I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you (Psalm 32:8).
How do you stay on track with the goals you have set for yourself? What can help you follow through? My friend, you need a system.
What’s that you say? You think a system sounds boring? Well, it might sound boring. And honestly, sometimes it might seem boring, but systems are exciting because they help you get the right things done. That’s why I like to call them rhythms for growth.
“Systems” has become a very clinical word. In our age of industry and technology, systems have become associated with machinery. But systems are actually God-inspired. Really!
Think about it. God has designed systems that are rhythms for growth in nature. Consider the seasons. We love the summer when it seems like everything is bursting with life. In the fall, nature seem to die off, but really, things are just settling in for a quiet winter. And in winter, when it looks like nothing is happening, plants and animals are internally preparing for spring when growth happens again.
Plants have a root system to absorb the nourishment they need. The water cycle, or system, allows rivers and lakes to evaporate, form clouds, and then fall as rain, refreshing the plants and land. Day and night are a system that allow living things to rest and replenish so they can begin again the next day.
God’s systems — day and night, the seasons, and many other systems —are dependable. We know they will happen and when they happen the right growth happens.
You and I need to develop routines that help us follow through on our goals. Systems that help us do the right things in the right way so that we can carry out our God-centered goals. Routine may imply something mechanical and boring to you. But consider this, repeating actions in a regular rhythm helps to ensure that you get the right things done.
When I discovered the system, or routine, of taking fifteen minutes a day to write, I was finally able to complete the draft of my book, The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word. The system of choosing one word for focus at the beginning of the year has helped me better evaluate my personal growth. And the system of choosing three big goals at the beginning of the year, and for each day, has helped me track what I am accomplishing and given me motivation to keep working towards my long-term goals.
Systems support your goals by giving you a structure for completing them. A system is simply a routine that helps you get the right things done. Even a simple system can help you complete a big goal. Don’t make it complicated, friend. Just try it!
Key Question: How can I follow through on my goals?
A Scripture to Consider: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you (Psalm 32:8).
A YES Challenge: List five or more goals you want to achieve this year. Put a star next to the three goals that are most important to you. Circle your #1 goal for this year. Brainstorm the steps needed to accomplish that goal.
Choose your next step and write it down. What systems will you put in place to take this step? Repeat this process for your other top two goals.
Prayer: Jesus, this whole goal-setting thing is pretty intimidating. I’ve sat with these dreams for so long, it’s hard to imagine that now You and I are going to work together to turn the dream into a reality. I know without a doubt that I can’t do it on my own. If I could have, I already would have. I can’t do this without You. So, I invite you into this process. I need You!
Be in the planning, and be in the execution. Help me to make this dream into a goal and that goal into a reality for Your honor and glory. I believe that you will transform me in the process. Amen.
If you’d like to learn more, you can check out the book here. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.
If you’d like a partner to work through your process, schedule a complimentary 30-minute coaching session here. I’d be glad to walk with you through it.
