Get into the Game!
'Karen and Jay share thoughts on the benefits and excitement of ‘living life in the fast lane.'
Thrilling. Energizing. Exhilarating! These are the feelings that vibrate through your very being when you get into the game. And, especially, when you jump into the ‘fast lane.’ If you want to live life to the fullest. If you want to achieve your full potential. Then from time to time, you need to jump into the flow – where the speed is great, the challenges significant and the need for focus and concentration is at the max. In so doing, you will not only feel ‘totally alive,’ but it will test you, infuse you with energy, and you will achieve far more than you can possibly imagine.
In the opening sequence of the John Hughes’ classic ‘Ferris Bueller's Day Off,’ after faking an illness to get out of a day of school, its famed protagonist Ferris Bueller gives one of the most iconic movie monologues. He famously states, ”Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Life does indeed come at us quickly. Sometimes it feels like just yesterday we were a teenager, graduated college, or had our first child, sparking the question “where did the time go”? Yet, it’s important that, in the spirit of Ferris Bueller, we stop to look around, to explore, and that we participate actively in our lives, that we at times get back in the fast lane.’ What I mean by this is simple. Oftentimes we can fall victim to a monotonous rhythm, almost where we put our lives on cruise control - Napoleon Hill called people doing this ‘drifters.’ Yet when we’re more observant of, and intentional with how we spend our time, not simply doing something because it’s what we’ve gotten into the habit of doing (especially when that thing hasn’t brought us happiness or joy), the benefits can be extraordinary.
Each of us have goals or ambitions in life, but we each also take a different approach to how we hope to achieve them. These goals are based on a variety of things, our passions, our interests, or what is going to bring us the most peace. When we work towards them, little by little, we often create momentum that accelerates the opportunities that come our way. Even when we have setbacks, it’s an opportunity to learn.
It reminds me of the story of NFL Hall of Famer John Randle, member of the ‘NFL 100 All Time Team.’ John was born into poverty in Texas and worked odd jobs from a very early age with his brother Ervin in order to help their family make ends meet. When he reached high school, he went out for the high school football team and made the team even though his coaches told him at tryouts he was too small. His sophomore year though, he quit the team after having to hitchhike back from practice every day. Yet his mother wouldn’t have it, telling him in the most blunt of words “if you quit football, there’s nothing else here for you.” John would eventually re-join the team, graduating a few years later, but did not receive any athletic offers to play football in college.
Due to his family’s financial circumstances, college would not be an option otherwise. Yet a local community college offered him a spot on their team with some financial support where he would build his reputation, eventually transferring to a school in the Texas A&M system. In both seasons he attended, John starred, setting school records for sacks and tackles. When it came time for the NFL draft though, he not only went undrafted, but was rejected by three teams at their tryouts. Through his own perseverance, the Minnesota Vikings eventually gave him a shot, but even they were wary of his size as a defensive lineman, saying if he didn’t get his weight up, they would cut him. In his first season, he played very little, but John built a reputation in Minnesota as the hardest working player on the field. This eventually led to a bigger role, and then a starting role with the Vikings. From that point forward, John would spend 14 seasons in the NFL, becoming the all-time sack leader amongst defensive linemen, a 7x Pro Bowler, 6x All-Pro, a member of the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor, and elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Yes, life moves fast. But when we make the decision to get into the game – especially when coupled with hard work, determination, and a bit of ingenuity, opportunity often comes knocking. And you can maximize this opportunity when you jump into the fast lane, as John did, challenging yourself and competing with the very best!
A Day in the ‘Fast Lane’ - The ‘Road to the White House’
There is probably no better example of ‘life in the fast lane’ than the actual daily pace of a candidate running for President. Recently, I was going through some old memorabilia from my campaign for Governor a number of years ago and stumbled across the actual campaign schedule of President George W. Bush late in the fall campaign. It showed that by 12:30 pm, he and Laura Bush had already been to two large campaign rallies in two different states, held three ‘meet and greets,’ and still managed to find time to have a security briefing, connect with top members of his cabinet, and squeeze in an early workout. By the end of day, President Bush had traveled to five different states, spoke in front of nearly 60,000 people, and personally met with 250 people. Astonishing! So, how does a person running for public office do it? What does an actual schedule look like? What would a New Hampshire stop be like? Well, let's take a look… Here’s a pretty representative example:
6:30 am - Wheels up (that's a term originally used for a plane taking off, but in campaign lingo, it's used to define whenever modes of transportation depart)
6:45 am - Pop in or call into the ‘Drew Cline Morning Update’ radio show
7:00 am - Meet and greet patrons at local diner (this could be Chez Vachon in Manchester, Mary Ann’s in Derry, etc.)
8:00 am - Depart Diner to Rotary Club Meeting
8:09 am - Call into ‘NH Today’ radio show with Chris Ryan
8:15 am - Arrive at Rotary Club breakfast (greeted by Alderman xxx)
9:30 am - Depart Rotary Club event for Concord, NH
10:00 am - Arrive at ‘Good Morning NH’ radio broadcast studio for in-studio interview with host Jack Heath (bathroom on the 2nd floor)
10:45 am - Depart radio studio for NH State House
11:00 am - Arrive at the NH State House (greeted by Rep. xxx)
11:15 am - Meeting with Legislative leadership
12:00 pm - Depart State House for downtown walk with xxx
12:30 pm - Arrive at Tandy’s for Legislative Luncheon
In the room: Rep. xxx, Rep, xxx, Rep, xxxx)
2:00 pm - Depart Concord luncheon for Law Enforcement Roundtable in Bedford
2:15 pm - Check in with Campaign HQ on results from last night’s fundraising event
2:30 pm - Arrive at Law Enforcement Roundtable
In the room: Capt. xxx, Sheriff xxx, Lt. Xxxx, Deputy xxx
3:30 pm - Depart Hooksett for WMUR ‘Close-up’ TV interview
3:35 pm - Campaign schedule calls from car
4:00 pm - Arrive at WMUR for ‘Close-up’ Interview
4:45 pm - Depart WMUR for Newport, NH
5:00 pm - Phone-in interview with Rich Girard, VP and General Manager of the Eagle Times Newspaper
6:00 pm - Arrive in Newport NH for Rally at the Opera House
7:30 pm - Depart Opera House for Court House Restaurant
8:00 pm - Dinner with campaign supporters at Court House Restaurant
Attendees include: Selectman xxx, former commissioner xxx, campaign chair xxx
9:00 pm - Depart Newport for Concord
9:15 pm - End-of-day campaign call with senior staff
10:00 pm - Arrive at Courtyard by Marriott (note: text owner Steve Duprey, former RNC Committeeman and NH Political legend)
10:15 pm - RON (term meaning Remain Overnight)
Note: 5:30 am WAKE UP CALL. (and do it again, and again, and again, and again…..)
A packed day with media, meet and greets, campaign stops, and business of the day. Now this is just an example. But it was crafted with the help from some experienced political operatives. As you can see, it can be exhausting. As you can probably also see, if you live in New Hampshire, there is no shortage of opportunities to shake the hand of the potential next President of the United States – whoever that person might be. Candidates seeking the highest office in the land have to earn every vote and there is no better place to do that than right here in the Granite State.
It takes real grit to run for public office. No matter what office you are seeking it takes time, energy, dedication, commitment, and perseverance. And if and when you make that choice – get ready – you’ll certainly have an opportunity to experience ‘life in the fast lane!’
Fast Lanes in NH - Claremont Speedway and More…
“Speed, I am speed.” is the opening line of the Pixar movie ‘Cars’ an animated movie about a racecar living in the fast lane. There is something thrilling about watching race cars zip around the track at high speed, and the exhilaration is contagious.
The nature of race car racing is truly an opportunity for locals and travelers from far away distances to gather to cheer on the drivers in their brightly detailed cars. The outside track wall is lined with local businesses’ logos most which are sponsoring one of the cars speeding past you. This experience can be enjoyed in several locations around New Hampshire.
The most famous of which is the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon which hosts numerous types of races from Motorcycles to NASCAR and can bring in over 105,000 spectators!
Claremont has its own Claremont Motorsports Park, which runs a weekly NASCAR racing series. It was built in 1947 originally as a ⅓ mile dirt track. The surface is now sealed and hosts different types of races from modified to go-kart cars.
The White Mountains have the White Mountain Motorsport Park which is a ¼ mile-high-banked oval that is open every Saturday in the summer to a variety of events and fun!
In Wentworth, there is the Legion Speedway which is a 1/4 mile dirt oval with the distinct recognition of being one of the oldest in New England.
No matter which of these tracks you go in New Hampshire, you still feel the rush of speed as they go past you in this fast lane! And for anything racing check out this great website Racing Tracks in New Hampshire
Positive Profile of the Week: Ashley Walukevich
This week we are delighted to highlight a great friend and highly accomplished political strategist – Ashley Walukevich.
Ashley is truly terrific and has achieved significant success at a young age. She is hardworking, highly intelligent and a wonderful example of someone being ‘in her zone’ while living and truly working in the fast lane. Originally from Kingston, New Hampshire, she began her career as a Field Director for the Florida Republican Party Victory Operation during the 2012 election cycle, working on Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. Since then, she has held a variety of roles in political campaigns and organizations.
Most recently, Ashley has been working with the Republican National Committee (RNC), serving as the Deputy Political Director. During the 2020 election cycle, she was the Midwest Regional Political Director for the RNC Victory campaign, where she oversaw seven states and helped secure key victories in Iowa and several congressional districts. In the previous election cycle, she was the New Hampshire State Director for the RNC, helping to support candidates throughout the state.
Ashley's hard work and positive attitude along with her ability to direct multiple efforts have been instrumental in her many successes. She has been recognized for her leadership and dedication, particularly in her efforts to flip congressional districts and win tough races.
Most important, if you have the opportunity to spend time with her, you will immediately be impressed with her positive ‘can do’ spirit. And, you will certainly come to know how Ashley has achieved an impressive record of success in every effort she has attempted. We know that Ashley has a very bright future and will continue to excel as she makes her way in the ‘fast lane’ of politics and beyond.
Quotes of the Week: Life in the Fast Lane
"Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all." - Helen Keller "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." - Mae West "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." - Ferris Bueller "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill "Life is about moments; don't wait for them, create them." - Tony Robbins "Life is a journey, and if you fall in love with the journey, you will be in love forever." - Peter Hagerty