From Desire to Direction: A Home Gym Journey on Trusting the Process

Do you ever struggle with telling the difference between blind desire and inspired direction? Or perhaps you'd like a bit of inspiration on the power of intention? If so, I'm hopeful you'll find my journey of building a home gym useful.

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Eager to recover from knee surgery and increase my body's resilience to chronic pain, I started a regular strength training program using dumbbells and kettlebells. My gains soon plateaued and I'd need to incorporate barbell training to move forward. This is a huge leap for a home gym, as it requires the money and space for a barbell, weight plates and a steel cage to perform the training in (a power rack).

I obsessed over acquiring the foundational piece I'd need for barbell training -- the perfect power rack. I poured myself into research and built (and rebuilt) the various rack systems on all the top home gym companies’s websites. My heart soon became set on a Rogue four-poster in white with strap safeties and a handful of select accessories. Nearly every day, I compulsively placed my ideal rack in the cart to stare at longingly.

As I do with all significant life decisions, I sought guidance during my morning journaling practice. Much to my frustration, my request to purchase the Rogue rack was denied each time I asked. After months of not receiving the permission I sought, I did what any persistent person would and attempted to outwit my advisor. Assuming the requests had been denied on the basis of price, I set my sights lower to other less-expensive options. While not nearly as exciting, I found an alternative rack that would cost nearly half of the Rogue. New approach, same response -- 'no'.

The daily frustrations continued another six months until one random day I received the blessing I'd been craving! Given the go ahead, I excitedly placed the non-Rogue rack into the cart and initiated the check-out. Just as I was about to enter my credit card details, I felt an indescribable urge to check Craigs List. Reluctantly, I obeyed and was rewarded with the discovery of the exact Rogue rack I’d been dreaming of. Despite some reservations it would fit in my small space, I jumped on the opportunity.

Through what I can only explained as a miracle of events, the incredibly kind seller and his son offered to navigate a torrential storm to deliver the massive steel rack to my home. Much to my amazement, the rack fit like a glove and the rest has been history. To this day, I continue to be hit with a jolt of joy each time I open the garage door and see the rack.

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Hidden within this experience is the ever so subtle lesson of discriminating between the drive of desire and the pull of direction. Had I purchased the rack on my first impulse, I’d have denied myself this mini-miracle. Sure I saved a few bucks, but the real gain was far more profound. Flowing along the same vein as the seminal manifestation books Think and Grow Rich and The Secret, I discovered the power of intention first hand. Even more importantly, I was given tangible evidence that the voice speaking to me from the stillness is far wiser than my selfish impulses and has my best interests at heart.