I woke up this morning, and I still don't believe I won the

The words of Dale Earnhardt, “I woke up this morning, and I still don’t believe I won the Daytona 500,” are heavy with awe, humility, and the weight of long struggle finally overcome. They are not the words of a man who took triumph for granted, but of one who had battled fate for years, often denied at the very gates of victory. For Earnhardt, the Daytona 500 was not merely a race; it was the crown jewel of his sport, a mountain he had climbed again and again, only to be cast down. When at last he stood upon its peak, even the next morning he could hardly trust that the moment was real. His disbelief reveals not weakness, but the sacred astonishment that follows when a long-held dream at last becomes flesh.

The origin of this saying lies in Earnhardt’s career as one of the greatest legends of NASCAR. Known as “The Intimidator,” he was fierce, fearless, and respected across the sport. Yet despite his greatness—his championships, his dominance—Daytona eluded him. Ten times, twelve times, twenty times he entered, and still the prize slipped away. Accidents, failures, near misses—again and again the race denied him. Then, in 1998, after twenty tries, he claimed it at last. His words upon waking reveal the truth that even a man of iron can be humbled by the weight of destiny fulfilled.

This astonishment is not unique to him. History records similar moments when the great, after years of striving, could scarcely believe their triumph. When Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile in 1954, he, too, said he felt disbelief, as if his body had done something his mind had not yet grasped. Or think of Neil Armstrong, who stepped upon the moon and later admitted it was almost too vast to comprehend. Greatness often arrives wrapped in disbelief, for the human heart struggles to contain the immensity of long-dreamt victories.

Earnhardt’s words also remind us that success is sweetest not when it comes swiftly, but when it follows years of failure and persistence. Had he won Daytona on his first attempt, the victory would have been real, but not transcendent. It was the years of heartbreak that carved the vessel deep enough to hold the sweetness of the triumph. Thus, his disbelief is a mark of reverence: he knew too well the price of what he had gained.

The lesson for us is clear: never surrender to despair when the prize seems far off. The road of perseverance is long, and often filled with disappointment, but each failure carves strength into the soul. The dream that demands decades is the dream most worth having, for when it arrives, it will not feel like a mere achievement—it will feel like a miracle. And in that miracle, we will find both joy and humility, as Earnhardt did.

Practically, this calls us to hold steady when the race of life denies us again and again. Do not let setbacks break you, but let them teach you patience and sharpen your will. When the victory seems impossibly delayed, remember Earnhardt—twenty tries, twenty years, yet still he rose each morning to try again. And when your day of triumph comes, allow yourself to marvel, to stand in disbelief, to honor the miracle of persistence rewarded.

So, beloved listener, take Dale Earnhardt’s words into your heart: wake up each morning with faith, even when your dream feels distant. For one day, after years of striving, you too may open your eyes and scarcely believe that you have at last attained what you sought. And when that day comes, let your disbelief be gratitude, your astonishment be joy, and your victory be a testament to the power of endurance.