Aspire To Achievement
“To desire is to obtain, to aspire is to achieve.”
— James Allen
Reflection
“To desire is to obtain, to aspire is to achieve.” With this line, Allen presses us beyond vague wishing into focused, upward‑reaching living. Aspiration is desire that has chosen a direction and accepted the cost of movement. It is not a moment of inspiration; it is a steady posture of the heart that says, “I will keep growing toward what is good, even when it is slow and uncomfortable.”
When you truly aspire, comfort stops being the main measure of a good day. Progress, however small, begins to matter more than ease. You welcome correction, you adjust your habits, and you keep showing up when the novelty wears off. Achievement, in Allen’s view, is not a prize randomly handed out; it is the natural outcome of a life that has been quietly aimed at a worthy target over time.
For the follower of Christ, aspiration is not about self‑glory. It is about cooperating with God’s desire to form you into someone who looks more like Jesus in thought, word, and deed. As your inner life rises — in integrity, in discipline, in love — your outer results begin to reflect that rise. You may not control the pace or the path, but you can choose, today, to live as one who aspires rather than one who merely wishes.
And that’s worth thinking about.
— Vic Johnson
Putting It Into Practice
- Name one area where you have been wishing for change but avoiding the work of change. Write one concrete action step you will take this week.
- Replace the question “Why is this so hard?” with “Who is God inviting me to become through this?” and notice how it shifts your attitude.
- Set a simple, trackable goal related to your aspiration (days exercised, pages written, calls made) and record your progress for the next 14 days.
One Question To Ponder
If someone watched only your habits, not your words, what would they conclude you are truly aspiring to become?
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