Last fall I was thinking about my goals for 2018. Through the course of this exercise, which I typically do in the 4th quarter for the upcoming year, I asked myself this question: What is the largest goal I can imagine?
I let my mind consider lifetime goals, beyond just 2018.
How big can I think?
I found myself settling on two: 1) Having a net worth of $100,000,000 and 2) Becoming a saint.
The $100 million net worth seems very big to me. We’re all different. Some would see this as insane to consider. Others would take it seriously. For me to imagine $100 million dollars and play that out in my mind – the selling of multiple successful businesses, the building of something from scratch to something of significant value – this would be a really, really big accomplishment.
The “becoming a saint” idea surprised me. I think I was first exposed to the idea loosely by author Matthew Kelly, and the idea that our call to holiness is our greatest human calling. Combining that with some of what St. Therese of Lisieux had to say (“God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”) When I think of what it would look like for yours truly to become an actual venerated saint, to imagine hearing my name sung in the litany of saints on All Saints Day, imagining one of those little saint prayer cards with my mug on it – that is a really, really big accomplishment.
I realized that in noodling on the net worth goal, my mind was thinking through all the numbers and projects and timelines of things. What businesses would I start? Where would I invest my time and resources and talents? My mind thought through all the things I would have to consider doing in order to make it happen.
In thinking about the saint goal, I realized how powerless I am. I realized, for that to happen, it would be all God, because in many ways I am such a buffoon. It would be His grace, His goodness, His guidance and my complete surrender and willingness to follow Him at all costs.
In short, $100,000,000 = Me. Becoming a saint = God.
And then I had this realization.
If I had a choice between the $100,000,000 or becoming a saint, I’d take becoming a saint.
And the takeaway?
The biggest goal I can imagine is based in God and me submitting. All the projects and work and stress we can put on ourselves – and really, our greatest achievements can be rooted in simple love and surrender and taking one day at a time. It is in that freedom we can really live a beautiful, fun life. And thank God for that.
I let my mind consider lifetime goals, beyond just 2018.
How big can I think?
I found myself settling on two: 1) Having a net worth of $100,000,000 and 2) Becoming a saint.
The $100 million net worth seems very big to me. We’re all different. Some would see this as insane to consider. Others would take it seriously. For me to imagine $100 million dollars and play that out in my mind – the selling of multiple successful businesses, the building of something from scratch to something of significant value – this would be a really, really big accomplishment.
The “becoming a saint” idea surprised me. I think I was first exposed to the idea loosely by author Matthew Kelly, and the idea that our call to holiness is our greatest human calling. Combining that with some of what St. Therese of Lisieux had to say (“God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”) When I think of what it would look like for yours truly to become an actual venerated saint, to imagine hearing my name sung in the litany of saints on All Saints Day, imagining one of those little saint prayer cards with my mug on it – that is a really, really big accomplishment.
I realized that in noodling on the net worth goal, my mind was thinking through all the numbers and projects and timelines of things. What businesses would I start? Where would I invest my time and resources and talents? My mind thought through all the things I would have to consider doing in order to make it happen.
In thinking about the saint goal, I realized how powerless I am. I realized, for that to happen, it would be all God, because in many ways I am such a buffoon. It would be His grace, His goodness, His guidance and my complete surrender and willingness to follow Him at all costs.
In short, $100,000,000 = Me. Becoming a saint = God.
And then I had this realization.
If I had a choice between the $100,000,000 or becoming a saint, I’d take becoming a saint.
And the takeaway?
The biggest goal I can imagine is based in God and me submitting. All the projects and work and stress we can put on ourselves – and really, our greatest achievements can be rooted in simple love and surrender and taking one day at a time. It is in that freedom we can really live a beautiful, fun life. And thank God for that.