Who Are You Pushing?

Rick and Dick Hoyt

Some of you may have heard of the story of Rick Hoyt and his father Dick.  In 1977 Rick heard of a 5-mile run to raise money and awareness for a local lacrosse athlete who was paralyzed in an accident. Rick approached his Dad to participate in this fundraiser.  The only thing is, Rick himself was quadriplegic and had cerebral palsy due to oxygen deprivation during his birth.

 

Never Give Up

With an amazing amount of perseverance and love, after Rick’s birth the Hoyt’s (with Rick’s Mom Judy as well) resisted putting Rick in assisted living facilities – he needed to be there because he would never be “normal” the doctors said; they however were going to raise and enroll him in schools, sports, and social activities just like other children.

 

Facing Challenges

The challenges and resistance they faced were real.  From teaching him to speak and communicate, to fighting to get Rick enrolled in school and joining teams and clubs, and eventually enrolling in and graduating from Boston University, the Hoyt’s story is one of perseverance.

Rick did enter that 5-mile fundraiser race with his Father pushing his son in his wheelchair the entire distance. They finished second to last; however, this did not matter whatsoever as later that night Rick told his Dad, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped!”

 

Team Hoyt

Rick and Dick were on a mission now, energized to enter more races.  In fact, the Hoyt team entered in and completed over 1,000 races, marathons, duathons, Iron Man competitions, and even ran across 3,375 miles of the U.S. in 45 days.

Push Him

When asked what Rick would like to give back to his Dad for all of his efforts, Rick responded with, “The thing I’d most like is for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once.”

Rick, Dick, and Judy Hoyt are a wonderful testimony to the power of love. They believed in something and pursued it with a passion in which many can only dream.

 

Power of Pushing

They also knew of the power of “pushing”.  Rick of course couldn’t complete the races by himself – he was physically incapable.  Rick’s Dad may have had the physical ability, but it was the determination, passion, and encouragement of his son that likely drove him to get up and push him – both of them – to complete the races.

 

Who is Pushing You?

Who is pushing you?  We all need to be pushed at times in our lives.  We may not need a physical push in a chair like Rick; but as Dick pushed his son, so did Rick push his Father.  Without this relationship, neither would have completed the number of races they did, if any.

 

You Need Pushing…

To reach your goals, to be successful, to achieve your potential, you will need to be pushed. Where do you want to be professionally, personally? Where does your organization and team need pushing?

 

Let Us Push You Today!

Visit www.PeakLeadershipSuccess.com to find out how we can help push you today!