Hype vs. Heart

I watched Oprah’s interview of Tony Robbins. He stood on the stage for a reported 10+ hours without a break, whipping the room into an “I can do it!” frenzy that culminated in each attendee walking barefoot across hot coals. Urging people to release their self-limiting beliefs and pursue their dreams, he shouted, “If you want to take the island, you’ve got to burn the freaking boats!” Is it hype? Or is it helpful? The answer is not either/or, it’s both/and. I do not respond well to “group think,” even if it’s positive. I have to run it through my own filter, based on my unique wiring and experiences, recognize the “aha” moments, and apply the pearls like seasoning to the work-in-progress casserole that is my life. I don’t just throw out what’s in the oven and start over. I have to work with the ingredients God gave me. Like artistry, spiritual enlightenment, and heart. I’m not saying I’m the only one with heart—just that my heart is like no other.

I’m wired to lead with my heart. Some people lead with the head. If I lead with the head, I actually get physically sick. My heart pounds in revolt. And I think the lesson I learned from Tony, Oprah, and others is that I need to listen to my heart more, not less. The principle works, just in a different way for me. As I wrote in one of my songs, my heart knows. My head kicks in like an older bullying brother, asking, “How does your heart plan on paying the bills? So you’re going to be an artist? You like starving? Don’t you know how tough that business is?” And he wants to lay out the plan and give me my marching orders to be followed in a systematic manner. “Ok, so you’re an artist. Here's the program.” Decidedly non-organic. Wait—am I back in corporate life? Is there room for any flexibility or spontaneity here? Am I a leader or a follower? What’s it gonna be?

My fellow spiritual journeyers say, “Press into the LORD. Spend time with Him. Make sure you have a daily devotional time.” My first reaction is, “So God is going to pay my bills?” Little rebel that I am, yet I crawled right back into the two-dimensional box with that response. Strike the buzzer, Alex. Wrong question. Life is multi-dimensional. Remember that every day. Again, both/and.

Here's the idea. Take time with God. Take time in creative artist land. Have goals and work toward them. Identify the enemies (fear, insecurity, low self-worth, self-pity, and over-intellectualizing for starters) and pray them away. Don’t focus on the results. Those are not up to me. Focus on one step at a time, day by day. Work toward my goals and pray for my desires. God promises to give me the desires of my heart—not my hype. So here we go. Heart, please take the lead.