The biggest thing that determines your personal success is how you personally define success.

So how do you define it? Is success a certain amount of money? Is it related to social media? Is it something you park in your garage? How about a number you see on a weight scale?

The good news is that you get to define what success means for you. The bad news is that you and I often pick the wrong definition.

Goals we strive for and numbers we want to reach are fine and all. Everyone needs something to aim at in life. But accomplishing a goal doesn’t necessarily make you a success. It just means you have to set another goal, then another one, and so on.

But remember these words from Jesus: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36).

God isn’t impressed when people set amazing goals and then reach them. He isn’t interested in marathon medals or padded portfolios. What he’s most interested in is who you are and who you become.

Put another way, God is most interested in the person you would have to become in order to accomplish the goals you set. That means the best definition of success is simply to pursue a goal that draws you closer to the identity and purpose that Jesus won for you.