The desire to live a significant life and leave a mark in history is one that almost every man desires; however, not everyone gets to live this dream. It often ends up like a futile race of chasing shadows if one does not develop the right strategy to fight and win in today’s world. I present to you 5 things that you need as a man living today if you must live an above average life, live for what matters most and have a really significant and fulfilled life. Five simple but critical elements you need to pay attention to:

1. Jesus: He makes all the difference in every sphere of life. Jesus is not just a social identity or a religious name tag. He is the compass that helps every man navigate through the storms of life. The natural storms and winds of life are more than enough to dishearten, disarm and disfigure any man, but Jesus is the anchor you need in every storm. Navigating through life without Jesus is like sailing the high seas without a map, compass or a wind sail. Don’t attempt to face life without Jesus, you will be badly beaten. It may seem that you succeed for a little while, but you will later realize that He is more than you thought.
2. A Mentor: Because you have never walked this road of life before, you need people who have gone ahead of you to point out the potholes, danger zones, deadly bends and even the easy access roads to your destination. Having a mentor is not a sign of weakness; it simply means that you will arrive at your destination faster and with fewer dents, damages, casualties and avoidable accidents along the way. Others may seem to enjoy a free and no interference journey, but check them when they arrive. Experience is only the best teacher when you learn from the mistakes and experiences of others – not yours.
3. A Healthy Marriage (a Peaceful Home): Being married is a good thing. It is God’s original idea. Don’t ask me if it is a sin not to get married, I don’t have an answer to that. But the Bible says that finding a wife brings favour from the Lord. As good as the favour is, nothing still compares to the joy, uplifting and strength that comes from a healthy marriage and a peaceful home – it ensures that as a man, your tank is always full. The support and peace in your home is the cushion you need to soften the effects of this cruel and brutal world with which you contend daily. Men will get beaten and battered daily in their businesses, boardrooms, construction site, in their offices and in all their hustles. Without a peaceful home to come back to after every rough day, the fuel and morale to face the challenges of life will be very low. The absence of this is what makes men to look for cushion in all sorts of places – clubs, pubs and bars. A good marriage gives you companionship, strength and partnership. You may be able to go far alone, but when you maximize the power of two, your results are exponential. One will chase a thousand, but two will chase ten thousand.
4. Accountability Partners: The quality of your life cannot be significantly higher than that of the predominant friends in your life. If you hang out with loafers too long, you will likely end up a loafer. If you hang around people whose lives are making progress, you will definitely make progress. We all need people who are traveling a similar journey with us and who can act as co-signposts and sounding boards when we tend to miss our way. These are friends with whom you share your ideas and they help you knock it around to get the best out of it. Friends who are honest and vulnerable enough to share their lives and journeys with you. You cannot go far without godly accountability partners – people who can ask you tough questions about your integrity, faith and even your weaknesses.
5. A grander vision: In today’s world, every man needs more than just enough to get by. You need the kind of vision that keeps you awake at night and propels you by day. Something that keeps you growing, keeps you challenged, keeps your faith alive and keeps you thinking. A mediocre or average vision for life is not enough to carry any man through life; you need a larger than life vision. If all you want to do in life is move files around and work an 8 to 5 schedule daily, then retire and be said to have lived a good life, then you really have no vision. You need to dream of something really grand and truly bigger than you. This is what gives you an edge over physical, economic and financial challenges and keeps you on the edge daily. Actually, this is where purpose is defined, and it brings to play all your talents, passion, connections and faith. To live a significant life, you must live for something significant. What are you pursuing?

These five points above are critical ingredients to a truly significant and relevant life. Is any of them missing? Try to fill it up and watch your life take a miraculous new trajectory. At the end of your life, it can truly be said “a life well lived.”