Empty My Hands

I've spent far too much strength striving for and holding on to things I don't need: praise for achievements at school and work, popularity among my peers, etc.  I have sometimes lived as if living well meant being well liked, and that being well liked comes through basically preforming well. I know that the only real way to live well is to love God and others well and let go of everything else. I don't know why that is so easy to forget sometimes.