How far will you go when you want something very badly? Think about the last time you had had a craving so strong, you went to great lengths to get it. Was it something for yourself, or for someone else? Did you need money, talent or luck to get what you really wanted?

It’s 2010, and we’re living in “.” Joblessness is at its highest point since World War II. President Obama talks about how tough times bring innovation, and that’s true in my case. I was laid-off from a non-profit organization, following the economic crash of 2008. I found a new job with a small online marketing agency before I started Prayables late last year.

, of gave me my first break in online media, and they made me work for it. Before I was hired, they gave me an assignment. I had to create an entire social marketing plan for the Arizona Diamond Backs, a major league baseball team. I researched, analyzed, and created a project plan that showed Dave and Carrie, I had the skills and the desire to work for their agency.

We’re looking to add a social media marketing manager to our staff. We have great big marketing plans for Prayables and a very exciting job to offer, granted the base pay is low. We’re a start-up with a mission and for the right person, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime. The help-wanted ad was posted on . We got a decent response, with only one candidate telling me the salary sucks. I took a page from Dave and Carrie’s playbook and gave the job seekers an assignment:

Thanks [Job Seeker], great to hear back from you. I'd love to see what you can do. Please review the site, and . I'll watch for your comments and posts in the next few days. If you're still interested we can set a time to talk by phone. Looking forward to being wowed by your social skills!

I was under-wowed. There were a few bland Facebook posts, one or two commented on a blog, and some of the candidates signed up for the daily ePrayable, some never opened it. I figured someone would want this job so badly, that they would choose to do something extraordinary to get it. Obviously, I mis-calculated.

This brings me back to wanting something so much and you’ll go to great lengths to get it. A well-worn "to-do list" is an excellent indicator of what you really want. If you’re slammed at work and chores are piled high at home, but you manage to finish reading the last chapter of a good book, you really wanted to read today. You could blame yourself for not having the discipline to clean your house, or turn in that report on time. In all actuality, you really didn’t want to do it badly enough. It’s not easy to fill your day only with activities you love to do, but it’s worth striving for.

Start with faith. Many of us have promised to count our blessings more often, connect more deeply to God, to meditate, or pray more. When you start the day with a focus on faith, you feel better. Don’t wake up and launch right into a demanding day. Take a minute… or two. Close your eyes. Hug yourself and just breathe. Enjoy the stillness. Think about what it is that you really want to do today. Pray for the inspiration to know what’s important and what’s fluff. Pray to recognize which of the tasks only you can do, and what can be done by someone else. That’s using your faith wisely. That’s doing something extraordinary to let God know just how badly you really want it.

I don't wanna.
I don't wanna get out of bed,
take a shower,
make breakfast.
I don't wanna iron my shirt,
drive to work,
sit in that blasted cubby all day.

You understand,
I do wish I'd wanna.
With Your help, I will
make the most of my day.
I won't disappoint me,
my children,
my boss,
or more importantly,
You.

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