Have you ever wondered why some people are successful and others aren’t? writes Kayla Kaimarama Willie of the Latter-day Saints.

As the year winds down, it’s a good time to reflect on our personal and professional progress. If you have met your goals, that’s a great accomplishment. If not, now is the moment to assess where you are and ask yourself: “What could I have done better? What’s holding me back from moving forward?”

In a constantly changing world, many things can stop us from growing and moving forward. Let me draw your attention to the biblical account of Lot’s wife as recorded in Genesis 19. God decided to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness. He sent two angels to warn Lot, a righteous man, to escape with his family before the cities were destroyed. The angels told Lot and his family to flee and not look back. As they were escaping, Lot’s wife, despite the warning looked back at the burning cities. When she did, she turned into a pillar of salt.

This story teaches us about the dangers of looking back or holding on to the past when moving forward is the only path to safety and growth. Fear of change can stop us, just like Lot’s wife who was stuck longing for the past. Some resist new opportunities because they fear leaving behind the familiar. But sometimes, we need to take risks and trust the future, instead of clinging to old ways. Focusing too much on past mistakes or regrets keeps us from moving forward and creating something better. Holding onto past failures or grudges can trap us in place, just like Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt. To grow, we must let go of the old and embrace new beginnings. Whether it's a new job, a move, or any change, we need to trust that the future has something better.

People often get comfortable in their current situation and resist change. However, to grow and reach our full potential, we must step out of our comfort zones. Growth does not happen there. For example, Lot’s wife might have been too attached to her life to leave it behind. Fear of making mistakes can also keep us stuck, but mistakes are part of being human. The key is to learn from them. In his 2009 address, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, urged us not to dwell on the past, no matter how good it was; “The past is to be learned but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future…”

Why did Lot’s wife look back? Perhaps she lacked faith or doubted that God could offer something better than what she already had. In some ways, we may be like her. Following God's will often requires stepping out of our comfort zones and making sacrifices. Lot’s wife was living her life when, suddenly, she had to leave everything behind and flee with an angel guiding her. This must have been incredibly difficult. Even though she was told not to look back, she did—and became stuck. We, too, can get stuck in many things: our emotions, habits, possessions, plans, past, or even our future hopes. It’s not always easy to move forward when we’re comfortable, but sometimes God calls us to leave those things behind. Just as Lot’s family was warned, we should also be careful not to look back or hold on to the past, lest we become “consumed” by it (Genesis 19:17).

My dear brothers and sisters, Heavenly Father always leads us to the paths He knows are best for us. Following His call to “flee and look not behind thee” takes faith—a faith that requires us to fully commit, with no hesitation. As Elder Holland said, “God doesn’t care as much about where you’ve been as He does about where you’re willing to go, with His help.”

Let us look to the future with greater faith and determination. Of this I so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.