In the 2004 Summer Olympics, Matthew Emmons had a commanding lead in the Olympic 50-meter three-position rifle going into the final. He simply needed to hit his target in order to take the gold medal. He calmed his heart rate and fired his shot, hitting right where he aimed. But his shot did not register on the scoreboard. “I thought it was a target malfunction, which sometimes happens.”, said Matthew. Unfortunately, Matthew did hit the target, but it was the wrong target. Instead of winning the gold medal, he fell to 8th place in the competition.
What do you aim at in life?
5 Targets to Not Aim At:
The culture in which we live too often defines success along five “P’s”:
- Power
- Position
- Prestige
- Pleasures
- Prosperity
When we aim at those things we often fall short of success and authentic living.
2 Worthy Targets to Aim For In Life: So, what should be the target we aim for in order to live a truly successful life? We suggest two:
- Be a complete person. This is integration. It is important to have success in all areas of life. Many leaders may experience success in their professional life, but their family and marriage is in ruins. Living authentically means to win in all vital areas of life: family, finances, faith, recreation, work, friendships, health.
- Be a champion for good. This is your contribution. What are you giving back to society? Who are you helping? We each desire to have a significant impact in the lives of those around us. We want to leave a lasting legacy behind when we are gone.
Read and reflect on how the apostle Paul described authentic living in Colossians 1:9-13. What principles for success are found in the following verses in Proverbs 3:13; 8:32-36; 20:7; and 28:13?
What would you add? What other worthy targets am I missing here?
Steve Morgan
stevermorgan.com 