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There are two superordinate goals in life. All other goals are subordinate to these or detract from them. The first is to get to Heaven. The second is to help other people get to Heaven. My dissertation was on goals and how people achieve them and their relation to personality. One of the things I used to do in my research was conduct what I called my “Four Year Old’s Interview.” I even taped a couple of interviews doing this. I would start by asking people what they did yesterday. I then asked why, and the answer had to start with “I want/wanted to…”. This would repeat until we could go no farther. An interesting phenomenon occurred. What people did boiled down to only a few core motivations - e.g., “to take care of my family.” Why did you stop to get coffee - because I wanted to be able to keep going during the day. Of course real life is a bit more complex than this example and these ladders actually branch out (e.g., I want to socialize with friends AND keep going at work when I get coffee), but at the ultimate motivation level they kept coming back to the same small set of motivations. Each person’s life is rooted in certain goals that guided much of what they do. This was not depth psychology (looking at hidden motivations), but it was insightful to watch how people would get to a where they could go no farther - and how it fit each person distinctly. Why do we have these goals that guide us? Those who refuse God have no answer here. They are stuck with “geez, that’s just what I want.” It either feels right, or feels good, or because society tells them too - all very dissatisfying answers. But for those who are open to God, there is an answer! I take care of my family because I want to spend eternity with God and I want them there too. I do what charity I do because I want to go to heaven and I want those I am helping to go as well. I build loving friendships because that is how I can experience God - it helps me get to Heaven (and hopefully my friends too). If we can’t tie our motivations back to these two goals we are wasting our time and the time of others. If our motivations do not have these ultimate goals, then what we do is meaningless. It may feel good, it may help me get by, but it really doesn’t matter. If what we do is counter to these two goals, then I would call it sinful. What did you do yesterday? Why did you do it?
Why did you want to keep going during the day - because I want to do well at my job.
Why did you want to do well at your job - because I want to provide for my family.
Why did you want to provide for your family - geez, that’s what I want. I love them.
Tags: motivation, Heaven
