We’ve all heard it before: “You can be anything you want to be.”

It’s plastered on motivational posters, echoed in commencement speeches, and shouted by well-meaning mentors. Don’t get me wrong—I love encouraging people to aim high and pursue excellence. But the older I get, and the more I reflect on what the Bible says about life and purpose, the more I realize:

You can’t be anything you want to be.
But you can be a lot more of who you really are—when you align your life with God’s will.

1. The Lie of Limitless Potential

The idea that “you can be anything” sounds empowering, but it puts an unrealistic burden on us. It suggests that you alone are responsible for crafting your identity, your future, and your worth. It feeds the illusion that if you’re not succeeding by the world’s standards, it’s because you didn’t hustle hard enough.

That’s a dangerous lie.

If God created us, then we are not self-made. We are God-made.
We don’t discover ourselves by chasing every opportunity.
We discover ourselves by aligning with the One who designed us.

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV):
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

2. True Freedom Is Found in God’s Design

You weren’t made to be everything.
You were made to be someone specific—a son, a daughter, a steward, a disciple.

You don’t have to manufacture your identity. You were given one.
And when you live from that truth, there is so much more room for peace, purpose, and growth.

God didn’t create you with limitless options; He created you with divine intention.
Your gifts, your calling, your opportunities—they are not accidents.
They are part of a bigger story that God is telling through your life.

Psalm 139:14 – “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”

3. Aligning to God’s Will Unlocks Real Potential

Many people are frustrated not because they lack talent—but because they are pursuing the wrong targets. They’re trying to be what culture celebrates, instead of what God has called.

You can’t become what you were never wired to be.
But you can grow far beyond what you imagined when you’re walking in obedience.

Proverbs 3:5–6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

4. From Striving to Surrender

There is freedom in surrender.

When we stop chasing an identity the world affirms, and start embracing the identity God gave, we stop striving—and start thriving. You don’t have to compete for affirmation. You’re already loved. You don’t have to outrun others. You just need to run your race well.

The truth is, the world’s idea of success will change every season.
But God’s purpose for you is timeless.

Brotherly Reminder:

You can’t be anything you want.
But when you align with God’s will, you will become exactly who He made you to be.

And trust me, that is far better, more joyful, and more impactful than anything you could manufacture on your own.

So stop chasing everything. Start becoming someone. The person God already designed you to be.