Goal in Life

A life without a goal or purpose can lead to a loss of productivity, progress and peace. We don’t want to go through life like a rudderless ship. One of the blessings of the Quran is it provides us a purpose (51:56). In general, whether in worldly or spiritual terms, achieving goals gives us a sense of accomplishment. It also helps us stay motivated and focused on what we want to achieve.

In this world, people have career goals. You may want to become a doctor, a pilot, an engineer, or a business owner. But notwithstanding these desires, you also need to be a good person. A multi-millionaire who is corrupt and treats people poorly is not truly successful. You want to be just and fair to others. If you live up to this idea, it will have a healthy influence on everybody. You cannot bring change in others unless you change yourself. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Before learning about submission to God, my goals were related to success in the material world.

As my understanding of Quran progressed, it changed the whole perspective of my life. These worldly achievements, which were once very much desirable and dear to me, became less important. God tells us in His scriptures what this life is all about. He also informs us what our goal in this life should be. This is especially clear in the Quran, the Final Testament for humanity. All we need is to follow the prescribed instructions in the scripture to achieve that goal.

I am extremely thankful to God for He has finally made me realize what my real goal in life should be. God asks us to prioritize success and focus on the hereafter.

[17:19] As for those who choose the Hereafter as their priority, and work righteousness, while believing, their efforts will be appreciated.

Now that I have found the real goal in life, what do I need to do to achieve it? To begin with I must understand and feel the purpose of my life while taking the first steps in the direction of achieving the goal.

Next, I need to make a commitment to myself, because ultimately my soul is the beneficiary, to instill a sense of perseverance, of continued striving and to overcome self-imposed limitations.

We humans, in part due to a combination of peer pressure, laziness and distractions, get bound by self-created barriers that restrict us from doing the right things. “What will people say?” is one of the questions we deal with that may cause us to deviate from the right path. We need to remind ourselves that the One we need to please is God, and the work we put in is for our own good.

Let us try to ask ourselves this question before retiring to bed: “What would I want God to say about me if I were to die tomorrow?” This million-dollar question can set your path towards achieving your real goal. We need to magnify God and His attributes. We must not let this material world cause us to forget our mission. We do have a real purpose on planet earth, and it is not becoming “rich and famous”. By God’s immense mercy and grace, He defines and clarifies our mission

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