This article tells you a story of how an ordinary, everyday voracious learner took huge inspired action to become the Apprentice of one of the teachers from the hit movie: “The Secret”. It will inspire you about risk & faith.

When I joined the Having it All Challenge at the end of August 2007, I was temporarily living with my parents before heading back for my final year of college education in Washington. In their minds I would be leaving around the middle of September (I hadn’t told them about the Challenge or that my intention was to not go back to school!)

Even after joining the challenge, I didn’t tell them for another two weeks about my decision because I feared their reaction. Once I did tell them, my unease proved to be right: I was invited to leave home and given one week to find a new place to live.

It was an extremely difficult time for me to be so passionate about this journey I had chosen to take, but to find my parents so unsupportive. At the time I felt angry, hurt, and sad. I reminded myself of times when I had heard my parents say how sad it is when a child chooses a specific route in life, and the parents don’t support the decision…Or a child converts to a different religion than their family, and the parents excommunicate the child.

‘Well, dang…that’s pretty much what they just did to me,’ I felt.

“You’re not going back to school? You’ve got one week to leave.”

While it hurt, my commitment to my new journey was unwavering. Nothing would stop me from moving forward in the direction of my dreams.

I learned later from John that…

‘There are those who are interested, and those who are committed. Those who are interested in something will do what’s convenient, while those who are committed will do whatever it takes!’

Apparently I was applying this principle before I even knew it consciously.

So what was my goal and outcome in joining the Having it All Challenge?

As I mentioned in Part 1, I had the intention of being mentored by one of the great personal growth teachers.

In the personal profile questions for the Having it All Challenge I was asked, “Where do you see yourself 6-12 months from now?” Still not knowing how in the world I would achieve it, I reaffirmed what I put on my vision board, and wrote, “The Apprentice of John Assaraf…”

Little did I know that my goal would not take 6-12 months, but merely 1 1/2…

P.S. As a side note about my parents: We now have an incredible relationship. The feelings I expressed were how I felt in 2007. Now I fully understand they were only doing what they felt was the right thing to do. I absolutely love my parents, and so should you!

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