Limiters
If you have ever watched any type of motor vehicle racing, you have probably heard the terms governor, rev limiter, or restrictor plate. All three devices have similar functions. They limit power to the motor. A governor accomplishes its task by controlling the range of the throttle response. When a governor is installed, you work the accelerator as much as you want, but it will not go past the governor setting. A rev limiter sets a maximum on the RPMs of a motor to protect it from blowing up. A restrictor plate is installed on the intake of a motor to limit its ability to create power by limiting the amount of air coming in. All three are safety devices function to protect the engine and driver.
I recall experiencing a rev limiter in action on one of my Harleys. For Christmas one year, my brother-in-law Mark (one of the top Harley motor builders around) gave me the gift of hopping up my motor. He installed a big cam, he worked over the heads, and installed a performance ignition and carb. All the work really lit up the motor. I recall leaving a light in Galveston and twisted off the throttle hard. As I was speed shifting to second gear, I missed the gear. Luckily, the rev limiter kicked in and protected the motor from blowing up.
I believe everyone of has a governor, rev limiter, and restrictor plate installed inside. It’s a three part system comprised of the brain, the heart and the spirit. All three work in conjunction to keep us safe and protect us from blowing up. Without fail, every time my life has blown up, and there have been a few, it was directly attributed to overriding my governor, disconnecting my rev limiter, or removing my restrictor plate. I overrode all the safety systems put in place to protect me. Typically, it has come in the form of letting my ego and thoughts override my good sense or not listening to my spirit. The times I’ve sent the flame emails, said hurtful things, or did something I’m not proud of, I can tell you that in every instance I did hear my spirit telling me: “Rodney, don’t do it…you know it’s wrong…don’t hit that enter key and send that flame mail…don’t hit send to make that phone call…etc.”
This is how my safety system typically kicks in. I get the anxious feeling in my stomach; my heart rate goes up, and my hands literally start shaking. Most of the time, I listen and mitigate the situation by writing what I am feeling then deleting it, putting the phone down, or just walking away from the computer for a while to allow the safety systems to reset to the normal state. For the times I override the safety systems, I end up immediately feeling regret and anxiety.
Keeping my safety systems calibrated and functioning properly, requires daily maintenance. I have to be aware of what energy I’m taking in, listen to what the Holy Spirit tells me, monitor what I am reading or hearing, and know when to just stop and walk away. Your safety systems are in place for a reason. If it feels wrong, looks wrong, or sounds wrong, it is. Learn to listen to your limiters.
If you have ever watched any type of motor vehicle racing, you have probably heard the terms governor, rev limiter, or restrictor plate. All three devices have similar functions. They limit power to the motor. A governor accomplishes its task by controlling the range of the throttle response. When a governor is installed, you work the accelerator as much as you want, but it will not go past the governor setting. A rev limiter sets a maximum on the RPMs of a motor to protect it from blowing up. A restrictor plate is installed on the intake of a motor to limit its ability to create power by limiting the amount of air coming in. All three are safety devices function to protect the engine and driver.
I recall experiencing a rev limiter in action on one of my Harleys. For Christmas one year, my brother-in-law Mark (one of the top Harley motor builders around) gave me the gift of hopping up my motor. He installed a big cam, he worked over the heads, and installed a performance ignition and carb. All the work really lit up the motor. I recall leaving a light in Galveston and twisted off the throttle hard. As I was speed shifting to second gear, I missed the gear. Luckily, the rev limiter kicked in and protected the motor from blowing up.
I believe everyone of has a governor, rev limiter, and restrictor plate installed inside. It’s a three part system comprised of the brain, the heart and the spirit. All three work in conjunction to keep us safe and protect us from blowing up. Without fail, every time my life has blown up, and there have been a few, it was directly attributed to overriding my governor, disconnecting my rev limiter, or removing my restrictor plate. I overrode all the safety systems put in place to protect me. Typically, it has come in the form of letting my ego and thoughts override my good sense or not listening to my spirit. The times I’ve sent the flame emails, said hurtful things, or did something I’m not proud of, I can tell you that in every instance I did hear my spirit telling me: “Rodney, don’t do it…you know it’s wrong…don’t hit that enter key and send that flame mail…don’t hit send to make that phone call…etc.”
This is how my safety system typically kicks in. I get the anxious feeling in my stomach; my heart rate goes up, and my hands literally start shaking. Most of the time, I listen and mitigate the situation by writing what I am feeling then deleting it, putting the phone down, or just walking away from the computer for a while to allow the safety systems to reset to the normal state. For the times I override the safety systems, I end up immediately feeling regret and anxiety.
Keeping my safety systems calibrated and functioning properly, requires daily maintenance. I have to be aware of what energy I’m taking in, listen to what the Holy Spirit tells me, monitor what I am reading or hearing, and know when to just stop and walk away. Your safety systems are in place for a reason. If it feels wrong, looks wrong, or sounds wrong, it is. Learn to listen to your limiters.
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