a safe ride!
Elaine
“..while the journey lasts, I must look at the surrounding landscape and whoop with excitement.”
Paulo Coelho
I think this is great, what your doing. I wish I could do something like this with my father. I also admire the analogy of the story. I can use it as a use full parable in more than one aspect of my life. Good luck and god bless. In sure no matter your outcome you will have succeeded.
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Borrowing against your savings
I hear about people who have 401K plans to save for retirement, and then borrow against their account. This makes no sense at all.
We must learn to live on a fraction of our take home pay. In the book “The Richest Man in Babylon,” a personal finance classic, it says “a part of what you earn is yours to keep.” “A part of what I earn”? Don’t I keep all I earn, you ask?
Well, no. First you pay taxes. Then you pay all the bills you precommitted to – mortgage, credit cards, utilities, insurance, etc. Then you pay the grocer, the retail stores, the pizza place, and Starbucks. Pretty soon you have spent all you made and have nothing left. So, none of what you made is yours to keep.
No matter how much we make, we must learn to live on less, so we can save some money. Some people who make lots of money are broke because they spent it all as fast or faster than they made it.
Is that you?
Good Morning,
Focus
I make $40k per year,
How much should I set aside in retirement and if I don’t have a 401k, what should I put it in?
Ted would be most proud of you Larry. Your Grandfather was one of the most penurious (thrifty) men I have ever known. He instilled in all his children a strong work ethic, and always talked about “saving for a rainy day”. OK- maybe he was a little too stringent about turning the lights off when you were not in the room, but we certainly learned that “money doesn’t grow on trees”- an often heard expression in our house.
Timely reminder during the approaching holiday season. I found a free audio version of the suggested book “The Richest Man in Babylon” on youtube. Looking forward to the drive home so I can begin listening.
Mr. Micawber: “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen [pounds] nineteen [shillings] and six [pence], result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.”
Pay yourself first into an account. Usually 10 percent of your net income. I do auto deposit into my saving account. It is fun to watch is grow. IT IS NOT WHAT YOU MAKE, BUT WHAT YOU KEEP. There will always be distractions from this; DON’T LOOSE FOCUS FROM PAYING YOURSELF FIRST. I teach Financial Fitness at our local college and it truly is a passion of mine to help one household at a time get a handle on their finances.
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
The Black Magic of Compound Interest
When you borrow, compound interest is working against you. Credit cards can be 10% to 25% interest! Once you borrow at those high rates, the credit card company says you only have to make a minimum interest payment, because they don’t want you to pay the money back. Why? The magic of compound interest is working for them, and against you.
Give your financial life a chance. Do what you have to do to get out of credit card debt as quickly as possible and don’t go back.
Maxed Out
takes viewers on a journey inside the American style of debt. The film shows how the modern financial industry really works and tells us why the poor are getting poorer while the rich keep getting richer. Hilarious, shocking and incisive.
https://www.amazon.com/Maxed-Out-James-D-Scurlock/dp/B001F4YOR0
Amen Larry! I teach Financial Fitness at our community college and it feels great to help people OWN their lives. Having credit card debt means you wake up every morning in a negative situation financially! The program comes in a green box in English- Spanish and French and can be shipped anywhere! Being the boss of your finances, relieves stress and allows for other areas in your life to grow…
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
The Magic of Compound Interest
If you saved $1000 one time, and got 5% interest each year, in 40 years you’d have $7,039. At 10% interest, in 40 years, you’d have $45,259.
Can you save money? If not, by definition, you will always be broke.
If you can save money, and invest it to get a good rate of return, you can make compound interest work for you.
This is not an example of compound interest…it is an example of interest rate s higher interest rate!
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Join the over 20,000 people who receive Larry's Daily Inspiring Messages
Larry values privacy and will never sell your information.
Looking forward to hearing the Baja story!
In fearful days, in raging nights, with strong hearts full our souls ignite, when all seems lost in the battle of light, look to the stars for hope burns bright. To hearts long lost, filled with fright, to those alone in the blackest night, accept our ring and join our fight, because love conquers all with violet light.