“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~~ C.S. Lewis
“May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”
Psalm 20:4
The beginning of a New Year feels like the perfect time to make a fresh start.
Do you feel that way? I sure do! The start of a new year and month gives me the feeling that the whole world is open to me, and I can begin doing whatever I set my mind to do.
At this time of year, people often make New Year’s Resolutions. They “resolve” or decide firmly to do or not to do something. For example, I resolve to lose weight, or I resolve to stop smoking. We start out enthusiastically but lose interest after about three weeks.
Another way to look at making New Year’s Resolutions is to say you’re setting goals for yourself.
There is a difference in mindset between saying I am making a resolution to lose weight this year and I am setting a goal to lose 20 pounds this year. If you genuinely want to accomplish a personal goal, improve, succeed, or even excel at something, goal-setting practices make the difference. Without them, we lack direction and intention.
Goal setting can be defined as the process in which you identify something you wish to achieve and go about setting a timeframe in which to achieve it, complete with a plan and measurable objectives along the way.
Choose goals that you value and care about.
Any goals you set for yourself should motivate you; to be motivated, your goals need to mean something to you. If your goal doesn’t fully inspire or excite you, the chances you’ll make it a reality are slim.
Goals can give meaning to life. Goals are meant to challenge you towards achieving excellent and tangible results for yourself, to become the person you want to be—the person God wants you to be. I read something recently that said it’s not that people are lazy—they simply have goals that don’t inspire them. Andrew Carnegie said, “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.”
People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.
Not having a goal is like continually running up and down the playing field but never scoring, robbing you of motivation. Having too many goals is also demotivating. Without a priority focus, you can end up with lots of goals scattered over different parts of your life, leaving you overwhelmed and frustrated.
When you have a goal and make it a priority, you have a purpose and place to go with it. Doing specific things like putting your goal in writing, creating an action plan, and taking action on that plan assures that your efforts will not fade after three weeks.
The most important thing to do after setting a goal is to take action.
Know that success is a state of mind—if you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success. Don’t procrastinate, don’t get put off by all the effort it’s going to take to achieve your goal, and don’t start making excuses for why you can’t get started. You are headed for success by taking positive action and combining it with positive thinking.
Commit yourself to the accomplishment of your goal. Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally or haphazardly. It comes from what you do consistently and well. Think about what you want to do, not what you don’t want to do because your thoughts will become your actions.
And don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take in achieving that goal. Reward yourself along the way. Great things are in store for you if you hang in there!
God will help you to achieve your goals.
I came across this quote from Oswald Chambers that I thought could very well apply to making goals:
“If there is something which God has put upon your heart to do, something upon which God has put His pressure, obey in that matter. Bring your imagination into captivity to the obedience of Christ with regard to it, and everything will become clear as daylight.”
Ten years ago, God put on my heart to start my own Virtual Assistant business. You could say God “put His pressure” on me because the thought and desire stayed with me all these years. I finally yielded and obeyed regarding that idea, the dream God had placed within me. Immediately things started falling into place for me to get the appropriate training and support. The desire grew, and I took the steps necessary to begin building a client base. In a very short time, I acquired two wonderful clients.
That’s where I am now, but as we enter 2023, I have given myself a goal to acquire ten more clients. I’m in the process of creating my plan to achieve this goal and putting it into action. I still need to set a timeframe with measurable objectives, but I’m working on it. And by stating my goal publicly here, I’m allowing you to hold me accountable for my commitment! I’ll check in with you from time to time to let you know how it’s going.
May 2023 be the year you yield to the dream God has placed within you. May you make goals to fulfill that dream, and watch as God helps you make it a reality!
