There are many benefits of setting goals. Even the scriptures have a lot of bible verses about setting goals, too many to mention, but nevertheless, I’ve listed a few, and a bit later in the post, I’ve shared six simple ways to make goals that matter.
Bible Verses About Setting Goals
Psalm 127:1
“Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
Proverbs 3:6
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Proverbs 13:16
“All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly.”
Proverbs 16:3
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:9
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 19:21
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 21:5
“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
Psalm 33:11
“But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
Psalm 118:8
“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”
Proverbs 29:18
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
Isaiah 32:8
“But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds, they stand.”
Jeremiah 17:7
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Six Simple Ways to Make Gals That Matter
Like I talked about earlier this week, I just finished my first six months of the intentional pursuit of goals and growth, using Powersheets.
And I have definitely learned a lot about how to set goals, how to make them happen, and how to start fresh every month.
As I wrapped up my first set of Powersheets, I took some time last week to look at all the worksheets I filled out in January – all about my core values, what fires me up, what I want less and more of in my life, and what goals will help me become the person God has created me to be.
What was so encouraging to me was that all the ideas I wrote down six months ago are still true today.
My life vision is still to:
- abide in Jesus
- become a husband and father who serves his family with love and joy
- use my skills and talents to build up God’s kingdom
- invest my heart and time in relationships
- refuse to let my life be wasted
I know a lot of people set goals or resolutions at the beginning of each year – and by summertime, have forgotten all about them.
And you know what? Sometimes that’s ok! Maybe those goals didn’t really line up with your heart’s passions. Or they were a fad that seemed interesting for a month or two but wasn’t actually making your life any better.
I’ve learned a few things I want to share with you about how to make and meet goals that matter.
1. Discover what your core is.
That means knowing who you are, who God created you to be, how he has gifted you, and what your underlying passions are. How you express all of that may change throughout your life, but your core values and passions remain the same.
2. Create a life vision.
Who do you want to be in ten years? In twenty? If you don’t know where you’re headed, any road will take you there – and you will waste time and energy making goals that don’t get you to the right place.
3. Accept that you can’t do it all.
Saying yes to one thing means saying no to another. If you decide to focus on healthy eating for one month, you might have to put something else on the back burner (no pun intended). And that’s ok!
It can be so overwhelming to listen to everyone telling us through TV, the internet, blogs, social media, church small groups, or mom’s night out that we should do it all, right now. But doing that will make you a crazy person – and not in a good way. It’s ok to limit yourself in order to focus on that one thing God is calling you to.
4. Break down big goals into small steps.
If we set big goals – graduating with a new degree, designing a new website, memorizing a book of the Bible – without seeing the small steps, we’ll be too overwhelmed to start. Take that big project or dream you want to make happen, and write down every small action you can think of that will get you there. This will give you a roadmap of what to do next.
5. Just start.
Don’t wait for life to calm down or for the stars to align or to feel better about yourself. If it’s really important to you, you will make it happen. It’s that simple.
What’s sad is when people’s actions reveal what their true priorities are. A woman may say, I’d love to spend more time with my neighbors. But if she spends two hours every evening watching television and doesn’t take action on what she says, her true priorities are revealed. She’d rather entertain herself and be comfortable than build relationships.
If your priorities are as important to you as you say they are, take action on them today.
6. Take time to review.
Whether it’s at the end of the day or week or month, set aside time to reflect. Look at what happened and what didn’t happen. What got in the way? Was it your schedule? Did you get distracted by social media? Did you realize halfway through the month that this goal didn’t actually fit into your life? What made a good week such a success?
Then consider how you can incorporate the lessons learned from your failures and successes into your plan for the coming days.