WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT:
1. MARK every goal according to the Five Types of Goals.
2. PRIORITIZE your goals.
3. RE-WRITE your goals in such a way that it is a SMART or BEST goal.
Make goals:
SPECIFIC
MEASURABLE
ATTAINABLE
RELEVANT
TIME-BOUND
BEST GOALS:
BELIEVABLE
ENERGIZING
SPECIFIC
TIME-BOUND
GO GET YOUR GOALS -
MAKE THE DECISION TO BE A GOAL-SETTER!
MAKE THE DECISION TO BE A GOAL-GETTER!
6. Set a TIMEFRAME to accomplish your goal.
The FIVE different types of goals:
• DAILY goals
• SHORT-TERM goals
• LONG-TERM goals
• LIFE-TIME goals
• ETERNAL goals
7. Share your goals with people who are ON YOUR SIDE.
8. Believe you can reach your goals with God’s HELP.
9. LEAVE ROOM for God in your goals.
“Goals are good but goals aren’t God.” Billy Hybels
10. Ask God for what you need to ACCOMPLISH your goals.
“God doesn’t answer vague prayers.” David Yonggi Cho
Hopefully these are self explanatory.
1. Goals are statements of FAITH.
Hebrews 11
2. Goals provide DIRECTION.
“Most men live lives of quiet desperation.” – Henry David Thoreau
3. Goals build ANTICIPATION and give ENERGY.
4. You set the goals for what they FORCE you to BECOME.
5. Set goals that are just out of REACH but not out of REALITY.
Come back for the next 5 and we will discuss the timeframe of your goals.
Godly goals must be bathed in prayer. (Matt 6:33) “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will be added to you.” Take time to pray about your goals regularly. This will reinforce them and cause you to remain focused. Some more benefits of goals.
6. Goals will bring ENJOYMENT.
7. Goals will bring EXCITEMENT.
8. Goals will bring CREATIVITY.
9. Goals will bring GROWTH.
10. Goals will bring FAITH.
Ultimately goals bring honor to God.
Setting and achieving goals is a matter of time management. We all have the same amount of time. The difference is in how we use our time. Bad patterns of time use are easy to fall into and difficult to change. Understanding your purpose and goals is a great motivator in using your time wisely.
Experts suggest the painful task of keeping up with every minute of your time for a couple weeks. This is a very revealing exercise. Through time management we can gain an hour or two (for some more) every week. This can add up to days and weeks over a long period of time. Using time properly actually allows us more time to spend on the things we enjoy.
We have been doing some construction at the church and we have a blueprint to follow. The blueprint is our guide to reach our desired outcome. Goals are the blueprint for designing the life God desire for you. Understanding your purpose and values allows Godly goals that enable living the life God has planned for you.
Five of Ten results of Goals:
What goals do for your life.
1. Goals will bring focus.
2. Goals bring achievement.
3. Goals bring balance.
4. Goals help harmony in your relationships.
5. Goals lead to a disciplined life.
By thinking about your values and purpose it should bring clarity to goal setting. The church culture of my past did not emphasize setting Godly goals. Almost the opposite has been my experience. It seemed the church took the approach that you were unspiritual or too self focused by setting goals, just trust God to do what He wants. The outcome was people wondering apathetically without direction. The old saying, “If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time” is true. Setting Godly goals is a great tool that leads to LIFE CHANGE.
Take time to write down your values, purpose and goals. “The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen.” (Lee Iacocca) “If you don’t set goals for yourself, you are doomed to work to achieve the goals of someone else.” (Brian Tracy) When you commit your goals to paper they move from abstract dreams and wishes to reality demanding attention and action. Take time NOW to write out your goals based upon your values and purpose.
I just finished writing my professional purpose statement. My purpose is: “To create a culture of HOPE; that attracts, disciples (reach and teach), pastors (care & feed), challenges, motivates and trains people in the advancement of the Kingdom resulting in new churches, regionally, nationally and globally through riverwoods church.
The next post: “Goals are the blueprint…” and 5 of the top ten results of goal setting. Check back after you spend time seeking God about your purpose, values and goals and put them on paper.
Upcoming blogs will focus on Goal setting and time management. My prayer is that you find these inspirational and practical.
The beginning of a new year is a natural time to reflect on the past year and evaluate if you lived your values, accomplished your goals, and to refocus for the upcoming year. God intends us to live intentionally, not accidentally. Preparation for the upcoming year is essential to have a life that counts, makes a difference in your own world and the Kingdom of God. The exercise of reflecting and refocus at times is difficult and painful when facing failures, missed opportunities, changes in relationships and your own weakness; however, great joy comes when you realize some things you did right, see what God accomplished through you, realize new relationships, have the wonderful prospect of learning from the past and the hope that comes with a fresh start in the new year.
The faith exercise of setting goals and re-aligning values should be a highlight of every New Year. Do you know your values and purpose in life? To keep from drifting through life without a real sense of significance, feeling like a number on planet earth, find your values and purpose. Start of by determining your top 5 values and understanding your purpose in life. My goals are wrapped up in my values and purpose. The five F’s of my goal setting this year are.
1. FAMILY
2. FRIENDSHIP
3. FITNESS/PERSONAL GROWTH
• SPIRITUAL
• INTELLECTUAL
• PHYSICAL
4. FAITH
• PURPOSE/CALLING
• CHURCH
• KINGDOM
5. FINANCES
Yours are probably different than mine because they are based on your values and purpose. I have a couple of new values this year that have led to new goal areas. The biggest change or new goal for me as 2012 lies ahead is the area of fitness. (1 Tim 4:8 KJV) “Bodily exercise profits little.” Probably not the best translation to understand that exercise is beneficial. Many use this to rail against exercise, which is not the verses intent. A better translation is (1 Tim 4:8 NIV) “For physical training is of some value.” Paul is not saying exercise has no value, just the opposite, it has some value. For me exercise and weight control are big goals this year. Anyone who knows me realizes this is a huge undertaking. In fact, I have never added this to my written goals. I love to eat, but the possible health implications of being overweight and lack of physical activity has disturbed my mind and convicted my heart to the point I cannot let this slip anymore. As I weighed this morning it was my lowest in several years, down 40lbs from my highest weight. The New Year and new goals bring challenges but many rewards. Hopefully, the New Year brings excitement at the prospect of starting off right. To be continued…
