After the vision, the release: Lesson from Alex Haley

The 21 day church fast is officially over but I'm not quite  done yet.

At the beginning of the fast I just happened to be watching the news and came across a segment on the Nightly Business Report where this guy, Lou Heckler was talking about priorities.  What caught my attention was his mention of Alex Haley as the source of his inspiration for over 30 years in helping him keep his priorities right.  Below is his quote from the January 4, 2013 episode.

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LOU HECKLER:  Thirty six years ago, Alex Haley published his amazing family saga “Roots,” tracing his ancestry back to people on slave ships from Africa.  It later became a landmark mini-series on television and caused thousands, maybe millions, of people to start their own roots search.  One of our friends eventually arranged a massive family reunion where he presented each family with a 70-page booklet he had compiled about their history.

I was working in commercial television at the time that Haley did his book tour and he came to our station for an interview.  To what do you attribute your exceptional success the interviewer asked.  Haley thought for a moment and then said this, "Decide what you want.  Then decide what you’re willing to give up to get it."

Do you have sentences in your head that never go away?  I do and none has been more meaningful to me than this one.  I’ve been fortunate.  I have had wonderful success in many areas in my life. 
When I get in trouble though, is when I try to do too much.  I take on task upon task upon task and start thinking there is a big “S” on my chest.   Superman, you can call me.

Then I hear Haley’s voice and I’m reminded that I can’t do everything.  I have to prioritize and discard those things that I simply must give up so I have the time and energy and creativity to complete that which is most important.  I just wish I didn’t have to re- learn this one so often.

I’m Lou Heckler.
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Now that the fast has ended I'm still trying to figure out, as I do every year, what one practice from the fast will I continue.  In the past years it has been about food and my diet but this year it will be about setting priorities...then deciding what has to be given up to get them accomplished.

Next month, we will begin our life style modification in one of the residence halls. I suspect that we will attract many young women who are drawn to the idea of loosing weight before spring break. However, the students that will  consider this more than a new diet and really begin to change their lifestyle  will be  those that not only had a vision or idea of what they wanted to be, but are also willing to give up something to get it. Since, as a teacher,  I have to do the thing that I am asking them to do, I'm also asking that of myself.  What am I willing to give up?

What am I willing to give up in order to have a healthy lifestyle?
What am I willing to give up to have less stress?
What am I willing to give up to be at peace?
What am I willing to give up grow closer to God every day?
What am I willing to give up to be happy?

If you created a vision board in January and identified something that you want to do, be or have then what are you willing to give up?

In February we'll see how our life style modification program is working and see how hard it is to give up habits....especially habits of mind.