3 Takeaways From Watching What The Health

I sat down to watch What The Health yesterday afternoon. I found it disgusting, shameful and shocking—and not for the reasons you may assume.

For those of you unaware What The Health is the newest in a long line of documentaries discussing the gross and cringeworthy aspects of the American diet. WTH focused their attention on overturning the tables of the meat and dairy industries. 

I’m not here to convince you one way or the other. I don’t think this documentary is the greatest thing ever, or the worst thing imaginable. As with most things, it lands somewhere in the middle. Bottomline: You’re going to have to make up your own mind about the diet choices you make. That’s 100% up to you. 

What I do want to share with you are three takeaways from the film. We can all walk away from this documentary thinking and united on at least three things: 

1. There is a link between what we eat and our health. This isn’t groundbreaking or even new information. Far too few of us make decisions that reflect a deep understanding of this link. I know I haven’t. If we pause long enough to think we’ll see that the link between how we feel, the measure of life we experience and its length are all directly linked to the things we put into our bodies. 

2. There are some serious concerns with the meat industry. The meat, dairy, and egg industries have truly appalling practices that need to be addressed. The issues go far beyond the treatment of animals—which is an issue requiring serious thought and action—to include the items injected into the foods we consume. It is hard to square these practices with what ethics and sanity would call us to.   

3. You must take ownership of your own health. Regardless of where you land on the issue of nutrition and the great meat debate, your health is your responsibility. You can’t sit back, take it easy and pass the buck. Your health is no one else's responsibility. It’s something you have to seize control of. Your choices and decisions are yours to make. Do with them what you will, but don’t blame anyone but yourself for how things turn out. 

Where does your mind go?

“Wherever your mind goes most naturally and freely when there is nothing else to distract it—that is what you really live for. That is your religion. Your life is shaped by whatever preoccupies your mind. The overcoming of sin in our lives begins in our minds; and victory over sin is only ever the result of having minds set on the Spirit.”

— Tim Keller

I don’t know about you, but the words above hit me square in the face as my eyes rolled over each new word. I looked back over the last several days to consider exactly where my mind goes in moments of solitude. What I found made me my shudder. My mind doesn't drift to bad or inappropriate places, it just seldom drifts to thoughts of Christ.  

The path of discipline, health, working hard and getting better can preoccupy my mind. These things are important, worth contemplating and the primary focus of this blog. Today, I want to pause and think about exactly where my mind does and doesn’t go in moments of silence.  

What you focus your mind on shapes your life and character. Whatever preoccupies your thoughts has control over you. That’s called an idol in Christian circles. It’s such a big deal it’s the first commandment given to Moses and the one Jesus cites as the most important. 

That’s a big deal and why daily time in God’s Word is so vitally important. It transforms your mind and helps orient it around the person and work of Christ. 

I don’t know about you, but I want to be controlled by those thoughts. Thoughts of Christ, not lesser things. No matter how good or important they may seem.  

Capturing The Power In Small Moments

While in college I took part in an aptitude assessment. For two days they put problem after problem before me to see how I responded. It felt more like a game than series of tests until I reached one involving spacial awareness. The test was simple. They showed me a square block composed of several different pieces, like a puzzle. They would then have me turn around as they dissembled the block. After turning around they asked me to put it back together as they timed me. I couldn’t do it the way they wanted me to.

I kept “failing” the test because when faced with a complex problem, I broke it up into smaller ones. I made two different blocks out of the pieces and then put those two together. I couldn’t do it the other way, the “right” way, no matter how many chances they gave me.

This is how I solve complex problems, I break them up into smaller more manageable ones. I don’t try to eat a steak all in one bite, and I don’t attempt to tackle large goals or issues in one bite either. I chop them up into many smaller pieces, solve them and get to work putting them back together.

My wife and I do this as a team on a daily basis. Most divide most projects between the two of us. We split a wedding day evenly for instance. While she is capturing the bride getting ready, I’ll do the same for the guys. While she is shooting from the aisle, I am getting a different angle. While she is taking family pictures, I'm calling out names and lining up the next photo. At every moment and in every way we divide big things, like weddings, into small bite size chunks.

Chunking like this not only helps us do big projects at work, it also aids us in reaching large personal goals. No area is this more evident in my life than my reading habits. I determined to continue learning and growing the rest of my life many years ago. I read a lot as a result. I don't read with the prolific nature of Tim Challies—who reads over 100 books a year—or the determined spirit of Stephen King— who prescribes reading four to six hours a day—but, I still read more than a lot of people.

I read in the neighborhood of thirty books covering the span of the literary world each year. Some books stretch my mind, some inform my heart, and others show how stories get told. Regardless of the genre or style each page I turn helps me become whoever it is I’ll grow up to be.

The same could true for you. You don’t have to set aside hours for reading or take a speed reading course do the same feat. All you have to do is carve out small moments of focused effort.

Read in small bits here and there. I break it up into three small bite size bits. I read three pages when I wake up, three more over my lunch break, followed by three more before bed. That’s almost ten pages without breaking a sweat.

Why three pages? It’s a number so small, it’s not worth not doing. Why would I skimp on reading such a small number of pages? We look at the stack of books we want to read and chicken out before trying because it all seems too big. Three pages is a number so small in comparison, that it’s laughable not to take them on.   

The funny thing is I rarely stop at three pages per sitting. Once I’m deep in a book, there is little knowing how many pages I’ll end up turning. It varies day to day, but it’s far more than I’d read otherwise.

Monthly Mash Up (June 2017)

June was a crazy month. It was full of activity, work and trying to figure this whole parenting thing out. I’ll let you know if we ever get that down. I stumbled across some outstanding resources over the last month and I’d like to share a few of them with you here.  

I do this the last Monday of each month. It’s my way of peeling back the layers and sharing the things that have the greatest impact on me each month. I hope the resources I share with you are helpful and brighten your day. If you do enjoy it, pass it along to family, friends and the occasional stranger.

Quote I'm Chewing On

“The person you become is a result of your inner choices, not your external circumstances.”

While not 100% where I heard this line over the past month, it has become a great source of encouragement to me. Circumstances have little to do with who I am, how I behave or the man I become. All those things are results of decisions I make.

What I'm Reading

1. Don’t Worry, Make Money by Richard Carlson

2. Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson - My father-in-law shared these first two books with me earlier this month. I’ve loved reading and finding great ideas and encouragement in both. While not written from a Christian worldview, both contain great information and universal truth that will help you slay demons and conquer whatever is in your path.

3. The Way of the Warrior Kid by Jocko Willink - A kids book? You bet! There are a ton of helpful insights to inspire and motivate you to get after it.

4. The Art of War by Sun Tsu - Jocko reviewed this classic on how to win whether you’re fighting to achieve things at work, in your relationships or to put sin to death.

What I’m Listening To

1. Jocko Podcast - I listened to all 80 episodes in 30 days and couldn’t be more fired up about this podcast. It is a fantastic listen that’ll help you do, be and achieve more with your life.

2. The Sheepdog Project - I found this podcast near the end of the month, and it’s been awesome. The Sheepdog Project is a neat program seeking to provide law enforcement and civilians the training needed to protect themselves and those they love from the evil around us. The podcast is a natural extension of that mission, and consists of conversations between two Tim Kennedy and Dr. Mike Simpson. They discuss a wide range of topics that I’m certain you could benefit from.

From the Internet

1. Mental load and the worry cache by Seth Godin - I find Seth Godin’s writing to be clear, concise and exactly what I need to hear on a regular basis. This post hit me at a time when I found myself worrying too much about things outside my control. It served as a well timed reminder that worry isn’t part of my job.

2. Don't Compare Yourself to Other Writers - by Pamela Hodges. This post appeared on The Write Practice earlier this month by only found its way across my screen the other day. It serves as a great reminder that we aren’t to play comparison game. Everyone is running their own race and doing their own thing. That’s all we’re able to do, run our own race.     

3. Be Careful About Reading This by Jon Acuff - I signed up to receive four free books written by Jon Acuff. Only they aren’t your typical books, but a series of emails that will one day come to resemble one. Each week, Jon writes four separate emails that go to four separate lists. They cover topics related to public speaking, writing, entrepreneurship and fitness. Go check out this post, and then sign up for the list or lists that most intrigues you.

Discipline Without Direction Equals Drudgery

Several years ago I decided I was going to be a morning person. I’d read a ton of articles and blog posts that made me feel like a slouch for not getting up early enough. They had valid reasons why I should and warned of the opportunities I would be leaving on the table if I didn’t. I didn’t want to be one of those nuts that get up at 4 am, but I did want to start getting up earlier. 

I set my alarm for 15 minutes earlier each day throughout the week, trying to train myself to get up at an earlier time. It was successful, at first. I had moved my wake up time back an hour after one week. Things were flying high and going well. No worries, no problems, and no obstacles. The first several weeks were a breeze. 

I slowly crept back towards my previous wake up time as time past. I’d hit the snooze a time or two, or stay up too late the night before and have a good excuse for why I needed extra sleep. After a few months, I was back in my old routine without even noticing it. 

How many times have we endeavored to establish better and more disciplined habits that didn’t take? How many times have we set goals to get up earlier, workout more or eat healthy without following through? 

It’s been an all too regular occurrence in my life. I’ll set a goal, and even come up with a plan on how I’m going to make it happen, but too many of them end up as stories of failure. They haunt me. If I let them they tell me I’m a failure as well, and that I shouldn’t try to make changes to the life I lead. I should accept the status quo. 

I can’t listen to those voices. I can’t listen to the weakness. They’re not telling the whole truth. There may be a kernel of truth in there somewhere, but it’s covered with lies. The truth is that I failed because I was missing the most important piece to the puzzle. Have you put together a puzzle only to realize you’re missing a few important pieces? 

Unless you have kids, it may not happen to you often. But I’d lay down big money it happens all the time in the real world. You decide you’re going to do something, you consider the cost, and come up with a plan to get there. You invest time and work hard to see change occur, but it’s short lived. What happened? What was the missing piece to your puzzle?  

You must know why you’re doing it in the first place if you’re going to have a chance at real lasting change. “Discipline without direction,” Donald Whitney said, “is drudgery.” 

You must have a compelling reason and purpose for change to stick. ‘Want to’ isn’t enough, there must be a real, and powerful reason why you are endeavoring to change. It has to be a reason that forces you forward and pulls you through the hard times. 

The vague promise of productivity wasn’t enough to get me out of bed, but getting up to workout and write has been. I’m actually getting up even earlier than I’d thought possible because I’ve found an irresistible motive. 

Spend some time this week, thinking about the why behind your biggest goals. What would your life look like if you reached them? Move beyond the vague and focus on the specific. I trust that if you find a powerful purpose behind your goal, it’ll become that much easier to hit your target.