With each new year comes the opportunity to set new goals. WifeHER Ministry’s Focus of the Month is goal-setting. In the assigned reading, 7 types of goals were discussed:
- Career goals: These types of goals range from working towards getting a promotion or award at work to starting your own business.
- Financial goals: These goals include saving more or paying off a loan. For assistance with managing your finances check this out: Expense Tracker Printable
- Personal Development Goals: These goals relate to enhancing yourself and can range from learning a new skill or language to reading more self-help books.
- Spiritual Goals: This relates to your faith and may include making more time for God in your schedule or to trust God more.
- Educational Goals: These types of goals cover a plethora of ideas for improving your knowledge such as attending a webinar or starting a new course.
- Relationship Goals: These goals cover ways to make you a better person in a relationship and can vary from doing more activities together to ensuring that you are more intentional with the person.
- Physical and Health Goals: These types of goals relate to your lifestyle. These goals may range from exercising more to eating healthier.
For a more in-depth discussion on these types of goals, click here.
How do we begin to set goals?
1. Start with God– If you’re familiar with the story of Nehemiah in the Bible you will note that before Nehemiah began to restore Jerusalem, he prayed to God. In recalling Nehemiah’s work in restoring Jerusalem, a pastor stated that a move of God does not begin with a plan but rather it begins with a prayer. If you want God to move in your life and help you to achieve your goals and impact others, you must start with seeking Him. Intentionally spend time with God and meditate on His word. Ask God what His plan is for your life and what He wants to accomplish through you. Once you’ve taken time to dwell in God’s presence, it’s time to figure out how to set your goals.
“A move of God does not begin with a plan, but rather it begins with prayer.”
2. Reflect– In order to determine what goals you should set, you should take time out to reflect. Take time to just think about your life and write in your journal. Discover what makes you, you. Think about what makes you tick and what brings you the greatest joy, what you love to do and what you once dreamed of doing but pushed to the back burner. Think about what you’re truly passionate about. Figure out how you can utilize your passion. Our passions usually lead us to our purpose.
“Our passions usually lead us to our purpose.”
3. Use a template that works for you– There are many goal setting tools on the internet today. One of the most common strategies and probably one of the most effective is that of SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant and Time-bound. This method is used to assist you in narrowing down your goal and being as specific as possible to ensure that it is achieved. Zig Ziglar also provides steps on how you can effectively set goals. He suggests the following: state the goal, set a deadline, identify the obstacles, identify the people that can assist, list the benefits of achieving the goal, list the skills you need to achieve the goal and develop a plan. Another helpful tool would be to create a goal map. Download the Wife HER! Goal Map now to get started.
How can we ensure that we achieve our goals?
1. Compound effect: Darren Hardy wrote a New York Times Bestseller in 2010 about The Compound Effect. This is simply the principle of doing little things every day. Doing a little every day will go a long way in helping you to get one step closer to achieving your goals. No matter how insignificant you think the task of the day may be, it will make a difference in your pursuit of achieving your goal. For example, your task for today may be to research ways to start a business, then tomorrow your task may be to write down the points that stuck out to you, the next day you can brainstorm ideas for your product then how to market, etc. In order to remain consistent with your small daily tasks, you should create a weekly schedule. Download the Wife HER! Weekly Schedule template.
“Doing a little every day will go a long way in helping you to get one step closer to achieving your goals.”
2. Keep your Why at the forefront: There will be days when you lack the motivation to continue to do work on your goals. In moments like these, remember your why and then keep going. Fitness enthusiasts do not go to the gym as often as they do because they’re always in the mood to work out. They go to the gym because they know the reason why they are going to the gym: a healthier lifestyle, better physique, etc. When you feel like giving up and throwing in the towel, remember your why. It may be all the motivation you can muster to keep going.
“Remember your why and then keep going.”
3. Accountability: As much as we think we can do things on our own, that is very untrue. We all need someone, someone to check on you and encourage you to keep doing what you’re doing. You can confide in one of your friends and ask them to be your accountability partner or you join a group of like-minded people. If you are a female whose ultimate goal is to become the best version of yourself, join the Wife HER! Facebook group. If you are passionate about improving your walk with God, you can join the PinkyPromise Sisterhood Facebook group.
There is literally a group for everything so there is really no excuse why you cannot find people who are interested in the same things as you. If for some reason there is no group for what you are particularly interested in then create your own group, whether on WhatsApp or Facebook. Having someone hold you accountable for achieving your goals will make a huge impact on the way you go about working towards your goals.
The year has just begun and now is the perfect opportunity to set your goals and work towards achieving them. With God’s guidance and your consistency, you can achieve your goals this year!
Have you set goals for 2020 as yet? If so, what are some of your goals?
Let us know in the comments!