Are You Where You Planned To Be?

My father always says, “You don’t plan to fail, you just failed to plan.” There is a great deal of truth to this. As my last post says, writing your goals on paper not only helps to guide you but it brings forth fruit that you may not see otherwise.

Goals should be written in seven areas of achievement:
Financial
Physical
Personal Development
Family
Spiritual
Social
Careers

Seeking job opportunities and employment were concerns as well as my ability to balance the work and family needs. Financial challenges are a bit off kilter, and I was well aware that I needed to vent more physically to bring my tone back to a happy balance. Well, after several conversations with my pastors, the church leadership team and my husband I needed direction for all the opportunities that were coming my way. How could I determine which way to go? I went back to my goals I’d written this spring.

One perfect example is I had been praying for a role in our church leadership. I wasn’t too crazy about having to meet with council each month added to the leadership role, but I knew I was called into another avenue of ministry work. When my pastor approached me in a meeting I was excited and careful to stay in balance, so I agreed to consider it and get back to him.

Visiting my goals sheet for my spiritual area, I had written down my purpose was to be involved with our church and teach scripture. That confirmed teaching three and four year olds again this year for Sunday school. Then the second goal was to inspire men and women to study Gods word. How better to do it than become part of the Adult Small groups team. Remember my one concern to not attend council meetings in addition to team meetings, as a member I wasn’t committed to attend, just the chair person was. It completely aligned with my goals even better than I’d hoped. God worked out the details and I get the blessings. That is how good it can be to know the goals I’d set and then have them become a reality.

Many other areas are pushing me along to success as well. Pursuing my dream to write I created this blog. Studying methods and reading new ways to write, I was convicted that I needed to write something each day. It was required in order to achieve my dream, but it aligned with my earlier goal. I’m reading the personal development books (3 to be exact already done and its only end of September) and using that information to propel me into the next wave of achievement.

I’m physically benefiting from my goal of a healthier me now with an accountability partner. We determined to loose some weight and to feel better all around. 20 minutes a day exercising to start off and strengthen my core to help chronic back pain. Then I have to imagine the end result rather than torture myself when progress is slow and go easy on my eating vices of baked goods and sweets. Not cut myself off completely, I just toned it down some. 

So Dad, you can be proud that all those comments have been heard! All of us can see proof that a solid goal is worth the time and thought when you hit it straight on.

How Life Finds You

When is the last time you set some goals? Something tangible of course usually declared at the new year and if you check back this time of year see how you are doing.

Last Spring I took the 48 Days challenge by Dan Miller to determine my calling. In his book, 48 Days to the Work You Love he is tough and asks hard questions that most of us shrug off and try to avoid. What are your short term goals and then long term goals?

Statistically only 3% of Americans take the time to set goals. "Only about 8% of the general population can identify clear goals and only 3% ever actually write them down. These are specific goals, not just "I want a bigger house or nicer car" variety."

"Everyone has dreams, but only a few ever turn those into goals. The difference between a dream and a goal is that a goal is a dream with a timeframe of action attached." That hit home with me as I took major consideration to set some goals. Really just one goal isn't sufficient, we need to tap into more areas of life. Try these out and see how many you can set for yourself today.
-Financial
-Physical
-Personal Development
-Family
-Spiritual
-Social
-Career

"With definite goals you release your own power, and things start happening." Zig Ziglar

As I review my seven areas of goals I wrote down back in the Spring I can see how I have gravitated towards those quite directly. It amazed me how much my goals for a career now that I am unemployed surfaced in those areas of goal setting.

God gives us a hearts desire and often we sit and think just show me what you want me to do God, and I'll gladly do it. More times than not its the jouney that God gives us to arrive not the a-ha moment we end it with. So now I can see how those goals and that self evaluation is much more important than the process of checking them off a list.

Prayerfully consider writing some goals and either keep them out to view each day or put them away and visit much later to see the progress you're making. Either way we can see how life finds us or you can find the life that is in you!