Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urged high achievers to balance service with stillness during a campus devotional at Brigham Young University on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026. Addressing a crowd at the Marriott Center, Kearon cautioned against tying self-worth to productivity and encouraged individuals to find peace in Christ rather than through personal accomplishments.
Addressing the High Achiever
During the devotional held as part of BYU Education Week, Kearon addressed the audience of students and attendees, noting that their presence at the event often identifies them as high achievers or even chronic over-achievers. He observed that attendees had elected to spend their sparse spare time pursuing continuing education and seeking further light and knowledge among thousands of available classes.
Defining Worth Beyond Achievement
Kearon expressed a wish for attendees to slow down and turn toward Christ to find peace. He acknowledged the doubts often felt by hardworking, earnest, and devoted Saints who worry that their best efforts may not be good enough. He told the crowd that an individual's achievements do not define them, nor do they determine their worth or how they are viewed by God.
The Perils of Productivity
The Apostle warned that focusing excessively on to-do lists and final achievements can diminish peace and the enjoyment of a process. He suggested that excessive praise for personal accomplishment can shift focus toward one's own efforts, lessons, and hustle, potentially placing the individual at the center of a story that the Savior is meant to occupy.
Kearon noted that while goals can keep people focused on matters that truly matter, they should not be allowed to consume a person. He raised the question of whether individuals can find peace simply by being peaceful.
Patience and God's Timing
To illustrate the need for patience and trust in God's timing, Kearon referenced the Sagrada Familia, a basilica in Barcelona that has been under construction for more than 100 years. He noted that while leaving things unfinished does not align with a productivity-fixated culture, there is a necessity for patience that is often lost in a modern desire to optimize, perfect, and polish projects quickly.
The Impact of Goal Setting
Kearon also referenced a study titled "Goals Gone Wild," conducted by several universities, which examined the effects of goal setting. The study indicated that while goals help people achieve more, they can also make activities less enjoyable by turning an otherwise enjoyable task into mere work by measuring output.
Service Versus Stillness
Using the New Testament account of sisters Martha and Mary, Kearon taught that discipleship requires both service and stillness. He described Martha as a hardworking disciple whose ministry left her feeling worried and overworked. He cautioned that service can compete with communion with God if one does not take time to sit and listen.
In contrast, he presented Mary, who sat on the floor to listen, as a model of what it means to love God. Kearon emphasized that sitting and attending are necessary parts of discipleship, noting that for many, the act of sitting and listening is more difficult than hands-on service.
Finding Sabbath Rest
The Apostle shared personal reflections on the difficulty of maintaining rest, noting that he also faces demanding callings that make Sabbath rest difficult. He suggested that individuals might need to redefine what constitutes rest and consider dedicating deliberate Sabbath rest time on other days of the week if necessary.
