How badly do you want it

If you’re a regular viewer of our program AGENDA on Cignal TV, chances are you would have seen that we were airing from a different location early this week. We actually aired the show from Lipa City beginning March 1 right after completing a new studio booth right on our front yard. Yes, we built it ourselves, shouldered the cost and gambled that it would all work out well. Thanks be to GOD, our initial airing was almost flawless and did not depart from our almost year-long work-from-home broadcast out of Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig.

Like most construction projects, this 8’ x 8’ x 10’ DIY broadcast booth seemed to take forever, reached a point when I stopped calculating costs and counting days, and involved some belated soul searching if I was doing the right thing or was my “selfish desire” getting the better part of me? I had to remind myself that it is GOD who plants the desires of the heart for those who love him. In addition to that I relied on Proverbs 16:3 that teaches us: “Commit to the Lord all that you do and he will establish your plans.”

In the final stretch it all boiled down to: will we be able to broadcast the same level of quality? Thanks to PLDT Home Fiber Internet and Mr. Marco Borlongan who facilitated the installation that gave us 100 MBPS. The next worry was would we be able to block out the sound of our neighbor’s thousand roosters crowing from all sides? Yes, the wall-to-wall carpeting and sealants in every seam did the job. Will it be a money pit? No it was not. We got the job done, and now have a prayer room and a cool room for hot summer days.

The selfish desire was not to have another studio or a DIY project, the “selfish desire” was about making the Lipa studio a means to an end; to be able to spend more time or the majority of my days, weeks and time in our backyard farm living the life I’ve set as my goal. After being prevented to travel and visit the farm for at least eight months, then losing our small piggery to ASF, I reached a point where I needed a new reason and purpose to come to the farm other than because we have a house here. I like to build, I love owning, breeding animals and I enjoy going back to the house all beat and tired and say “I did everything on my list for the day.” You’re sore and tired, but you’re happy!

Right after New Year, my wife Karen and I agreed to spend as many weekends in Lipa and we did so. But it did not take long before I felt I wanted more time in the farm. Even more, I wanted to do what I always talked about, to stay there. But just how badly did I want it? The logical solution was to build the studio in order to “have my cake and eat it too.”

The question applies to many people I know and in Philippine society in general. Many people want “to live the life” or have their dreams come true but often they rely on prayers alone or lottery tickets or a windfall such as an inheritance or a retirement payoff. I myself have had momentary episodes where I aspired for certain things and thought about buying a lottery ticket “just in case.” But I have picked up from my Bible reading that in spite of being GOD’s chosen people and having GOD walking before them, the Israelites still had to walk away from the “familiar safety” of slavery, had to journey so long and had to go to war to take possession of the “Promised Land.” It was no charity case, no wishing upon the stars, they had to trust GOD but do all the work as instructed.

In the same manner, if we want to go towards the promise or the goal we will have to walk away from the safe or the familiar that is simply no longer good enough or challengingly fulfilling. Some of us have to wake up to the reality of being enslaved by choice in our present circumstance and start asking for God’s instructions. The means are all there but it’s often a question of sorting things out or, like the Israelites, having a change of address.

Another vital part of reaching the dream or living the life is that you need to invest time, take a chance, make an effort and spend money. Many individuals who are into work-from-home digitally mess things up because of the “puede na mentality” or using what’s available and not getting what’s necessary based on a standard of professionalism or excellence. A closet is for clothes, a storage room is for stuff, a bedroom is for rest. Because we set a standard of professionalism, we had better lights than most, better audio and an almost sound proof studio. Many people stop chasing the dream once their mental or “pocket” calculator starts telling them “you can’t afford it.” Many successful big businessmen I know have taught me that the minute you prioritize costs first is when you put an end to a dream or an idea. Relish the dream, remember that “we are not promised tomorrow” so don’t assume you have all the time. Ultimately we did not simply build a studio: We have started to “Work From Home.”

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