Tell Me What You Want

In my sophomore year of high school, I learned in geometry class that the shortest distance between two points is a line. I agreed with Mr. Johnson until very recently.

Today, though a line is a fabulous technical definition, I believe that the shortest distance between two points is desire. Think about it: When you want something (or someone), there is no obstacle you won’t mentally minimize in order to get to that person, location or goal.

Snowstorm? No problem.

Unfavorable market conditions? Your product offering will easily overcome that hiccup.

Road construction? Just another opportunity to enjoy the scenery.

The inverse is also true. When you DON’T want to do something, a breath of wind in the wrong direction will suffice to convince you to stop. Molehills quickly become mountains in our eyes and we look for every excuse in the book to avoid the journey from where we comfortably are to where we feel no desire to be. When the bed is warm, the bathroom is far. The kitchen is far. The world is far. We will ignore important physical needs, hunger and all other responsibility because nothing seems more important than where we are right now.

Desire actually distorts reality. It embellishes our own view of ourselves, our ability and our influence. It also diminishes our view of what’s important. Things that don’t fit our definition of “desirable” or are in competition with our comfort get marginalized, discounted and forgotten. Desire doesn’t change the facts; but it does change YOU. It changes your drive, your ambition and your endurance. When you want something, you will work harder, faster and longer to get to it. You will ignore environmental warning signs, physical fatigue and the emotional cost of your desired outcome. Likewise, when you don’t truly desire something, you will ignore environmental warning signs, physical ramifications and the emotional cost of your current, comfortable place.

Relationships, family, business, recreation, finance…there is not a realm of our lives where this principle doesn’t apply.

Desire is an incredible tool. It is what allows very ordinary people to rise above seemingly impossible obstacles to accomplish great things. It is what fuels the accomplishments of great minds and great hearts. It is also what most often sabotages our potential, our effectiveness and our relationships. The difference lies not only in the object of our desire, but also in the outcome. Desires that terminate on self aren’t necessarily bad – but they will always cost you something. Make sure you know what you’re trading off. The ability to identify desire as a tool and the discipline to use it to our advantage is one of the greatest feats we can achieve. Here are my questions:

Will the desire that is driving you ultimately produce results that are beyond you and your world?

Are you able to identify when your desire is keeping you from action that you really NEED to take – even if you don’t WANT to?

Where are you staying in bed when the world is where you really ought to be?

In which areas do you need to reframe your desire in order to overcome obstacles in your journey?

How can you sharpen the tool of desire in your family, business and personal relationships in order to create something exceptional?

Lean forward,

Bekka