Now, that’s not to say that consistency and discipline is always as easy as it sounds.  Life gets in the way.  I know with me personally – I have dealt with some non-life-threatening physical health challenges this past year – some challenges that make me tired and cause my mind to shift at times.  Even so, I’m reminded that first having a healthy mindset is everything.  If I’m not spiritually and mentally healthy, it’s extra challenging to be physically healthy.  There are things I can change, but then there are things I cannot change.  Getting to know the difference has been an interesting learning experience to say the least.  And then, learning to plan after that, has been extra interesting.

However, I got just what I needed this weekend:  I received that much-needed “revelation push” after listening to our youth pastor speak yesterday.  The message is called, “Unfazed,” and I am linking it so that you have the chance to listen as well.  I cannot even possibly begin to give a summary of the message in a way that will do it justice. In short (and what inspired me to write this blog), Pastor Rob was talking about unmet goals and not getting to where we want to be in life.  He reminded us to not allow ourselves to go to a place of assuming God has forgotten us.  He spoke about how we can wear ourselves out while aiming at an unclear bullseye.  He suggested that maybe our targets are simply too vague.  Maybe we kind of sort of put a goal in place, but maybe the “what I want” isn’t really all that specific.  Maybe there needs to be more clarity attached to it. Maybe we don’t always know exactly what we are really aiming for.  That one hit me hard.

As an example, he was talking about a woman he knew that went from misery to a world-renowned speaker.  She used to be the type that would write out some goals, put them in her drawer and forget about them.  Subsequently, nothing ever changed. However, when she wrote down 4 or 5 very direct and specific goals she had in her life, and actually followed through:  It was life-changing for her.  Sure, I’ve written down goals before and somewhat follow through to some level…..but my ultimate goals tend to get lost in the shuffle.  The results are never quite was I hoping for.

So, I have made a decision.  Here is what I’m going to do going forward. Feel free to join me if you want to:

1.  I already wrote down 5 goals that are important to me in the year 2021.  WRITING THEM DOWN is the first step.  For you, it may be 3 or 4 goals for the year.  It can differ from person to person. For me personally, these 5 goals are not over-the-top, difficult goals.  They are actually quite simple.  Without getting too personal, I’m going to say that these goals are faith, family, health, career and “to-do-list” related.  But I didn’t want to miss Pastor Rob’s point, so I got VERY specific on each one.  I wrote down everything from the goal of the number of “date nights” I want one-on-one with Kyle this year, to a realistic number of “creative playtime with Clara” that I want to aim for each day.  Under each “goal overview,” I made some very specific subpoints.  Example 1 for you could be:  Growing in my faith.  But then,  you have to ask yourself what growing in your faith looks like, and what it needs to consist of.  So maybe sub-point A) could say:  Give my first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes of my day to God.  (Yes, this is first on my list, in case you’re curious.  Pastor Rob and Pastor Jim have long taught this principle, and I believe it is truly life-changing and can determine everything).  B) may be:  Do the 52 week bible plan, or it could be, begin physically attending church regularly again, or it may be watch a live-stream every Wednesday night this year.  It could look different for different people.  Maybe you don’t need sub-points like me.  Maybe yours is straight to the point from the get-go.  Maybe it is is simply, “attend church every Sunday this year.”  Whatever works for you, do it. 
2. Put your goals on display in a place where you will regularly look at them. It may be in your calendar….it may be on your mirror.  To keep it simple, you may want to two lists:  One with with your overviews and sub-points in your calendar or Bible, and then maybe your simple “straight-to-the-point” list on your mirror, so that you remember your “hierarchy of priorities,” and what doesn’t qualify to interrupt your day.  It could even read like, “Did I do something for ME today?”  “Did I give my children quality time and attention today?”  (Whatever works for you).
3. Tell someone you trust about your goals for accountability purposes (this doesn’t mean you need to share every single personal detail if you’re not comfortable with that).  I have already provided my list to my mentor so that she can ask me how those goals are coming each time we talk.  In my case, I felt comfortable sharing pretty much everything on my mind.  We talk about 5 times a year, and it is one of the smartest decisions I ever made for myself.

   

4. With that said, I suggest checking in with a mentor a few times a year.  Choose a mentor that you see as someone who is a couple steps ahead of you in life.  Look to someone successful whom you admire – someone you see as being disciplined and consistent in the way they live their life.  I see a mentor as being different than a friend:  I think of my mentor AS a friend, but I think of her as an unbiased outside source that will continually ask me the hard questions and help me spot blind spots.  My mentor isn’t someone I talk to every single day or even hang out with outside of our sessions…..and yet, I fully trust her and know she has my best interests at heart. Your ideal mentoring situation may look a little different than mine.

   

5. Cross off goals and “to-do’s” as you achieve them, but remember some goals are not a “one-time” accomplishment – there are plenty of goals in my life that are continual daily goals, in which I must remain disciplined and consistent.  I imagine most of you may be able to say the same.

   

6. Give yourself grace when you fall short, and then get back to work.  As the simple old saying goes, “When you fall off the horse, get back on.”  Our days can be unpredictable.  Unforeseen circumstances come up.  Remember that a little rearranging and an “off day” is okay.  Don’t allow one off day to dictate your days in the days ahead.  Do remember the fine line between an “off day” and suddenly just quitting and never going back to what you were doing though.  Remember having a flat tire certainly doesn’t mean you should slash the other 3.  Block out the negativity and the urge to quit.  Fix that flat tire…and move forward.  Consistently getting back up and remaining disciplined is what matters in the long-run.  Consistency is the key to victory. 

Now, to end, here are a few verses to encourage you on your 2021 goal setting (and achieving) journey:

2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

Proverbs 3:6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.”  (Pastor Rob made this one the key verse of his teaching).

Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that whoever reads it may run with it.”  (He also shared this one)

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

With all of that said, happy goal setting, and may 2021 be your best year yet!

How have you been doing with your goal setting?  Have you been rockin’ that to-do list, or do you find yourself struggling (like me)?  For those of you who have reached the next level in the goal setting arena:  What are some principles, applications and disciplines that work for you?  What is some advice that you can give the rest of us? Please feel free to share your comments in the comment section below!

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