Inspired By George Foreman – Bob Ulm
After hearing an interview on Fox News early Saturday morning, I spent some time over the weekend learning new information, or re-learning this information I had forgotten.
It was about one very exceptional American, the now 68-year old George Foreman.
Look him up on Google and you’ll find nearly 15 million references, which is an astounding amount for a guy who grew up in a troubled area of Houston, Texas and dropped out of high school at the age of 15.
Most sports fans know of his gold medal winning performance in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, of his rise to the world heavy weight boxing championship when he knocked out Joe Frazier in 1973, and that he lost the undisputed title to Muhammad Ali a year later.
There are probably some who know of his ordination as a minister and subsequent return to the ring in the 80’s and 90’s.
But what’s most amazing to me is how he used his skills as an entrepreneur in developing the George Foreman Grill.
More than a hundred million of those grills can be found, or could be found, in kitchens around the world.
This in spite of the fact that I thought they made a hamburger taste like a cross between beef jerky and shoe leather.
At a time when many folks his age are slowing down, George Foreman is still going strong today.
He is working on new products and conducts speaking engagements about the importance of small businesses and the need to reduce government regulations on them.
He spoke Saturday morning during an interview about American exceptionalism and delivered the message that if you dream something you can make it happen.
That is, of course, if you are completely willing to work every day to make that dream come true.
That’s a message that we need to hear more of today because there are far too many people who hope to get something for nothing.
That’s the way I see it.