I will never forget when I turned forty, my wife made me go in for my first
physical in many years. I was in decent shape, but she wanted me to have an
annual physical. I went in and everything checked out pretty well. However, when
the blood tests came back my cholesterol was really high. The doctor, who was
considerably overweight, said he, too, had the same problem. The doctor told me
he took a certain medicine to mediate his high cholesterol. I asked if there were
other options or alternatives. He explained that through a strict diet of little meat,
lots of vegetables, and taking certain vitamins, he felt like we could bring it down.
He warned that it would be difficult and he seemed against this alternative opposed
to the medication as it required a disciplined change.

The visit scared me for my future health. I said I didn’t want the medicine
and would rather change my diet. A year or so later I returned for another physical.
When the blood tests came back again with high cholesterol levels, he put me on
the cholesterol medication. What had happened? Why hadn’t my levels come
down? After the visit a year prior, I had been very motivated for about a day to
change my diet and my ways. After a day or two, my desire for sweet food and my
regular diet superseded my desire for lower cholesterol levels.

Life seems to be a series of decisions that are inspired by our greatest
desires. In the end, our true desires dictate our actions, our decisions, our results, and our direction. If I had truly desired lower cholesterol levels, I would have done
anything and everything possible to obtain those levels, including drastically
changing my eating habits.