How far are you willing to go to pursue your goals?
Goals are good, especially when we’re called to pursue things. For example, I know that I was called to publishing and writing. Others may know they were called to the mission field, to teaching, to firefighting, to music or art. Goals help us pursue these callings.
But is it possible to go too far in our pursuit of good goals?
In Mordizan, the upcoming second installment in The Wraithwood Trilogy, the main character Brinnie has several good goals, including saving her sister and defeating an ancient evil. But in order to do so, she has to go undercover in the very heart of enemy territory.
In the book, Brinnie struggles with herself, her morals, and how far she’s willing to go to achieve these goals. How far is too far? At what point do the ends no longer justify the means?
None of us will probably find ourselves caught up in a magical war over the fate of humanity, but we do sometimes have to decide what we’re willing to do to achieve our goals. Should we cheat, steal, and lie to get ahead?
The answer is obviously (hopefully) no. But when we’re so intent on the end goal, sometimes we can be tempted. So here are three tips from an ambitious goal-setter for staying the course and navigating ambition with integrity.
- Remain in the moment.
Sometimes, it can be easy to get caught up in the pursuit of the future. But what about this day, this moment? The future isn’t promised. If we never achieve the goal, will our actions still be worth it? Will they be something to be proud of?
When we don’t try to justify our current actions with a future that is uncertain, we’re more likely to realize when we’re playing with fire.
- Think of long-term consequences.
Maybe you passed the class by cheating—but now you’re in your field, and you don’t know what you’re doing. Maybe you cut corners at your job, and now the project is falling down around you as you scramble to patch up holes. Maybe you took credit for someone else’s work, and now you live in fear that they’ll find out and tell the world.
Luke 12:2-3 warns, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight.” No dark deed can remain hidden forever. Are we ready to face the consequences of our actions when they come to light?
- Remember you are not alone.
When temptation strikes, we have a God who hears and walks with us. When there seems no other way to get ahead than to compromise our convictions, we can remember that with God, there is always a way. If He has called us to something, He will make a way in which we can proceed without dishonoring Him.
Fantasy provides a unique opportunity to explore moral dilemmas in extreme circumstances. Will Brinnie be able to achieve her goals without losing herself in the process?
I suppose you’ll have to read to find out.
Alyssa Roat has worked in a wide variety of roles within the publishing industry, as a literary agent, editor, writer, publicist, and marketer. Past positions include newspapers, publishing houses, and literary agencies. With hundreds of bylines, Alyssa has made it her goal to understand the publishing industry from every angle.
Alyssa holds a degree in Professional Writing from Taylor University. She is a multi-published author with titles in both the YA speculative and adult contemporary spheres. Alyssa loves working with authors and writers; as a writer herself, she understands the struggles and joys. She would love to connect on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @alyssawrote.
The bane of Mordred, the son of Mordizan, and a millennia-old prophecy—together they may provide what Brinnie needs to defeat the world of magic’s greatest threat.
More than a year has passed since Brinnie left Wraithwood, never expecting to see it again. But when Mordred captures her sister, she is thrust back into the world of magic. She flees to Wraithwood, where she learns of a prophecy located in the dark wizard capital of Mordizan that reveals the identity of “Mordred’s bane,” something that could destroy Mordred for good.
Brinnie agrees to a rendezvous with Mordred to exchange herself for her sister, going undercover at Mordizan as a spy to find the prophecy and Mordred’s bane. There, she weaves a complicated web of secrets, lies, and tenuous friendships. She makes an unexpected ally in Marcus Vorath, son of the Master of Mordizan, who fears the implications of Mordred’s growing power. But in Mordizan, friends and foes may be one and the same.
In the midst of court intrigue, battle, ominous new depths to her power, and searching for Mordred’s bane, Brinnie struggles to draw the lines. How far is she willing to go to destroy Mordred? And how much of herself is she willing to give up along the way?
