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When Eric was confronted with the man who had made a deal with the devil, his back was against the wall. The agent of the devil had a knife in his hand and was ready to strike the unarmed Eric. But Eric pulled out the last card he had left: he started to reason with the lost soul. “It’s never too late to turn your life around and do the right thing,” he told him.
The man paused for a while. He looked at Eric with a solemn expression, “do you really believe that?” he asked Eric.
“I have to,” Eric replied sincerely.
The man then told Eric to walk away, even though it would cost him his life. And that’s the power of “I have to.”
When I was appointed to teach English at St. Ignatius Secondary, there were rumors going around that the male students of the 11th grade were extremely rude and dangerous, and there were several reports of hand to hand combats ensuing between male students and teachers. In one extreme case, a male teacher was ambushed near to a bridge, beaten and thrown over the corner of the bridge. He suffered mild to moderate injuries and was unable to work for several days. A concerned lady said to me, “Patrick, are you sure will be able to cope with the big bad boys of that school?” I responded, “I have to.”
Not only did I cope well was them, it was a joyful and rewarding experience, and I was lauded by those same “gangsters” for being the “coolest teacher on campus.” And that’s the power of “I have to.”
When my family questioned how I was going to break all the barriers that stood between me and being a successful writer, I responded, “I will, because I have to.”
But why do you have to? People have different reasons for doing the things they must do. Some know that it is their purpose, talent and passion. Some want to fulfill their dreams while some dream of giving their children a better life. Whatever the case is, you must have a strong “why.” And you must have a resounding answer to that why: because “I have to.”
