” You want fame…well fame costs. And right here is where you start paying for it…in sweat!”

-Debbie Allen, Fame

 

Those of you of a certain age will remember Debbie Allen from the TV series Fame. As the “fierce” dance teacher at the prestigious NYC High School of the Performing Arts, she frequently warned her students that achieving fame would take time, effort and sweat.  Growing up in NYC, I knew all about the High School of the Performing Arts and Fame. I had the album, lip synched all the songs, and fantasized about being a performing artist of some kind. In high school, I was a member of Glee Club and the Theater Company and even had a few leads. But it didn’t take me long to realize that I was no Debbie Allen. And, generally speaking, I was ok with it. I knew I was missing two key ingredients necessary to breakthrough into the arts: drive and determination (well, I was running a little light on talent too but that’s another story).

Through trial and mostly error, I have learned that getting a breakthrough or going to another level can’t be achieved from a seated position. It’s going to cost and you’re gonna have to move.  This is bad news for some of us because we can talk a fairly good game about wanting a breakthrough but when push comes to shove, we simply don’t want to pay the price.

Having played around for years, maybe decades, talking about wanting a weight loss breakthrough, I know all about this game. Forever on some diet or reading some book about weight loss, I think I fell under the spell of wanting to lose weight. Looking back, I confess that my desire for a breakthrough in this area far out paced my willingness to dig in and do the work necessary to pull it off.  But three years ago, with all of my health numbers going in the wrong direction, I got scared and I got serious.  Something clicked and suddenly there was no price too high to pay for my breakthrough.

Fifty pounds later, I wish I could say it’s been easy. It has not. It takes daily focus, commitment and investment.  I joined a weight loss prayer group, upped my exercise, hired a health/wellness coach, tracked eating, counted calories, stopped buying junk, eventually cut out most meats and started teaching a dance fitness class–each step with its own cost. But now, even though there is more work to do, I can declare there’s been a breakthrough.

So what will your breakthrough cost you? It’s different for every goal but I believe that if you are serious about paying the price for breakthrough, there are at least three things you can no longer afford to do:

1. put your plan on the shelf

2. compare your progress to others

3. leave the back door open for retreat

I’ll leave you with this thought:

You’ve been intimidated by the cost of your breakthrough long enough. But today is different. Today is the day you make the decision to dig deeper, to go farther, and, with all the faith you can muster, finally pay the price.

 

Photo Credit: 123 Royalty Free Stock Photos

Image ID: 15845982