In this article, we are going to investigate the boundaries that we impose on ourselves. What limits are real and what are perceived, and hopefully come up with some practices that will allow you to realize your true and full potential. So many of us accept what life presents us without pushing the boundaries to achieve more. Those boundaries may come as physical challenges or health related problems. There may be mental or emotional struggles that cause us to limit our beliefs and possibilities. We all have struggles, challenges and shortcomings (I know I do)! But do we have to accept limits because of the belief or constraints of others or ourselves? 

I am going to present the breakthroughs in science along with amazing true stories of people who have beat the odds and gone on to achieve what many would consider impossible results. People who have overcome terminal illnesses, performed “impossible” physical feats and achieved what others said could not be done. 

We’re going to look into the four centers of our being, the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual to see what we can do to grow and achieve our peak performance. I believe that we are limitless beings with the potential to be like our Creator. Created in His image we carry the genes of Godly greatness and nothing is beyond our abilities, but all greatness comes at a price and we must be willing to make the sacrifices necessary. 

We will strive to understand the thinking, attitudes and beliefs and drive of those who have overcome great obstacles to achieve amazing results. They are not any different than us but the way they think and what they believe may hold keys to help us unlock greatness in ourselves as well. These inspiring stories will help us to see not only what is possible for all of us, but may also reveal some practices that will help us to grow and achieve as well.

I’ll finish this post with one such story. That of Glenn Cunningham. 

It was a cold morning in the backwoods of Everett Kansas in February 1916. But even at the age of seven, Glenn Cunningham had a job to do. Each morning he and his brother and sister would run the almost 2 miles to the little schoolhouse to light the pot bellied stove that warmed the building for the teacher and students that would be coming later. He and his brother stacked the wood inside, then like every morning, they grabbed the can of kerosene and carefully soaked the wood before lighting the stove. But this morning something went terribly wrong.

Someone had mistakenly filled the kerosene can with gasoline! As Glenn and his brother Floyd struck the match to light the stove there was a huge explosion. His brother Floyd was engulfed in a sheet of flames and Glen was knocked backwards where he lay unconscious as the flames spread around him. His sister who was outside remembers hearing the massive explosion. She ran to the door screaming for her brothers. Desperately calling to them through the flames that quickly engulfed the little wooden schoolhouse. By the time the fire had been put out Glenn’s nine-year-old brother, Floyd was dead and Glenn was more dead than alive.

Glenn lay unconscious in the hospital for hours, his body ravaged by the flames. He awoke to the feelings of unspeakable pain. He lay in agony, fear and confusion and then he overheard the doctors talking to his mother. They told her of the damage that had been done to his little body, most of the medicines and treatments of today were not available in the early 1900’s, they did not expect him to live. But Glenn wanted to live, he was determined to live!

Glenn lay for weeks in the hospital. When the bandages were removed he saw that all the toes on one foot had been burned off and the other leg was so severely damaged and misshapen that it was a full 2 inches shorter. In those days there were no prosthetics or skin grafts. The doctors told his mother that the extensive damage done to his legs meant he would never walk again. They recommended amputating both of his legs. But his mother decided he had been through enough already and decided not to have his legs amputated. Eventually he was sent home with a wheelchair and some crutches to live the life of a cripple.

The doctors told his parents that they needed to massage and stretch the muscles in Glenn’s legs every day in hopes of restoring some use to them. In his autobiography he later recorded “It hurt like mad,” Glenn said, “especially when my father stretched my legs…When my father would get tired I’d ask my mother to do the massaging and stretching and when she couldn’t do any more I’d start doing it myself.”

One sunny morning Glenn’s mother pushed him out onto the porch in his wheelchair where he could enjoy the fresh air. A few moments later she looked through the window and was astonished to see Glenn dragging himself across the lawn. She rushed to his aid but by the time she got to him he’d reached the picket fence on the side of the yard and pulled himself to his feet. He wanted to stand and walk and was determined to see it happen. From that day on Glenn would drag himself to that fence and painstakingly drag himself along the fence until he had worn a smooth path all the way around the yard.

Slowly over a period of months Glenn’s legs began to function. To the astonishment of the doctors he began to walk and prove everyone wrong. Though the odds were against him, they didn’t know the spirit of determination that was within Glenn Cunningham. “Even though the doctors said I’d never walk, he couldn’t convince me because I knew I was going to be able to walk again.”

As Glenn began to walk he made another astonishing discovery. It was incredibly painful for him to walk but when he moved into a run (a sort of fast hopping) the pain subsided. So from that day forward Glenn began to run everywhere. By the time he was 12, though his legs were riddled with scars and still needed constant massage and stretching, Glenn was outrunning everyone in his age group.

But Glenn was no longer content to just run with his friends, he wanted more and bigger challenges. Glenn went on to run for his high school where he began breaking all the records in his school and went on to set a national record in the mile. He later went on to run for the University of Kansas where he repeatedly set intercollegiate and national records, and earned the nickname of “The Kansas Flyer”. Later he was part of the US Olympic team and went on to set numerous world and U.S. records. Glenn may not have been the most graceful of all the runners; in fact his warm-ups and stretching often took much longer than others because of the burned tissue and scars on his legs. But what he lacked in grace, he made up for in determination and willpower. 

Glenn’s resolute single-minded determination went on to help him succeed in his professional life as well. Though the nation was gripped by the great depression he was determined to excel. After earning a doctorate in physical education, Glenn and his wife went on to buy a ranch that they used to help troubled youth. Over the years they helped countless young men and women to progress in their lives.

The physical accomplishments Glenn made are amazing by any standards, but even more amazing is the will and determination needed to accomplish his goals. What was inside him that made this young boy defy the odds and endure the pain that most adults would shy away from? Why did he refuse to quit and accept life in a wheelchair? What practices can we identify and learn from this story?     

Our spirit is the driving force in our lives. It will never give up, but to reach the promised goal it will require of us that we be willing to pay the price. Being determined means being in control of your life, taking responsibility for all aspects of your life. Recognizing your internal strengths and demanding of yourself that you reach down and dig deep to find the will and determination needed to reach your true potential. When it presents the possibilities, no matter how difficult, absurd or impossible they may seem you must be willing to listen and take the required action. If you listen to your mental or emotional centers over your spiritual center they may try and talk you out of it. They may tell you that you can’t do it, it will be too painful, cost too much, be too hard, no one has ever done it before, you’re not strong enough, and any of a myriad of excuses that your brain can come up with. Yet still your spirit will insist that you can and must.  However, it is only when you combine all the centers of your being, spiritual, emotional, mental and physical together toward the one common goal that you can conquer and achieve anything!

Points to consider:

How much do you really want something? Enough to pay the price?

Can you believe in yourself when everyone else is telling you no?

Can you bring all your centers, emotional, physical, mental and spiritual together to work on your goal?

“In running it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions.” Glenn Cunningham

Photo Courtesy of Kansas State Historical Society

Never Quit Glenn Cunningham

American Miler: The Life and Times of Glenn Cunningham.