I enjoy playing golf, but I have to admit I am not very good at it. Knowing this, I have settled in my heart that my central purpose on the course is to provide comic relief in the midst of an otherwise mentally taxing, high-stress game. It’s not that I tell the best jokes; it’s more that I am the joke. My rule when playing golf is to be as far from the ball after hitting it as I can. Usually, that looks like 10 feet on a drive and 100 feet on a putt—somehow, I keep getting those mixed up! 

Even though I can’t play well, I know that how you approach the ball and line up your feet with your body will determine how well you hit the ball. In golf, it is all about approach and alignment. In fact, you can’t even expect to get a good swing at the ball if you aren’t in the proper position. 

In the same way, how well we swing and hit in life is, first and foremost, dependent on our approach. What do I mean by swinging and hitting? Our perspective and attitude determine how far we’ll go in the game of life.  

Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

If we are going to win in life, we have to understand how the game is played. To understand how the game of life is played, we have to understand how God created us and how we are uniquely designed to operate. God created us to function from the inside-out, not the outside-in. We are spiritual beings living in a physical reality. God’s Spirit lives inside us and works through us, shaping our behavior. It all starts on the inside and then flows out of us. What resides inside of you will guide your actions. If fear, doubt, and unbelief are in your heart, you will act accordingly. If faith, trust, and hope are in your heart, you will act according to those. People are not just a product of their circumstances; they are a  product of their thinking. Author James Allen said, “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” The way you approach life will be filtered through who you are—your traits.

The more you develop yourself, the more successful you’ll be in life. So, what are you doing to grow yourself and develop your potential? What is your growth plan? What are you doing to intentionally take yourself to a new level in your traits, skills, and relationship with God?

Here is a great podcast I recently did about how to develop a specific growth plan…I think it will be super helpful if you don’t have one. Check it out!