Great read! Happy New Year and good luck in your upcoming fight!!   -George Mavros

    It’s amazing how we our brains can tell us to awake at a certain time, as though there’s an alarm clock built in. I generally wake up naturally at about 8am, even on days when I really want to sleep in. 

    Sometimes I resort to begging my brain, the night before, to please not wake me up at my usual time. But usually it wakes me anyway, to say “Get out of bed now and get in your 3 miles of roadwork before breakfast.”

    This is the result of a part of the brain known as the Reticular Activating System. The RAS is located at the base of our brain stem. Computer-like, it records certain bits of information while ignoring others. It filters out distracting sounds and confusion that surround us. We can hear, for example, a particular person’s voice in a room filled with many others talking.

    Each day all of us are overloaded with many distractions. We can be lured from working towards our goals with TV, radio, magazines, video games, all sorts of electronic gadgets, and friends wanting us to go here or there. If a person has really clear objectives, and is passionate about accomplishing them, they can filter everything out.

    Acting as our own RAS requires sustained discipline. We have to program our heads with constant reminders of our goals, determined that nothing-nothing-nothing will get in the way. Cutting through all of life’s noise puts you two-thirds of the way to getting where you want to go.

Support The Heroes is a non-profit organization that provides assistance to wounded soldiers returning home from service and to their families. Rich Franklin and American Fighter are proud to be a part of this organization. Please visit http://www.supporttheheroes.org/

Rich, Thanks for sharing all your thoughts and encouragement. You’re a great leader and a great fighter.  I have a great Bible Verse to share with all for encouragement in tough and difficult times.    Jeremiah 29:11   For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

John Phillips

Rich,

That word was amazing - I’m pumped reading it!!  God’s word doesn’t return unto Him void so I believe that many people will benefit from it! 

I hope you, Beth and the rest of your family a peacful Christmas and a prosperous new year!  I’m sure it will be tough without your dad, but be assured that you will be in your fans’ prayers.

I’ll be there in January cheering you on against Henderson!!

Thanks again for the word and God bless!!

Adam

LOVE this stuff!  Keep it coming!

    Life is constantly dealing us daily stresses and unexpected, difficult situations. Keeping destructive thoughts and feelings from getting into our heads is of paramount importance. Everyone is different, but it is tremendously helpful to have some way of turning inward to some resource which provides strength.

    Each day I spend some time in prayer, and this really helps my mental game. I believe the Lord is watching over me and – win or lose – everything happens according to His plan.

    That doesn’t mean I don’t get nervous – I sure do, because life is hard. And when fight time is not far off, my anxiety increases because I so badly want to win.

    I’m now aware that my wants do not always coincide with my needs. I help keep my perspective by reading the Bible on a regular basis, and this increases as Fight Day approaches.

    Studying the Bible reminds me that my interest is the Lord’s concern, although it may not feel like it at the time.