It’s a new year and everyone is setting goals.
If you haven’t done so, it’s not too late to create goals and develop a roadmap to achieve your heart’s desires in your life.
How does that famous saying go? -If you don’t have a plan, you plan to fail?
Well, what I would say is-if you don’t get intentional about your life over these next 12 months then this year will go by just as fast as they did last year.
I get it, it’s a new year of endless possibilities that you know you want to grab a hold of but you may not know where to start…that’s ok, you can start here.
Welcome !
I know you want to see new things come into your life. Positive things. You’re hoping for new attitudes, new wins, new milestones to set, new dreams to pursue. Maybe even new love to find. Or, if you’ve already found love, you want more intentional ways to strengthen your relationship.
You can set goals for any area of your life:
- Love & Relationships
- Career
- Spiritual Growth
- Finances
- Health
- Family
- Academics
And I could go on and on…
So, what’s goal setting?
Goal setting is the process of intentionally writing down your complete vision for your life. It’s about you recording any desires, dreams, wants or needs you see in your life and you want to change the outcome in that area. Whether it’s a new love relationship, creating a rainy-day savings account, breaking an old habit, or creating a new one or acquiring a new skill.
As soon as you’ve identified your goal/s, you should create a plan of action to accomplish them as goal setting lends itself to a step-by-step process of execution.
Goal setting requires you putting thought into your planning and creating the steps to follow to see your goals come alive. This requires hard work and dedication Every. Single. Day.
It gives you the opportunity to take control of your life in areas where you want to see change then you intentionally work toward accomplishing that goal or those goals one step at a time: one day at a time.
Need help to get organized?
Why Having Goals Is Important
Christian women need to create life goals too. You must have a vision for your life in accordance with God’s will
Need help with that? See 3 Tips To Getting God’s Vision For Your Life .
Goal Setting Is Biblical
Creating goals for your future is a critical activity to adopt as you partner with God to go further and to accomplish more of what He has purposed for you. Yes, you can create goals, pursue them and reap the rewards of seeing a dream become reality!
Goal setting doesn’t just get you organized and it isn’t just for the wise; it’s biblical.
The Bible says in Habakkuk 2: 2 And then GOD answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run.
So, as the Scripture suggests, write your goals down- put the vision for your life on paper or on a tablet or on your phone. Just write it down.
How exciting is it to be working with God to accomplish your goals-no matter how seemingly insignificant. It’s like prayer-think about how you feel when your prayers are answered. As you realize each goal you grow more and more confident in God’s faithfulness. It is amazing feeling as you see your life take more positive turns. It’s not too late to create a road map for your life but you need to bear some important keys in mind as you seek to partner with God in a brand-new way this year.
Goal Setting Gives You A Sense of Purpose
Goal setting gives you a sense of purpose– daily, weekly, monthly, or even if it is a yearlong goal. Being purposeful keeps you going as you accomplish one goal at a time.
Goal Setting Is Essential To True Partnership With God
When you set life goals, you are essentially making a life plan: a life plan with God-what could be more exciting than that? Seriously. Each goal you set and accomplish allows you to get more of what you want out of your life as you operate in true partnership with God.
Goal Setting Keeps You Focused and Motivated
Setting goals provides a sense of focus and daily motivation. Your goal, provides you with a clear end goal and as you pursue your goal in partnership with God you remain motived to accomplish each one despite any setbacks or disappointment.
Without goals, you may waste your time, another year slips by and before you know it you are filled with regret. You may be busy but slow down. Set some goals. Get Motivated. Accomplish much.
Goal Setting Guarantees Rewards
Nothing feels better than being in alignment with God and His will for your life, working hard and accomplishing your goals. Achieving your goals has built in rewards. God is a rewarder. Your diligence will be rewarded. Hebrews 10:35-36 says, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Need help to get organized?
Some Biblical Keys for Goal Setting Any Time of Year
Faith – Your God can accomplish the impossible- you have many examples in the Bible and He was not only faithful back in Bible days but He is faithful now. He has an amazing track record of accomplishments. There is nothing He can’t do. You can trust His word. He has great plans for your life. Go ask Him.
Commitment – You must be committed to carrying out the steps you’ve identified to accomplish your goals. Your commitment will get tested – it’s inevitable. Take action. Follow through no matter what.
Diligence – Accomplishing your goals will require some hard work. Hard work is sometimes no fun but don’t give up. Work through that difficulty; through the doubts and the discouragement.
Humility – is Not My Will But Your Will Be Done In My Life Oh LORD. Trust Him to have your best interest at heart after all He said His plans are not to harm you but to bring you to an expected end- a good end (Jeremiah 29:11). The road to accomplishing your goal may look nothing like you envisage but humility will ensure that you remain open to God and His ways and His plan.
Perseverance –Refuse to give in to the urge to give up when accomplishing your goals seem more and more unlikely. Don’t give up! …be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Plan – Count the cost-are you willing to pay the cost in time, commitment, diligence and whatever costs you must pay to accomplish your goals for your life? Luke 14:28 says, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”
Your Why: Why are you creating goals and developing a roadmap for your life? Ask yourself. Check your heart- is it to please the LORD and to walk in His will? Be clear about what your goal is and why you want to create empowering goals for your life. Know your Why.
How to Create Empowering Goals For Your Life
Setting goals is not as easy as thinking of a couple of ideas, then writing them down and move on to the next thing. To fully realise your goals and truly get value and transformation from them, you need to practice the accompanying actions daily. Therefore, your goals need to be well thought out and planned out so that you are excited and motivated to take action daily.
Time For Introspection
It’s time to get clear on God’s vision for your life. It’s time to be truthful about your hopes, dreams and aspirations. It’s time to deliberately set aside actions, habits and attitudes that have not served you. They have not changed your life in any positive way-you are no closer to accomplishing the changes you long to see and experience. It is time to Get Real. You will get results from goal setting by looking deeply into where you desire your life to be a month from now or a year from now or even as early as tomorrow.
Write Them Down
As we’ve said before write your goals down-keep the vision front and centre. Write down the action steps-write everything down. Let them be the reminder of what you want to partner with God to accomplish in your life this year. Your written goals will help you create better habits that will in turn help you to accomplish purpose and to live life boldly and with confidence.
Set Daily Goals
Take daily steps to accomplish the larger goal or vision you have scripted for your life. Take action. Make every action count. Take small steps daily. Be intentional about accomplishing your goals every day. If your goal is to Save be intentional about your actions- skip the coffee before work for instance or prepare your own lunch daily. Let accomplishing your goal stir a flicker into a flame in your heart keep it before your face always. Remember, your sacrifice, your diligence is for a set time it’s not forever. There are great rewards at the end so push on.
Create a Vision Board
A vision board is made up of a collection of pictures, words, images and/or stories that work together to help you visualize your life goals or your vision. Creating a vision board from your list of goals is an exciting activity. As you begin to visualize your thoughts you create a place where you can physically see the desired end result. Motivation on steroids.
Is one of your goals to get married? Or put a different way do you have a vision you’re of your life where you are happily married? Put the image that represents your vision on your vision board which now becomes a point of prayer where you clearly see the end result that you desire and earnestly pray into that.
Have Faith. Believe. It Will Happen
The Bible says without faith (unwavering trust in the God who can do all things) it is impossible to please (to honour) God (Hebrews 11:6). As you pursue your goals, pursue in faith. The road up ahead that you cannot see-God’s already up ahead waiting for you to catch up to Him. Stop simplyfying your goals or choosing to settle for less than you truly desire because you believe what you truly want is impossible to have.
So tell me, why do you still hunger for change? Why do you still yearn for love or for a family of your own or for promotion or for a savings plan? Answer that God placed hunger with Faith. Believe. It will Happen.
Be Alert
Your goals are the foundation from which you will create the life you want. Be alert to the many possibilities of realizing your goal that Father God will send your way. Be open to His way of doing things. Be brave. Stay Focused. Act.
Need help to get empowered?
Don’t Let These Stop You
Fear of Failure
Don’t be afraid to fail. See failure as learning and not as a personal impediment. Learn the lessons. Tweak. Do over.
Lack of Knowledge
Probably the second most common reason why people fail to achieve their goals is that they don’t know how to determine what their goals are. Remember, your goals need to be clear and very specific so that you can create actionable steps to accomplishing them. In other words you must know exactly what you want to accomplish, how you’re going to accomplish it, how you’ll know you have accomplished it. Furthermore, you must know that it is possible to get the outcome you want no matter how difficult or seemingly out of reach the outcome may appear to be.
Doubt
Yes, by all means be honest about your resources and your abilities, assess yourself and assess your list of goals but never deny how God can work to help you accomplish that which you think may be out of your reach. So, don’t let doubt get in the way- focus on what God has laid on your heart and pursue it. Remember you are not alone He is with you.
Discouragement
Pace yourself. Slow down if you must. Be realistic. Maybe there is a learning curve that you have to overcome in pursuit of your goals. Take your time. Don’t be discouraged that you haven’t yet gotten the new morning routine exactly right. Keep doing it- good habits take time to form. Keep the end goal in mind all the time.
This is a great time to learn new skills, grow in knowledge, dream. Don’t you stop because accomplishing your goals is hard. Keep taking those small steps every day. Success is one goal away.
What’s Next
Let these thoughts guide you as you partner with God to create empowering goals for your life. Don’t be afraid to take action. Dream. Have faith in God.
Remember, goal setting is the process of intentionally writing down your complete vision for your life. It’s about you recording any desires, dreams, wants or needs you see in your life and you want to change the outcome in that area.
Goal setting is biblical so don’t miss another opportunity to develop this great skill as you intentionally seek to hear the Father’s heart for your life then take consistent action to accomplish what He shares with you.
Don’t forget that writing down a goal does not mean you will accomplish that goal. It only means that it is what you want to see in your life. Be deliberately. Make a plan then take action.
Remember this, to achieve the goal, you must be prepared to do the work required to achieve it.
Above all else enjoy the process.