For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Jesus in Matthew 16:25

Those who want to save their lives will lose it because true life cannot be gained by the sum of ones efforts. But those who lose those desires, and go through the cross of Jesus, they are those who will have true life.

And so true life is not earned, but given. It is a gift from the Father. It is garnished on the humble; the foolish of our world.