As I continue through this course, I’ve realized that the hardest work we can do is the work on our inner self. It’s like performing surgery on yourself without anesthetic.

This week, I’ve been thinking deeply about the concept of a Definite Major Purpose (DMP) and how it acts as an internal engine that, once fully fueled, makes a person unstoppable.

There is no better illustration of this than the story of Rudy Ruettiger. Rudy is the perfect example of someone who had to chip away the “concrete” of negative programming from parents, teachers, and society to find the greatness within.

From the time he was a kid, the world told him he was “too small” and “not smart enough”. His own father, a man who had seen his own father’s dreams die during the Depression, warned him that “chasing a stupid dream causes nothing but you and everyone around you heartache”.

But Rudy had a DMP driven deep into his subconscious mind, and as I’ve learned, “subby” doesn’t know the difference between what is vividly imagined and what is real.

The Uphill Climb and the Voice of Quitting

I’ve learned that anything of significance usually has an uphill component. If it’s important, it’s likely going to be a struggle. Rudy’s journey was entirely uphill. He didn’t have the grades for community college, let alone Notre Dame.

He was told by his teachers that “the problem with dreamers is they usually are not
doers”. But a DMP is a driving force towards accomplishment. After his best friend Pete died in a mill accident, Rudy realized he couldn’t wait any longer.

He told Father Cavanaugh that he was finished listening to people tell him what he couldn’t do. He was willing to do the repetition—to study 20 hours a day and work for free just to be near his goal.

I resonate with Rudy’s academic struggle. When he discovered he had a “slight case of dyslexia,” he didn’t use it as an excuse. Instead, he found a mentor in D-Bob and did the work to get the grades.

As I always say, hard work trumps talent every time. Rudy didn’t have the “athletic skills” of the scholarship players, but he had more heart and effort than anyone else on that field.

The Power of Mentorship and Persistence

In my own life, I’ve seen how having a guide or mentor makes it easier to learn and implement new habits. Rudy had Fortune, the groundskeeper.

When Rudy was ready to quit after being left off the dress list in his senior year, Fortune was the one who pulled him back. We all face that “voice” that screams at us to quit when we are in the middle of a difficult climb.

Rudy heard it when Coach Devine didn’t keep the promise made by the previous coach. He felt like his two years of being a “human tackling dummy” on the prep team were a waste.

But Fortune reminded him of the truth: “You’re five feet nothing, a hundred and nothing… and you hung in with the best college football team in the land for two years!”

Fortune warned him that if he walked away then, a week wouldn’t go by in his life where he wouldn’t regret letting them get the best of him. That’s the danger of quitting—you lose the pleasure of enjoying the prize.

Rudy went back to practice because his purpose was bigger than his temporary pain.

Dressing for the Family: The Manifestation of Faith

Rudy’s DMP wasn’t just about himself; it was about his dad and his family. He wanted to prove to his father, who only watched the Irish on TV, that he was truly part of that team. He wanted to provide a “gift” to everyone who told him it was impossible.

Imagination is a visual of faith. Rudy had imagined running out of that tunnel with his gold helmet shining in the sun for years. Because he never stopped believing and kept his eyes on the prize, his teammates eventually recognized his spirit.

In an incredible act of leadership, the players—led by their captain Roland Steele—offered their own spots so Rudy could dress. When Rudy finally led the team out onto the field, it wasn’t just a football game.

It was the physical manifestation of years of proper thinking and mental programming.

When he sacked the quarterback in those final seconds, the stadium wasn’t just chanting a name; they were witnessing the result of a man who refused to quit on himself.

My Takeaway: The Unstoppable Engine

Rudy’s story confirms what I’m learning in this course: if you do the work and write the program, the results will come. You may not know the day it arrives, but you will eventually walk into it.

Developing habits that serve our lives—whether it’s health, business, or a dream like Notre Dame football—makes us fruitful. Rudy developed the habit of persistence. He worked harder on himself than he did on anything else, and that is why he is remembered today.

If you are currently facing an uphill climb or hearing that voice telling you to stop, remember Rudy. Sometimes a winner is just a dreamer who won’t quit.

Keep repeating your DMP, keep driving it into your “subby,” and eventually, you’ll find yourself running out of your own tunnel into the sun.

As I like to say, I’m fully in until the change comes about. Rudy was, too. And that made all the difference.