what’s it going to take?

It occurred to me this week that this is a mighty powerful question.

What's it going to take?

We usually use that phrase in dire circumstances. What's it going to take for you to wake up? What's it going to take for me to quit? What's it going to take for them to realize?

But life is an urgent circumstance, really, when you think about it. Birth...miraculous. Survival...miraculous. Death...inevitable. Suffering...optional. Life...urgent.

I wonder what my days would be like if I approached my happiness with more urgency and insistence (like I do deadlines and should-do's.) I've GOT to meet my dancing quota! Come hell or high water, I WILL get a facial and lay in the sun! Wild horses couldn't keep me from lunch with my girlfriends! Most important deadlines: to meander, to laugh until I snortle by noon every day, to see the first Robin bird of spring before the week is over.

So, in the spirit of urgent vitality, and not knowing when death may strike, and being acutely bored of my same old pattern of complaints, I'm asking myself, lovingly but firmly: LaPorte, what's it going to take for you to be incredibly joyful? What's it going to take for you to make an evolutionary leap as an artist, lover, mother, friend, human? What's it going to take to get you to walk to the lake that's four minutes from your house? What's it going to take to get you on the dance floor? You want to eat life whole? To know God? To radiate pure love? What's it going to take?

Now I want to cry. I think this exercise is backfiring. Because...I think it's going to take everything I've got. Deep breath. Pause. I still want what I want. Softening.

And now I'm smiling. Because, hey! I've got so much to give.
I've...got what it takes. Most true desires come with capacity.

xo
Danielle

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posted 10 Apr 09 in: White Hot, inspiration + spirituality articles   ·   tags:   ·   Comments

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  • Dangerous question. At least for me.

    Easy to drink the kool-aid on this one and created a to-do list of particle pieces that "i should do". Ewak..the thought of that makes me sick.

    Thx for pointing higher,
    really stirred on this one.
  • dl
    I was sitting wasting time on the computer thinking about how i got myself in this situation and simultaneously recognizing exactly what I have to do to fix it- but one thing was missing; "What's it going to take?" Take, me to get off my ass and make the change. So i typed into google the same phrase that brought you here. This is the definitive moment of my life- starting fucking right now!
  • Mari
    Loved your article! Life is crazy and sometimes I find myself moving others' priorities in front of mine. You are absolutely right...What is it going to take to make me put my needs first? The current method usually made me feel as I didn't accomplish much that day. Time to change that. That time is today..

    Your satisfaction, happiness = better production + others satisfaction.
    Thanks for the reminder! I will be looking at this every day from now on!
  • I really enjoy reading this particular article. We are constantly learning and wanting to push the limits to challenge ourselves to achieve that next adrenaline rush in love, in career, in finance and in health. This is a reminder to keep pushing ouselves along to achieve our best.

    Very inspiration,
    The Lovely
  • spot on as always... shared with my besties too.

    i initially read this yesterday and of course, as I do daily, had to come back and re-read some of my faves. i've been saying this line over and over in my head for the past day and giving it a lot of thought...: "what's it going to take for you to be incredibly joyful?" It's time for me to find out.
  • Great article. Thank you!

    For me it's usually, how much pain or discomfort I'm willing to take... before I take proven action that I know from experience has worked in the past.

    Like today for example, I've been in this sort of funky mood the last few days... not sure why. I've prayed and did the usually things I do everyday. But still feeling sort of restless. So this morning, first thing I got out my pen and paper and did a gratitude list, and here it is for today (in no specific order): Job, Wife, Sobriety, niece, sister, God, mom, travel, food, shelter, music, talents, AA, health, legs, mind, spirit, breath, life, rain.

    Ah, now I feel better. Oh, and I also scheduled some service work over lunch. Helping others always get's me out of a funk.
  • "Helping others always get's me out of a funk" ... that an article within itself. gotta write that one...

    thanks!
  • wake up every day waiting to hear the white. hot. truth.
    you got it goin' on Ms. D.
    thanks for pushing us all into the realm of authencity.
    a big X O
    bella
  • Emerson
    Now I am in tears, but, I am willing to give life the "best that I got"!!!! Thanks, D!
  • give 'er!
  • Ty
    This is great and timely Danielle.

    I was just brainstorming a project to incite action in people and couldn't quite get around the concept of using "expiration dates" (along the lines of, if you knew time to perform this would expire when...), but that kinda had that depressing, "if you knew the date you would die", feel to it.

    This question evokes that same spirit of action, but in an inspiring and motivating fashion.
  • Oh I love this one so much, Danielle. It takes the pure and simple need, a real need for joy, for pleasure, for satisfaction in our work, for love, love, love, for sharing all this with those we love; bringing joy, dropping the dreary. Smiling from the heart because we know that's what it takes to truly connect in a way
    that is unbreakable.
  • Do you know how much I wish I wrote this post? It's exactly what I've been trying to say (and have said, yet not nearly as eloquently...) You are a true inspiration.

    What's is going to take to rock my world? What's it going to take to experience peace? What's it going to take let love shine brightly?

    Big fat delicious kudos.
  • i ask myself this everyday. sometimes i don't have the answer which could leave me depressed if i thought about it too much. But I also ask this of my clients, to find their Inner Amazing and realize that its difficult for anyone to answer this, but with a little encouragement and a few key questions its possible to find "What's it going to take". thanks for asking the big question.
  • Inner Amazing...love it.
  • biren
    Intense.
    intensely hot. and white. self-revelation and self-revele-tion.

    a living proof of when and how white happens:
    not only when we (accept and ) allow all our colors from red to violet... but then allow them all to merge...

    its better than 'coffe in the morning' - to read such posts of yours...
    thanks. :)
  • Damn straight and deep to the heart of the matter! You are keeping me on track, focused, and inspired more than you can imagine! From turbulent airspace to puffy-cloud, sunshiney goodness. MMMmmmmmm!
  • Last week I had an aha moment where I realized that for anything good to happen in my life I have to believe on some fundamental level that I deserve it. A lot of the time we cerebrally think we can will good into our lives; but if there's no associated feeling or belief to back it up you FAIL big time. At least that's how its unfolded for me....

    Go ahead and cry; you'll feel five years younger.
  • YES! You've transformed my perspective!
    No more what's it gonna take to finish that work, or the laundry.....hell no! What's it gonna take to run some trails again, what's it gonna take to do wild art, what's it gonna take to love him up to the max, what's it gonna take to swim and splash with my mermaid girlfriends in the sea! Thank you for opening my eyes and heart!
  • the Anais Nin quote on your blog suits this so perfectly:
    "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
    The mermaids are calling.
  • post and all comments so very excellent. another favorite questions - "if not now, when?"
  • Yay Danielle! Kicking butt on Good Friday!! I I'm with Jay & Lillian... :)

    Let those tears come girlfriend.

    This is my favourite question in a long time. I'm writing on my wall RIGHT NOW!
  • Oh! Danielle, your words inspire me. I also love what Michelle said above about taking it to the next level. What's it going to take to really produce something worthwhile that will move me to where I want to be with my career? It's along the same lines as "I want it because..." and not just the wanting of the whatever.

    Just my random twoonie...

    And yeah, I haven't even met you either, but there is great love for you AND all of your readers. People rock.
  • Lillian
    I think I actually felt love for you as I read the end and I dont even know you. I vote with Jay, you are flippin' awesome!

    Thank you for inspiring me to kick my own ass.
  • You know, Danielle, you might possibly be the single most awesome person on the planet. In fact, I think I'll make it official. I hereby proclaim Danielle LaPorte to be the Most Awesome Person on Planet Earth. The pay sucks, but the powers are incredible. It's a good position. What will you do with it? ;)

    Love,
    Jay
  • I'm heading out right now to get a crown gilded. extra emeralds.
  • This post is both scary & inspiring. What's it going to take? My all, my heart, my soul, my time, my energy, my love, my breath, my worth. But the lazy part of me is saying, "Oy, that's so much!" & the fear in me is saying, "You might give it all & still not get what you want" & the overwhelm in me is saying, "When will there be Slow Time?"

    I love taking it to the level of, "What's it gonna take to be incredibly joyful?" as opposed to just, "What's it gonna take?" The latter is a question that might have me in knots, up all night with work & worry & bringing on burnout. The former is the way for me to keep myself on track while allowing myself Fun Time, Me Time & Slow Time.
  • Just asking this same thing this morning while I lay in bed contemplating what I would do today. Holy crap its Friday ... again ... already ... and the same old excuses are cluttering up my head. I suddenly realize that my biggest challenge is making decisions. There is a misconception floating about that I make better decisions when under the threat of a deadline. No deadline? I get laxadaisy and take my time and ... well ... those important tasks with no deadline just don't get done ... again ... and I wake up and its Friday again and those important tasks with no deadline are like a ball and chain around my foot. And that ball and chain has a voice that says "when you get this done then you can do that" and I start the task and I come to a place where a decision has to be made ... and ... holy crap another Friday is here already ... sheesh! This is getting really old. Thanks for the post. Decisions desmishions ... time to pull a Nike and just do it.
  • Suzanne
    Danielle, this post is so wonderful and helpful, I want to read it daily. And I will.

    Jeananne, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I struggle so much with making decisions without a deadline too, and that inability to move forward stands firmly in the way of my ability to relax and feel good. I'm gonna try to pull some Nikes this week too. What's it going to take for me to enjoy more of my moments? Just do it.
  • it would be a good wake up mantra.
    {like your lowcrapdiet.com blog}
  • You're right. It takes everything.
    There's a lovely meditation where you release everything you've been given that you don't need: attitudes, expectations, guilt. Actually, the meditation doesn't specify, but that's always what I want to release. Then you call back to yourself all the parts of you that are scattered. Wow. Finally, you wrap up with a protective shield to keep you whole (for a while, at least). Mine always looks like those shiny bubble force fields from StarTrek.
    If it's going to take everything, then why are you (I say, addressing myself) wasting any part of yourself on anything less? And yet... food, mortgage, health insurance, gymnastics lessons... I haven't found a way around the job thing yet.
  • yum.
  • This resonates with me so much. <b?What's it going to take to not be so vanilla? What am I afraid of? Who cares if I march to the beat of a different drum. Different is good. Different is frickin' awesome! Thanks--I'm going to continue to work with myself on this.
  • get spicy. bang that drum.
  • This was so needed for me. Thank you for sharing this. I've been tormenting myself with the same complaints and I know it's not doing me any good - so this was a great kick in the ass. What's it going to take? That'll be my question everyday until I can fix my patterns.
  • yah, complaining is toxic. it's like fast food - feels good at the time, but doesn't end well. A friend of mine had a policy "only complain about something once." big aspiration.
  • That's a great insight from your friend - simple and strong.
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