What is my purpose?

What is my purpose? This is one of the oldest questions mankind faces. It's also one of the most important questions an individual will ever ask. This is what we challenged our athletes with last week at Victory School of Wrestling. We asked them two simple questions: 1) What is my purpose? 2) What are my goals?

These two questions are central to the motivation of a high school wrestler. Notice, the questions are asked separately because they demand different answers. When our purpose and goals are the same, we run into many problems. Essentially, if our goal is our purpose, we will do anything necessary to reach those goals, including compromising our character and integrity.

Our purpose must be much higher than our goals and bigger than ourselves. At Victory, we talk about possessing a "transcendent cause." As young men and women, each athlete must expect the greater reward. Our purpose includes character and significance, what we're about and who we are. Wrestling is what we do. It's not who we are.

I was very fortunate to experience success in high school athletics. I won multiple state titles and enjoyed the feeling of achieving my goals. However, if winning state titles was my purpose, the day I stood on top of the podium would have been very disappointing. Individual success as an athlete will always let one down if value is expected to be found in those goals. Again, purpose is about character and significance, goals aren't.

It becomes difficult for high school athletes to see the "big picture" when we talk about our purpose. Often times, they haven't been challenged to assess their lives in this manner, so we bring this idea to the table and encourage them to put this question foremost in their lives as athletes.

Everyone of us is created with uniqueness and distinction and fully equipped for greatness. It's our responsibility as human beings to determine where that is. We need to find our purpose to be great. As a Christ-follower, I believe my purpose is to glorify God in all that I do. My life is about His name and His renown, not my name or fame. My status in this world is fleeting, but God's is everlasting. I strive to take advantage of the opportunity to contribute to God's everlasting glory...it's pretty amazing.

My life is rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8. It says, "Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your truth, we eagerly wait for You, for Your name and Your renown are the desires of our souls." Amen.

At Victory School of Wrestling, our purpose is outlined in our mission statement. We aim to build championship wrestlers with championship character, tremendous work ethic and high standards of excellence, morality and integrity, because even in defeat, you can still be victorious! Our purpose is to build great men of women.

What is your purpose?