Editor's Note: The following is a report on the practical applications of Zig Ziglar's recent book, Better than Good: Creating a Life You Can’t Wait to Live, (Integrity Publishers, 2006).

You may think that achieving a good life is the most you can manage in this stressful, challenging world. But you don’t have to settle for a life that’s merely good. God wants to give you a life that’s great!

Here’s how you can live life to the fullest:

* Discover your passion. Think and pray about what matters most to you, and why. Ask God to reveal His dreams for you. Consider what noble contributions you can make to the world to make life better not just for yourself, but for other people as well. Once you’ve found your passion, keep it alive. Regularly invest your time, talent, and money into pursuing it. Find someone who is already successful at what you’re passionate about doing, and ask that person to mentor you. Envision what you’d like to achieve, and let your imagination inspire you as you develop your passion.

* Manage stress well. Don’t let stress rob you of your passion. Wait to worry about situations until you have all the facts about them; then use that information to develop an action plan so you won’t need to worry. Learn from your failures, but leave them in the past so you can move confidently into the future. Live with integrity so you won’t have to deal with any stress arising from guilt or shame. Stay out of debt to avoid financial stress. Don’t fear the future; remember that a loving and powerful God is in control of it, and decide to trust Him. Reduce your stress with laughter as often as you can, and share the joy with others.