During my high school and college years, I felt adrift. My heart grasped for possibilities of what a good life might look like. Hollywood actress? Investigative journalist? Marketing executive? Every idea seemed impossible and unfulfilling. How was I to know what decisions to make? Where would those decisions lead? Even if I knew what I wanted and worked hard, would I “make it”?  

Anxiety and insecurity swirled within me like a constant thunderstorm. Looking back, I wish someone taught me what I know now: We shape our lives by our vision of what the “good life” looks like—and we step out of anxiety when we renew our minds with what is true. 

Life has lots of changes as the years progress: schools, jobs, relationships. But what remains is our outlook, our vision of the “good life” and how we manage our thought life.

To help you make decisions that will shape your future in the most viable way (and help stop the swirl
of anxiety), here are three things to consider.

1. What is your vision of a good life?

James K.A. Smith, a Christian philosopher, says our vision of a good life impacts what we love (desire) and our loves shape who we are. 

In other words, “We are what we love” because we make life decisions based on what we desire the most. Our vision and our desires go hand-in-hand and directly impact our decisions.

For example, if your vision of the good life means having a successful career in marketing and raising a family, then you might intently focus on how to influence people’s decisions through advertisement and online influencers—and choose to work for companies that allow for flexible work so you can be an active parent someday.

These core desires, career and family, will impact your choices. You might not choose to climb too high on the corporate ladder because your core desire of family will impact that decision. 

What is your vision of a good life? If you need help thinking through this, look at the “further steps” section.

2. Is your vision of a good life actually good?

 Sometimes we embrace a vision of what a good life might look like that is not actually good. This happens easily. Take a five-minute look on Instagram or TikTok. Alternative visions of a good life constantly flash in our feeds and almost seem to yell, “You will never make it!” No wonder anxiety and depression affect many young adults. 

What we think about informs our emotional life, which is why Paul, the author of the book of Romans in the Bible, wrote, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2, NIV). 

For this reason, we need to deliberately care for our minds. If we constantly feed on Reels, we shape our souls by algorithms. But if we fill our minds with foundational truths (like those in the Bible), we shape our core sense of identity and vision of a good life with what is real.

This is what is real: We are made by God with purpose (Genesis 1:27-28, Ephesians 2:8-10) and God has a good life for us (which may look nothing like we imagined). We can trust His plan because He is the one who created us from the womb and numbered our days even before we first took a breath (Psalm 139).  

3. Discover God’s vision of the good life.

The Bible talks a lot about living a good life. In fact, the founder of The Salvation Army, William Booth, dedicated his whole life to helping others discover the foundation to living a good life found in the Bible: having a saving relationship with God through Jesus and living for Him in whatever we do (see John 17:3 and Colossians 3:17), most notably: serving others. 

The Bible also shows us that when Jesus walked on earth, he taught about the vision of a good life. For example, in Matthew 6:19-24, He explained that people who live solely for a desire to become rich miss the point of life. Rather, those who store up treasures in heaven invest in treasures that last forever. 

Grasping after visions of a good life that fade with time or the stock market leads to a life of fear, anxiety or discontentment. Jobs change. People move. Money vanishes. What really matters in life can’t be bartered. What brings fullness of satisfaction is what our hearts look like, a life centered on God’s love and living with Him in
the world. 

Do you want a vision of the good life that makes you whole? Do you want to live with purpose and peace? Start here: 

• Read the Bible. What does it say about a good life?
• Memorize truths from the Bible. This helps you notice when you see visions of the good life that aren’t good. 
• Live out the truths of the Bible in your everyday life. As we live out truth, our desires are shaped for the good, whatever job or path we take.

5 Things To Consider When Crafting Your Vision For A Good Life:

1. What is one thing you MUST do to feel satisfied? (i.e., work outside, travel, paint, worship God, etc.)
2. If you did the same thing every day for the rest of your life, what would you want it to include? (i.e., help others, create, discover, organize, etc.) 
3. In 10-20 years from now, what would a dream life look like for you? Think details. 
4. When you stand before God to give an account of how you spent the time He gave you, what do you want to have spent your time on? 
5. In looking at your responses, finish this sentence: “The good life for me looks like…” 
6. Pray about the above sentence. Ask God to lead you forward in the good plans He has for you, even those you cannot see. 

This article was originally titled “Living the Good Life” in the November 2023 issue of Peer.