"You Gotta Want It"

“You gotta want it.” I say it all the time. Usually when somebody is struggling to open a jar and usually immediately followed by “Only the pure at heart may pass.” I dunno…it’s just a habit I guess.

Yesterday I went snowboarding at Sierra Summit with Tim Lutz and Ali Blake. Tim had been describing his epiphany with the idea of “wanting it” first introduced to him by Anthony Handal.

“Bro it works I swear!” Tim promised me. He went on to describe how, not once…but twice, he had entered drawings (one for a longboard and the other for an ipod touch) and decided that he “wanted it.” Before the drawing he confidently walked around telling people he had won a longboard/ipod. And wouldn’t you know it, he won both…bringing the conversation full circle to “Bro it works I swear!”

As we sat on the lift headed uphill Tim encouraged me to try it. Coming down the hill almost directly in front of us was a lone snowboarder. I decided I wanted it. “C’mon…fall…FALL!” I harshly whispered. And at that exact moment…that EXACT MOMENT…the brother caught an edge and ATE IT. I mean POW! It was as if I had Darth Vader levels of midichlorians in my blood and had used “the force” to bring homeboy to the ground.

I was stunned. Partially because it actually worked and partially because I realized I was fully a jerk for what I had used my newly found “wanting it” powers to accomplish. I was brought back to reality by the plethora of “that’s what I’m talking about’s” and “I told you so’s” sitting next to me on the lift. I had wanted it…and it happened.

I came home and began giving it some serious thought. Does “wanting it” really have magical powers that can open life’s doors? No…it does not…I am, after all, a realist. However, I believe there is at least some merit in the idea of “wanting it.”

So many times I look at a situation or idea, analyze it, and decide it cannot be done. Even if the outcome would have profound effects I conclude that “it would be nice” but impossible and therefore don’t even try.

Former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy, in his book Uncommon, writes about championship teams who’s road to glory was founded on “wanting it.”
“The first thing you have to do when you’re trying to turn a football franchise from a loser to a winner is create the belief that you can win,” writes Dungy. “Most of the time the talent is already there to accomplish great things, but there is no belief that it can happen.” He goes onto say that “wanting it” might not mean you accomplish all your goals, but it does take away the self imposed “ceiling” that many people place over their heads that keeps them from even trying.

Jesus “wanted it”…bad…so bad it killed him. He made up his mind to follow his Father’s will, and “became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:8). And then he “wanted it” more…so much that the grave couldn’t hold him. And if Christ “wanted it” that bad for me, why do I struggle to “want it” when it comes to playing for His team? Why do I sigh at the idea of serving people who come to camp to find peace? Why do I moan and complain when it comes to planning events meant to encourage and lift up youth? Why am I always so “tired” that I shrug at doing whatever it takes and always look for an easier way?

So how about it? What do you want and how bad do you “want it”? Do you want it “man, that would be so awesome” bad or “as for me and my house…” bad? How bad do you want to fulfill God’s calling in your life and how confident are you that He can give you the strength to make it happen? I’ve made up my mind.

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)