Born For Moreনমুনা

If you’re going to start living your best days, you’ve got to define your success. Howard Thurman said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because, what the world needs are people who have come alive.”

I love that. I always thought success meant I had to impress the people around me. I had to do something that they were going to think was successful or amazing. But if God has called you into an occupation, then you should strive to be the best that you can be within your role. Guess what? If you do, you are an incredible success!

Failure would be walking in a position that you’re not supposed to be in and making tons of money doing it. Then, at the end of your life, God saying, “I gave you this gift and you never used it. I gave you this dream and you despised it.”

In college, there were people that had an unhealthy view of success. I was one of those people. We would sit around and talk about the big things you have to do in order to be successful. I started to realize that a monetary number doesn’t define success. Success is achieved when you obey God’s calling on your life. That’s the bottom line of success -obeying what God has called you to do. Walking out your calling doesn’t always look like “success” does in the world.

John 15:8, says, “My true disciples bear much fruit.” Jesus is saying, “I want you to be productive. I don’t want you to just survive or exist. I want you to be successful at what I’ve called you to be successful in.” God’s measure of success is the only one that matters at the end of the day. Are you becoming more like Jesus? Who you’re becoming and what you’re doing with what He’s given you are the “successes” that God cares about.

Success is a moving target for most of us. Every year, there are new targets that we want to hit. Maybe there are things we want to do differently today than we have in the past. The target I had as a teenager is different than the target I have today. However, there’s one target that never falters, and that is to obey God.

Follow what God is calling you to do. Step out and start moving in the direction that God has called you to go. There’s more in store for your future than what you’re seeing right now. You just have to walk in obedience.

Make a list. Write down the things that God has called you to accomplish. Maybe God is calling you to spend more time in your Bible. Maybe success looks like losing 20 pounds, dedicated family time, or diligence in your finances. Whatever it is, write it down. Circle that target, put the bull’s-eye on there, and start moving towards your goal. Make action steps to reach your goal.

It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to be a process. It may take a month, a year, or several years. As you start moving towards your target, you will walk in the success of fulfilling your goals.