What do you consider a win in life?

I remember the day Kody Lostroh won the PBR world title. Although I had very little to do with his success, I was a part of the journey. I was privileged to watch how he remained hopeful when he lost, and how he remained humble when he won. How he valued his wife, Candice and maximized his influence by taking time to show genuine love to all his fans.

There have been many world champs over the years that I wasn’t overly excited for – not because I didn’t think they deserved it, but rather I was concerned that their character wasn’t strong enough to truly enjoy it. But when I knew Kody’s time had come, I felt proud to see a man who would win well. He knew his purpose in life, and he knew that winning the title wasn’t it. He had already answered the question.

Jesus asked the question, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and loose himself?” Over the last two weeks we have been sharing about how we must master what we can control or other forces will do it for you. I often ask myself, if I achieve that “goal” or get that “thing”, but violate my character and priorities – have I really gained anything?

Fortunately it doesn’t have to be an either or. I actually think Jesus wants us to be great. He wants us to have everything we need, to be the best us and maximize our influence on the world around us.

Whatever you are going for in life, be certain to celebrate the journey, and know that your purpose is to be the recipient of the love of God, and your destiny is to show that love. Do this and failure isn’t even an option…