So now that we have removed some obstacles, let’s set some goals. Here’s our simple framework: Ask, Aim, Act, Achieve.
Ask
Reflection is a key to discovering your MORE. Look back over your answers to some of the questions in this book. Then, answer these:
· What has God been revealing to you?
· What do you know about yourself now that you didn’t know before?
· What are some things you want to accomplish that line up with your personal purpose?
· How do you want to grow forward?
Think back and consider. Make sure to evaluate every area of your life, personally and professionally. Goals are about growth, right? How do you want to grow? Don’t just go forward. Grow forward!
Your next step is to think ahead and let the Holy Spirit inspire what you envision for your life. Take out a sheet of paper and make a list of things you want to accomplish. Just let your dreams lead you. Don’t listen to any negative self-talk. Let purpose, passion, and the Holy Spirit guide you.
So, my dear friend, here is what I want you to do in the next few moments. Open a document or get a piece of paper and do a brain dump. Write out everything that comes to mind. Don’t edit now. Do that later. Just dump everything out of your brain and into your document. Write out the one thing you believe God has called you to do that has scared you to death but has called your name time after time. Like an echo in the dark, that thought has enveloped you for a long time. It’s a thought that won’t go away.
Remember how irked you got when it seemed like your mom just kept telling you to clean up your room? You knew it needed to be done, but you simply got distracted by other things. You had left it alone for so long that it seemed like a huge job that would not be a lot of fun, so you put it off. It had become overwhelming and unavoidable.
Whenever you opened the door to walk into your room, you heard your mom’s voice in your head. “Clean your room!” Finally, you couldn’t ignore her voice or the task ahead. You buckled down, took a deep breath and made the decision. “Okay. Today, I am doing this thing!”
It’s time for you to buckle down, take a deep breath, and do the thing. Making the effort to write it out is part of making the decision. Seeing your goal in writing makes it real. It takes that thought and turns it into an action step. We will take more time to map out your actions in the next section, but today, just get it down into something that you can see. Make that thought tangible. Make it visible. Make it real.
Now is the time to make that dream a goal! It’s time to say YES!
Aim
After you have written down as many possible goals as you can, it’s time to narrow them down. Choose seven to ten goals that you’d like to accomplish this year.
Are you familiar with the SMART framework for setting goals? It’s been around for a while, so I won’t take a lot of time here, but I will take a moment to refresh or inform. This is one way of explaining what SMART goals are:
· Specific
· Measurable
· Achievable
· Relevant
· Time-bound
As you write out your goals, think of it as choosing the highways that will get you to your destination. Goals are navigation tools.
From your big list, choose the three goals that are most important to you. Consider yourself successful even if they are the only ones you accomplish.
Act
The key to accomplishing goals is action. Effective follow-through on your action steps requires strategic systems. How do we get started with that?
Why do many people fail to follow through on their goals? Because they forget they even set them. The first system to establish is a plan to keep your goals at the top of your mind.
There are a few things that I do. I set a reminder on my phone to regularly review my digital goal note. The note lists my goals and action steps. I am a list-checker! Putting a check in the box next to a task makes me smile. What about you?
A couple of years before I wrote this book, I tried something outside my norm. I created a digital vision board and made it the lock screen on my tablet. This visual reminder of my goals took some learning and effort, but it effectively keeps my goals front and center!
Next, take your top three goals and list some action steps toward achieving them. Check them off as you accomplish them. You’ll be encouraged. You may need to add action steps as you go along. The important thing is to keep taking action.
Achieve
After you have achieved a goal, guess what you get to do? First, you get to celebrate. Make sure to mark each achievement with some sort of celebration. A special dinner. A reward purchase. Whatever it is, connect it to your achievement while you thank God for His help.
Then . . . you get to go through the process all over again. There is always another YES. You will always be growing forward. You’ll keep working toward your divine potential for the rest of your life. That is what makes life such an exciting adventure.
You get to keep growing and transforming into the image of Christ. I can’t think of a more satisfying and fulfilling goal. Can you?
Excerpt from The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word by Cathleen Zahradnik. Check it out here. If you’ve read the book, please leave a review on Amazon to help other people find it!