Has anyone ever asked you why you aren’t doing better at something? Maybe your doctor asks why you aren’t making better health decisions. Or your financial planner asks why you aren’t spending more wisely. Or your friend asks why you aren’t more patient with a certain person. Or your pastor asks why you aren’t better at reading your Bible more.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably given this answer more than once: “I’m trying.”

“I’m trying to be nicer, but you don’t know how difficult this person is!” “I’m trying to eat healthier, but my coworker keeps bringing donuts to work!” “I’m trying to read the Bible more, but I just don’t have the time!”

It’s easy to get stuck in the trap of trying. The apostle Paul encouraged a young leader named Timothy to take a different approach:

“Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things” (1 Timothy 4:7,8).

To run a lengthy race, you don’t go into trying. You go into training.

To perform a complex operation, a surgeon doesn’t just show up and try. He or she goes through extensive training.

The most important things in your life are too important to leave it up to trying. Stop trying. Start training.

If you try and end up failing, that makes you a failure who may never try again. If you train and end up falling short, that makes you a learner who can keep going.