Our most innate need is to feel significant, to find purpose and meaning in our human existence. We want something to survive us. While many attempt to find significance by gratifying their own ambitions, I argue that significance is not possible unless what we do contributes to the welfare of others.
There’s a test for that. It’s a simple question: “Does what I am about to do contribute to the welfare of others in a demonstration of faith, love, obedience, and service to God?” It is not humanly possible to find lasting significance apart from a genuine relationship with God.
Forming such a relationship, and thereby developing significance, is not something that simply happens. It must be intentional. Daily habits need to be formed that shape and deepen the relationship in a meaningful way. Forgiveness must be truly learned and mastered. Moving the dial daily towards the end of changing one’s character should be the primary motive. The journey is more akin to a marathon than a sprint, and the end result is a renewed spirit and mindset that answers your life’s WHY and affirms your life’s WORK.
In other words, your life’s WHY and your life’s WORK are synonymous. They both are designed to exist in harmony with all other aspects of your life and drive your motive for living and attitude with relationships. God’s original design for work was for it to be a holy pursuit, a holy vocation, a calling. It’s how He intended us to occupy our time on Earth. Our feeling of significance directly stems from feeling God’s pleasure in what we do to improve the welfare of others.
Changing the world for the better is a noble aspiration. We all think we need to do things outwardly in order to change the world. I think the best way to change the world is to take care of your mind.
Your mind is not a source of information. It’s a receiver of information, and what you tune in to is going to take over your life. What your mind receives is what you’re going to think about, and we become what we think about.
If you want good things, then tune in to good things. The accumulation of good conscious choices does more good than bad. If it’s good, do more. If it’s not good, do less. Let’s tune in to things that will enable us all to succeed because we’re all connected. Building bridges of connection starts with the commitment to take care of your body and mind.
To make the world a better place, treat your mind right. Feeding your Good Wolf enables you to love and be kind to your neighbor, i.e. the people in your life. That’s the best way to leave your mark on the world in a very positive way.
This post was originally published as two posts: one on May 10, 2020, as Train for Significance, and the other as To Change the World, Take Care of You on October 3, 2021. It is published today with meaningful enhancements and a new title.
MindWolves 