Think back to your own call, my brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise in human terms. Not many of you were powerful. Not many were nobly born. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong; God chose the insignificant and despised things of the world—yes, even things that don’t exist!—to abolish the power of the things that do exist.—1 Corinthians 1:26–28
Brainy Tip: The more we feel like we are failures, the more likely we are to fail.
We need to recognize that society alone is not the sole factor in determining what we do with our lives. Our own thoughts can hinder our ability to think, learn, and succeed beyond the limits of any society. Have you ever scrolled through Instagram, paralyzed by the feeling that your life somehow doesn’t measure up? Have you ever felt swamped at work or stuck in an endless, meaningless cycle of nine-to-five? Have you ever felt lost preparing for an exam you knew you were going to fail? Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy!
We need to remember that often the people who change the world come from unexpected places. We need to remember that where we fall short, God steps in. And we need to remember that success is subjective. You can only be as successful as you, not as successful as someone else. And you are as successful as you want to be.