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Secret of Success

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do."¹

Many years ago God gave his people, the ancient Israelites, a specific goal and with it an unbeatable formula for success. The goal was to claim and possess the Promised Land which, in time, became the country we know today as Israel.

If we want to be successful—that is, in the eyes of God, we also need to discover our God-given life purpose and, with God's help, be totally committed to fulfilling it, and in the process be sure to live in harmony with God's instructions for wholesome living.

It seems to me that far too many people drift through life mostly allowing "life as it happens" to direct and determine their future, rather than specifically choosing the direction and future of their life. To avoid the former, it is imperative to have a clearly defined life purpose with specific goals to fulfill that purpose.

Psychologists have been telling us for years that if we are to be successful, we need to have well defined goals. Furthermore, Victor Frankl, the Viennese psychiatrist, says that "not having a goal is more to be feared than not reaching a goal."

If you want to be truly successful, make sure that you have a clearly defined life purpose and goal that is both realistic and worthwhile. Be sure to get the training you need to be able to fulfill your goal, and determine a plan for fulfilling it. The beginning point is to discover your life purpose-goal, put it into writing—with a specific plan to fulfill it—and commit this to memory and review it constantly. Doing this will program it into your subconscious mind that will help your mind to automatically work on your plans even when you are asleep.

As another has wisely said, "Success is the ability for formulate a worthwhile goal and then employ all of your powers for the achievement of that goal."

Furthermore, and above all, make sure that your life purpose and goal includes planning for your life beyond this life because, as God's Word reminds us: "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."²

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to discover my God-given life purpose and goal, and establish a workable plan to fulfill this goal. Help me to get the training needed to be able to achieve this goal, and the determination—with Your help to fulfill it—and do all for Your glory. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Joshua 1:7 (NLT).
2. Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV).

Footnote: As Jack Canfield suggested, "If you are clear where you are going and you take several steps in that direction every day, you eventually have to get there. If I head north out of Santa Barbara and take five steps a day, eventually I have to end up in San Francisco. So decide what you want, write it down, review it constantly, and each day do something that moves you toward those goals."

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