Monday, August 22, 2016

Where is your limiter set?

It was my first new car as a full-fledged adult. I was a young professional officer in the United States Air Force. I had been stationed in Germany and decided to order a BMW 325i right off of the manufacturing line. What a feeling!! Such a powerful vehicle that was built to handle the road. Did I mention the autobahn? Ahh yesss… long stretches of highway with no speed limit. That car was built for speed and on one fateful day, that was just what I needed. The details of why I was away from base during a time of heightened security will have to be saved for another article on poor judgment… but suffice to say, that when I received the call that I needed to be packed and in the squadron within the hour, panic quickly set in. I was 133 miles away… it would normally take me over 90 minutes to drive home… and only a second to see my career flash before my eyes.

This is how I learned about my vehicle’s speed limiter. Turns out it kicked in at 135mph. I drove with a level of focus and intensity that I hope to never experience again. With the gas pedal fully depressed, I could feel the vehicle rocket ahead, as well as the slight deceleration each time the limiter took over. I made it home in just under an hour, quickly packed my bags, and rushed in to the squadron feeling more humbled than I ever had before. I had made it. I didn’t die on the drive back and I didn’t lose my career.

Why do I bring this up now? I mean… cool story… but how does this apply to anything?

Well, it got me thinking about limiters. According to Patrick E. George in an article titled “How Speed Limiters Work” on auto.howstuffworks.com, there are a number of reasons why vehicles have speed limiters. Primarily focused around safety and protection, we can probably all agree on a need to control the maximum speed that vehicles can travel on the road.  Higher speed crashes lead to more extensive damage and loss of life. There are other good reasons for limiters too like environmental concerns, tire ratings, and engine life.

Did you also know that it is possible to override or even disable your vehicle’s speed limiter?  But why would we do that when we just decided that it was good and necessary to have limiters?

Well, if I have an opportunity to take my high performance vehicle to an actual racetrack that is designed to operate a vehicle at high speeds, then I may be interested in disabling my limiter so that I can experience the rush of whizzing past the checkered flags in a safe environment.

However, the next day when my 16 year old son, who just received his license, wants to go out, I may feel safer giving him that freedom knowing that he will not be able to operate the vehicle over a certain speed. Sure 25 miles per hour may be too conservative but perhaps 100mph just isn’t really necessary either.

Whatever the specific situation, there may be very valid reasons for having a strong limit in place.  The difference between stagnation and growth may lie more in the ability to know when it is safe, maybe even necessary, to remove that limit. Keep a safety net in place but then make that leap.

When you are ready to start a new career, a new relationship, or move to a new city, your ability to expand your limits will determine the success you achieve.

Do you worry that maybe you should just play it safe and accept the first job that offers you a position? Try saving some extra money to pay your rent by eating at home for a few months and build that safety net. By taking the first offer, you may have a job now but you may have missed out on taking your life to the next level.

Are you in a relationship with someone who you care for but lack the connection you truly desire? Maybe you are unsure if they are really capable of meeting you where you are, so you keep it to yourself, instead settling for the life you have.  Accepting a subpar life can lead to building up secret resentment and bitterness that holds you back from realizing your true potential. It’s not necessarily about rejecting someone else by ending your relationship. But what if you accepted yourself and didn’t settle for less than what you need to be fulfilled.

Ever dream of moving to a new city and pursuing a career that calls to your spirit? You may decide that you aren’t going to drop everything this instant to pursue your dream… but what are you really giving up by NOT making that leap?  When we follow our passions and step into our strengths, we contribute to the world around us in ways that we may never have thought possible. The impact we make is more profound, more powerful, more lasting. The thing you give up by settling is far more significant than just your happiness… it is also the gifts that only you can share with the world.

So. Here is the deal. You already have the sports car. You already have the keys. Now, it’s time to drive. Be safe but push those limits… you may just make a difference in the world around you and have some fun while doing it too.


Happy driving.