“We become what we love,” says an old quote.

It’s a simple, powerful idea. That is absolutely true.

For a long time, we’ve been told the good life means having more stuff: a bigger house, a new car, trendy clothes, the latest technology, the coolest toys, and so on.

Because of that messaging we’ve received since birth, we’ve spent much of our energy chasing these things, thinking they’ll make us happy.

But fullness of life is not found in the things we possess. Real happiness doesn’t come from what we own. Even worse, that line of thinking can actually hold us back.

Consider for just a moment the foolishness of defining the good life in terms of physical possessions:

Stuff Comes and Goes.

Think about it. Our money situation can change overnight because of things we can’t control, like the economy or natural disasters or someone’s decision above you at work. Should our happiness ever be tied to things outside our control?

It’s a Luck of the Draw.

The amount of stuff we own often depends on where we were born and who our family is. That’s pure chance. Should something as important as our happiness be left to chance?

“Stuff“ Doesn’t Feed the Soul.

No amount of material goods can ever fill the deeper needs we all have. In fact, often times, chasing stuff takes our attention away from the things that really make life worthwhile.

More Never Fully Satisfies.

Even people who have everything they could ever want still look for more. If we keep thinking that the next new thing will make us happy, we’ll never find peace.

So, what should we do?

Rather than focusing on what we have, we focus on what we’re chasing.

Because we what we pursue in life means a lot more than what we possess!

The things we want most guide our choices every day. They show us where to put our time, money, and effort. What we chase shapes our lives more than anything else.

And here’s the really good news: Every day, we get to choose what we chase.

We alone get to decide what’s most important to us. Isn’t that empowering?

So, what are you going to chase?

This is an important question, and the answer can change your life.

So today go after things that have true, lasting value: love, kindness, fairness, beauty, and hope. Make it your goal to make someone else’s world better, even if it’s just a little bit.

When it comes down to it, the worth of our life isn’t measured by what we have. It’s defined by what we go after.

So let’s not waste our days collecting things. Let’s fill them chasing what really counts.