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☕️ Sunday Coffee: The Farmer in Gumboots
Extraordinary Heroes Don’t Always Wear Sneakers — Sometimes, They Wear Gumboots
Max Dividends
May 18, 2025
MaxDividends Mission: Helping & Supporting Everyone in Building a Growing Passive Income, Retiring Early, and Living Off Dividends.
No one wants to work forever, and the question of financial security becomes more pressing. Can we really count on enjoying life after retiring, without having to find another job just to make ends meet?
Intro
Sometimes, the most extraordinary heroes don’t wear sneakers — they wear gumboots
He wasn’t a professional athlete. He had no coach, no training plan, no nutrition strategy — not even proper running shoes. He didn’t know the other runners would be sleeping between stages. In fact, he didn’t know that mattered. He just showed up — in overalls, with a shy smile — and said, “I’m ready to run.”
In a world that bets on youth, speed, and technology, one man shattered all expectations. This isn’t just a story about winning one of the toughest races on Earth. It’s a story about belief, determination, and the unstoppable strength of the human spirit.
Meet Cliff Young, the 61-year-old potato farmer who stepped up to the starting line and redefined what’s possible.
The Farmer in Gumboots
In 1983, one of the toughest races on Earth was about to begin — the Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultramarathon, an 875-kilometer (544-mile) stretch between two major Australian cities. Only elite, highly trained athletes dared to participate. It was a grueling, multi-day challenge, considered impossible for anyone without years of endurance training.
But on the morning of the race, something extraordinary happened.
Among the crowd of finely-tuned marathoners in sleek gear, there appeared a 61-year-old man wearing overalls, a baseball cap — and rubber galoshes pulled over his work boots. His name was Cliff Young, and he was a humble potato farmer from rural Victoria.
At first, the officials thought he was lost. He shuffled nervously toward the registration table. When they tried to explain that the race was for professional runners only, Cliff calmly replied, “I’m not a spectator. I’m here to run.” And he demanded a race number.
At first, everyone thought it was a joke — or worse, a tragedy in the making. Some were genuinely concerned for his health, even his sanity. He had no coach, no sponsor, no support team, and not even proper running shoes. When asked how he planned to survive a five-day nonstop race, Cliff gave a simple answer:
“I’m a farmer. I never trained, but I do know how to run after sheep. Sometimes I have to round up 2,000 of them before a storm. I’ve chased them for three days without sleep. This race is just two more days than that.”
The race organizers, unsure of what to do, reluctantly handed him bib number 64. When the starting gun fired, Cliff didn't bolt — he shuffled. His awkward gait caused spectators to laugh, shake their heads, and even pity him as he quickly fell far behind the pack.
The One Who Keeps Going
He didn’t stop. Unlike the other runners, who followed a strict routine of running during the day and sleeping at night, Cliff simply... didn’t sleep. Ever. He just kept shuffling forward, all day, all night. And something miraculous happened.
After the first day, he was still running. On the second day, he started passing other runners — slowly but steadily. By the fourth day, he had moved into the lead. And on the fifth day, to the absolute shock of the world, Cliff Young crossed the finish line first, having run continuously for five days, 15 hours, and four minutes — without a single minute of sleep. He shattered the previous record by over nine hours.
When organizers approached Cliff at the finish line to give him the AU$10,000 prize money, he looked confused.
“Wait, there’s prize money? I didn’t know that. I didn’t run for money,” he said.
And then, in front of the cameras and crowd, he did something no one expected: he gave away every cent to the five runners who had finished after him.
Cliff Young became a national hero overnight. Australians — and the world — fell in love with the story of the quiet farmer who outpaced the world’s best simply through grit, humility, and heart. His shuffle became iconic. His legacy became legend.
And long after the race was over, he remained the same down-to-earth man he always was. Cliff proved that you don’t have to look like a champion to become one — and that the human spirit, when driven by purpose, can outrun even the impossible.
You don’t need a superhero suit to take action. You don’t need clever formulas to move forward successfully. Sometimes, all you need is to start and keep going. Just keep moving.
The One Who Keeps Going, Wins.
And this is where MaxDividends shows its value.
***
With MaxDividends Community you’ll always be part of a winning team and stop viewing the future as an uncertainty. Worry will fade, replaced by confidence and peace of mind. You’ll focus on doing what you love while your passive income continues to grow.
With respect for your well-being, Max
Intro
In the world of finance and investing, what you see isn't always what you get. The flashiest displays of wealth—luxury cars, designer clothes, massive mansions—are often just proof of how much someone has spent, not how much they’ve saved. Real wealth, the kind that provides freedom, security, and independence, is invisible. It’s not in what you buy—it’s in what you don’t buy.
This concept is central to the work of Morgan Housel, one of the most insightful finance writers today.
His book, The Psychology of Money, has become a must-read for those looking to understand not just how to build wealth, but how to keep it. In a fascinating interview with the New York City Bogleheads Group, Housel shared his thoughts on financial independence, frugality, and why wealth is often hidden from sight.
Financial Independence: More Than Just Early Retirement
Housel challenges the traditional FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) narrative, arguing that financial independence isn’t necessarily about quitting work forever. Instead, it’s about having the freedom to control your time.
“For me, financial independence means waking up any day and saying: ‘I can do whatever I want today.’ I can work if I choose, take time off, travel, or spend time with my family. That’s the real dividend of money.”
While flashy cars and big houses might bring temporary happiness, control over your schedule provides lasting fulfillment. True financial independence allows you to work on your own terms—choosing projects that matter to you and stepping away when they no longer serve you.
The Influence of Upbringing on Money Habits
Housel grew up experiencing both financial struggle and comfort. His father started his career late, going to medical school in his 30s while raising three children. During those early years, money was tight. But once his father became a doctor, their financial situation improved significantly.
What stuck with Housel, though, was his parents’ continued frugality even after their income increased.
“The biggest financial skill anyone can learn is not increasing their spending as their income grows. That’s the only way to accumulate wealth over time.”
Housel himself doesn’t see frugality as a sacrifice. He simply doesn’t crave expensive things. He buys what he wants—it’s just that what he wants doesn’t cost much.
Wealth Is What You Don’t See
Perhaps the most powerful idea from Housel’s book is the notion that true wealth is invisible.
“Wealth is the money you don’t spend. It’s what you’ve saved and invested. It’s not the car someone drives or the house they live in—that’s just proof of how much they’ve spent, not how much they have.”
Society tends to admire visible displays of wealth. If someone is driving a Lamborghini, most people assume they’re rich. But in reality, many people who flaunt wealth aren’t actually wealthy—they just spend every dollar they earn (or more).
“Warren Buffett still lives in the same house he bought at 25. He wears cheap clothes and drives an average car. If we didn’t know he was worth over $100 billion, he wouldn’t be a financial role model because he doesn’t ‘look’ rich.”
The Biggest Mistake in Personal Finance
Housel believes the most critical mistake people make with money is allowing their spending to grow alongside their income.
“When people say they want to be millionaires, what they often mean is they want to spend a million dollars. But that’s the opposite of being a millionaire.”
Maintaining a gap between earnings and spending is what builds wealth over time. Financial security isn’t about having the biggest paycheck—it’s about what you do with it.
The Real Challenge: Resisting Fear and Greed
According to Housel, about 10% of people are naturally good at saving and investing. Another 10% will always struggle, living beyond their means no matter what. The remaining 80%—the majority—fall somewhere in between.
For these people, the key to building wealth isn’t about finding the perfect stock or chasing high returns. It’s about controlling emotions like fear and greed.
“Fear makes people panic-sell when the market drops. Greed makes them chase hot stocks at the top. The biggest challenge in investing is not financial—it’s psychological.”
Housel’s advice? Do nothing. Avoid knee-jerk reactions. Stick to a plan and let compounding do its work.
History Proves It: The World Falls Apart Every 10 Years
One of Housel’s biggest lessons from studying financial history is that major economic crises happen like clockwork.
“Every five to ten years, something happens that makes people think the world is ending. COVID-19, the 2008 financial crisis, the dot-com crash, the oil crisis in the ‘70s—the pattern is clear.”
Long-term investors understand that while the market faces regular disruptions, it has always trended upward over time. Those who panic and sell miss out on the long-term gains that patient investors reap.
Final Takeaway: Wealth Is About Options, Not Objects
Housel’s philosophy on money is refreshingly simple: wealth isn’t about what you own—it’s about what you could own but choose not to. It’s about freedom, flexibility, and control over your time.
If there’s one lesson to take away from his work, it’s this: Don’t chase the appearance of wealth. Build the kind of wealth that gives you options.
And this is where MaxDividends shows its value.
***
With MaxDividends Community you’ll always be part of a winning team and stop viewing the future as an uncertainty. Worry will fade, replaced by confidence and peace of mind. You’ll focus on doing what you love while your passive income continues to grow.
With respect for your well-being, Max
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