Material Progress is External.

The essential purpose of human life is to advance in Krishna consciousness. Material progress is external. Of course, that's a truism, because external is one synonym of material. In many parts of the world we see that there is a lot of material prosperity. Nice houses, apartment buildings, office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, cars, airplanes, etc., etc., are features of material advancement, but such advancement is superficial. If a person does not have any Krishna consciousness then his/her life is futile. Material posessions are temporary, whereas advancement in Krishna consciousness is permanent. If a person makes 10% advancement in Krishna consciousness in this life, then in his/her next life he/she will begin from 10%. All the while such a person enjoys an increasingly enlightened state of existence. In this life or after many lives, when one reaches 100% progress in Krishna consciousness, then the next life is in Goloka Vrindavan where there is no more repeated birth and death.