“Behind every successful person there is a substantial amount of coffee.”

That is what the sign above my head reads, as I am in Starbucks today writing this.  Though this is probably a very true statement, the real “stuff” behind a successful person is a little more than just coffee.

Success is a multi-defined word.  If you would ask 10 different people what success is you would probably get 10 different answers.  We all have a common goal though, we all want to be successful in life.  But what is success? Have you ever defined what success is? How would you know if you are successful if you haven’t defined it for your life?

Some believe success is determined by their bank account or their job title.  But we all know people who have lots of money and a big job description yet feel completely empty.  Just look at most of Hollywood’s track record of rehab patients and suicide rates.  These celebrities have reached what we would call “success” in there field.  Yet they are living miserably depressed lives.  Is fortune and fame what success really is? Is success reaching your goals? But there are many people who have reached all their goals yet still feel they are missing something.  They have checked off all their goals only to find that they aren’t fulfilled.  So success can’t just be reaching your goals especially if those goals don’t line up with what you were created for.  Is success being popular so that everyone knows who you are? But what if you are not called to be in the spot-light? Rather you have a quiet strength about you? So the question we need to ask ourselves is…how do I know if I am successful?

I believe success is defined by two things…

1. Knowing your purpose in life.

2. Living it out.

We were created with purpose and a responsibility to live out that purpose.  God is not going to ask you why you weren’t more like your father on judgement day.  He is not going to ask you why you weren’t more like your pastor.  He is not going to ask you why you were not like someone else.  He is going to judge you based on who you were called to be.  If you lived out the dreams that He placed within you.

So behind every successful person is a clear mission of “why”.  Why they do what they do.  When you know your “why” in life you will know if you are living a successful life.  “Why” helps guide you in the right direction.  After you have your “why” work on “how” to make that “why” a reality.  I would encourage you to write out your “why” in life.  Don’t make it hard, don’t make it complex, don’t make it long.  My “why” in life is summed up with this sentence…”To know God and make Him known to those who know of me.” Basically my life exist to…

1. To know God – be in a loving, growing relationship with the Creator.  This is worship.

2. …and make Him known – to be an example to others of the power of God in my life.  This is influence.

3. …to those who know of me. – to everyone I come in contact with or who talks about me.  I want to live a life that when others think of me or talk about me they talk about a positive difference I have made in them.  This is impact.

What is your life sentence?