Be The First

My older brother Tony was the first in our family to graduate from college. I always thought that was so cool… to be the first. He received the first ever degree in many generations of our family, and still, one of the very few today.

My brother Mike was the first Doctor in our family. I say first, because my other brother Dave, Mike’s identical twin, also became a Doctor shortly thereafter. They are the first Doctors ever in the Hughes line, that I’m aware of.

I have always wanted to be the first at something. And there are a few things I have been first at, but nothing I’m really proud of. For example, I was the first person in the America, that I know of, who took 6 full years and two summer school sessions to graduate from high school. How ridiculous is that? I had three senior years. Do you know anyone else who had three senior years? Probably not, because I was the first.

Additionally, I was the first person in my family (and the last) to be on the popular tv show COPS. And, I was the culprit. Yes, it’s true. My buddies and I were pulling a practical joke and got busted, and we were given the distinct honor of being on COPS. If you want a good laugh, you can check it out below, but make sure you keep reading when you’re done. We haven’t gotten to the good part yet.

I hope you enjoyed that. How amazing were those glasses? I remember how cool I thought I was every time I put those glasses on. I’d think, Oh yeah, the ladies are gonna love this!Alright, let’s get back on track. So, other than my nationwide debut, and my six year stint in high school, I’ve never been the first in my family. But I will be. It’s coming. Believe that. I’ll be the first to publish a book. And, I’ll be the first to buy property on Jupiter. Ok, maybe not that, but I will be the first at something.

My question for you is this… will you? Will you be the first? What will you do that is so noteworthy, that people can say of you, “He was the first _______ in his family!” Or, “She was the first _______ in her city.” Or, in the case of Obama, “He was the first African American President ever in American History.” That’s pretty noteworthy, eh? So who are you? What are you known for? I say, set a goal to be the first. Do something that no one in your family, city, state, race, gender, etc., has eever done. Be a legend. Be a Roger Bannister, and make the impossible possible. Become a trailblazer for others to follow into the land of impossibilities.

Prior to 1957, no one in recorded history had ever run the distance of a mile, in less than 4-minutes. No one. People tried and people failed. Then, so as to excuse their inability to accomplish the task, many said it was not humanly possible, saying that the heart could not handle the strain. Or, that the body would collapse if pushed that hard. As things go, people never achieved, but only because people as a whole, never believed. Napoleon Hill gave us a powerful gift of truth when he said, “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” But the reverse is true also; Whatever the mind can not conceive, or can conceive but can not believe, it can not, and will not achieve.

Well during that time period, there was one man, one runner, one of two of the faster runners in the world, who believed that he could… that he could run a mile in under 4 minutes.

The day was May 6, 1954. The place was Oxford Univeristy. Roger Bannister did it. He was the FIRST to break the 4-minute mile! How exciting it must have been to be one the thousands live spectators watching something happen, in real time, that the world previously believed was impossible.

What’s fascinating about this, is that John Landy, the man who came in second in this race, would compete in another race one month later, wherein he also broke the 4-minute mile. It find it incredible that within one month of one man doing something that previously had never been done before, he was immediately followed by another, also doing the impossible. And to this day, there have been dozens that have done it.

So, there are a couple of things to consider. First, it’s important to note that the reason the world needs you and me to be first at something is to give permission to everyone else they they too can do it. No one can follow, if there is no leader. There can not be another, without a first. Secondly, and fascinating to note, is that John also broke the barrier a month later. But few know who he is. Actually, John ran his mile in less time then did Roger. Both broke the impenetrable 4-minute mile, but only one has become legend. Only one shows up in the story books, Roger Bannister… the first.

So there’s two bits of motivation for us to be first. First and foremost, be the first so as to liberate others from the limiting belief that “it can’t be done.” And second, be the first, and live forever. Those who break barriers, who break records, who do the impossible, who are the first, are lifters of the lid of possibilities. How incredible to lift the lid of possibilities on your family, in your country and for all of humanity. That is the power of being first. (Watch the actual videos of Roger below.)

This is the actual video of Roger breaking the barrier.

This video was taken 30 days later where both Roger and John came in under 4 minutes.

Regards,





C.S. Hughes
Chief Visionary Officer
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http://www.PD4Free.com
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