Goal Setting: We Make Our Plans and The Lord Directs Our Steps
How to set goals and implement your plans in four simple steps
Goals bring clarity, focus, motivation, purpose, direction, meaning, and movement.
To achieve a goal, consciously decide you want it, it’s important to you, and be willing to make a daily commitment to achieving it.
Your goals need energy, so if you set goals that are too small and easy to achieve, it’s not as exciting. Don’t mix up a to-do list with goal setting.
Goal setting is about setting targets for the future that you can only dream of right now. They must inspire you!
What do I mean, they must inspire you?
They must be more than you can see right now. You must dig deep to find out what’s stirring within you that wants to live.
It’s an act of faith to put your dreams into action. Don’t let your dreams lie dormant within you. You can make them a reality by taking small actions every day.
Maybe you think, 'What if I set goals, and then when I achieve them, they're not what I want.'
Yes, this may happen, but you will feel good for having tried, and then you can move in a new direction. The idea is to keep moving as it keeps you in the flow.
God can only direct our steps when we are moving, however slowly that may be.
4 Simple Steps to Achieve Any Goal You Want
#1. Have a strong reason or purpose
Is it what you want deep down? Ask yourself, not being influenced by someone else, or society, or cultural backgrounds. This is to give the strong emotional support needed to achieve your goal. Pray about it.
Why do you want it?
What if you don’t achieve it?
Why does it matter?
What difference does it make if you indeed achieve it?
Be clear about what you want and why you want it. Have a sense of purpose, with a target to aim for.
#2. Find a meaningful measurement for your goal.
Look at how many tasks or things you do that move you towards your goal, regardless of whether or not they are successful.
For example, you may have researched 3 business ideas for your new business venture and made 5 phone calls. This is progress regardless of their actual results. You have started.
To accomplish anything worthwhile means experiencing many small successes and failures along the way.
So long as you keep going, keep trying, keep making progress, and keep working on your goal, you will eventually achieve it. It requires persistence.
#3. Focus on spending enough time on your goals
Time on goals is important. Have a notebook just for this. If you don’t write it down, it’s just a wish. Commit to the time required to bring about your goal.
We tend to underestimate the amount of time it takes to accomplish something we want; we get impatient, and we tend to lose heart when we don’t see results sooner.
Eventually, this kind of impatient state of mind will sabotage your goal. Ask people who have achieved goals, how long did it take?
Success takes much longer than we think.
#4. Form a habit of reviewing your goals every day
Be consistent with putting in action steps towards achieving your goal. Keep reviewing it daily. It’s crucial to write your goals down. Put them in a place where you will look at them every day.
You may refine it each time you look at it, this is good. The more specific and simple your goal is, the easier it will be for your mind to process the information and move you in the direction of achieving that goal.
Achieving your goals in life is possible.
For you to feel excited about your goal, you must choose something that you really want. I’m assuming at this point that you have prayed about your goal and it is in alignment with the God’s Word. We don’t want to be out of God’s will, so it’s crucial to be praying all the time.
We don't always know what we truly want, but this is part of the process. You must love yourself enough to take the time to think about what you want in life. The Holy Spirit will guide you if you ask.
The reason I say your goals must inspire you is that you won't achieve the goal without being emotionally connected to it. A rational thought alone won't do it. You must first see yourself having it and enjoying it.
Spend time imagining yourself living it. Dream of it and connect with the emotions you feel.
Do you feel happy. Accomplished? Content? At peace?
Remember, it is a process and you must be willing to go through the different stages to achieve it. Start with small goals as that will motivate you to go for the bigger ones.
I wish you every success in making your dreams a reality. Goal setting is an effective tool for helping you to achieve your goals if used correctly and properly understood.
“A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps.”
—Proverbs 16:9
If you are interested in finding out more or booking a coaching call, please email me at orlakennycoaching@gmail.com or newcreationok@proton.me
I’d be happy to answer your questions. :)
Blessings!
Órla
Órla Kenny - Christian Life Coach
You can also find me on Linked In or Facebook.
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