How To Create Empowering Goals For Your Life PART 2

Let’s start part 2 of How to Create Empowering Goals for your life this way-

Discussions about setting life goals normally include the famous SMART acronym first mentioned by George T. Doran in the November 1981 issue of Management Review. If you know anything about goal setting you would be familiar with this well- known acronym. If you’ve never heard of SMART here’s a quick highlight:

Specific: Goals need to be specific

Measurable: Goals need a way to be measured

Achievable/ Attainable and Actionable: Your goal needs to include how it will be achieved

Relevant and Realistic: Your goal can’t be pie in the sky or have nothing to do with your life

Timely and Time-Bound: Is your goal time-bound? It must have a start and an end date.

You have learnt that SMART gets you to the finish line as it gives you steps to follow on to get to your goal.

But let me ask you, have you used that model to guide your past goal setting activities?

Did you accomplish your goals?

Consider this-did you grow unmotivated as the time went by? Was the process rigid and unyielding or were you able to be creative and focused as you worked through the goals you set?

Maybe you are like me? Searching hard and willing to try something more aligned and relational?

If that’s you,

I encourage you to approach things differently this year. Challenge yourself in the areas that need urgent focus. No more delay- be bold. Break old habits that have kept you stuck and afraid to move on to more than you’ve experienced so far. Move out of your comfort zone and see where the path takes you as you approach goal setting for your life with a new attitude, a new approach and renewed focus. Yes, you’ll still be SMART…here’s how.

Look back over your life for the past year or even five do you see growth, welcomed changes, any accomplishments? Maybe you’ve grown disillusioned because you feel stuck or caught in a cycle of the same results year after year and no matter how much you want to change and see change, nothing seems to work well…, not for long anyway.

Maybe you are working hard but seeing very little result or worse yet, no results. I understand that you may be a little bit dejected and disillusioned because you’re unable to see how you will accomplish anything in life if all around you other single Christian women just like you are creating goals and accomplishing so much but for you it’s a different story.

The truth is your best laid plans may sometimes lead to disappointment because they are after all your plans and very often not God’s plans for you.

There’s no shame just an opportunity for change.

Many of my well laid plans didn’t go the way I liked, yeah, I was in the dumps for a bit but then I realized that it was time to get some clarity, get focused and get aligned and you can too.

How?

This year you’re going to remain SMART but you’re going to make goal setting more relational, and more God centred than you’ve made it in the past. So, instead of you bringing God a life plan and then you pray for approval hoping things will come to pass why not ask Him what His plans are for you and then you work out the steps of the plan together?

Sounds farfetched?

Not at all.

Here’s what Proverbs 19:21 says We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails (The Message Translation). This means you should take everything to God the small decisions, the big decisions- your successes, your failures, your plans, and your questions in prayer every single day stop doing it on your own or with friends.

Isn’t this the way you should be living anyway- talking to God about your life, your goals your dreams, your desires, and any random thing? Doesn’t He desire to communicate and speak to you daily-friend to friend, Father to daughter? So why would goal setting be any different?

I know you want better results, right? Try this SMART move instead.

In goal setting SMART is often an integral component of the process but it can mean different things to different people as people have adapted it to meet their goal setting objectives through the years.

Nowadays, I view goal setting in a different light the original meaning behind the SMART acronym has changed for me as I have found a model that is better aligned to the way I approach my life and the goals I want to accomplish according to God’s plan for my life. I choose to give God control as I seek His best for my life. I go to Him for guidance, and I’ve stopped trying to brainstorm myself to success. Instead, I am taking Him at His word. His word says in Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

So, here’s what SMART means to me:

Goals to be pursued do not come out of emotional or spiritual insecurities but come from the Holy Spirit who lives in you. He knows the thoughts God thinks toward you and He knows the plans specifically designed for you more than anyone, including yourself.

Dream Big. Take the limits off God and off yourself. Get acquainted with His plans for you-it doesn’t matter your age or where you come from or who you know. He will design the who, what, when, where, why and how you will accomplish the goal/s.

To accomplish your goals you need to remain motivated therefore deal with the negative thoughts that keep sabotaging you and your efforts. Break the bad habits that sap your energy. When accomplishing your goals keep you motivated when setbacks come you will keep going.

Your goals should be aligned with God’s divine plan for your life not anyone else’s. Your goals should have everything to do with your life and nothing to do with the life you think you should have or the views of other people.

Your goals will develop and take on new life when you see yourself as Righteous. Saved, Justified and Acceptable in the beloved. You will pursue your goals fully convinced that nothing is beyond your capability.

You don’t accomplish or pursue your goals alone. You have the Holy Spirit, the Helper, with you every step of the way. He will help you to take the steps necessary to remain aligned.

There are also people God has handpicked to help you reach your goals so be open to being helped. No one gets the credit but God. Be on the lookout for people rightly aligned with your vision.

Maybe you’re thinking but will these goals be specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time bound? Of course, they will be, you are after all dealing with the Master Strategist who will help you to accomplish your dreams but doing things His way. Give Him a try and see how the matter turns out. Get more aligned. Get more results.

This type of goal setting will produce much better results for you. Transform your entire life it doesn’t matter whether you are setting goals for your personal life, career or business.

To get started you know that writing goals down does not bring them into reality. If you want to see results. You must ACT. You must be consistent and intentional. Here are 3 things to do first as you get SMART with Holy Spirit.

Quiet yourself-your mind, your thoughts, put aside your To do lists, and get rid of all the distractions. All of it. Set aside time for this. Be intentional about hearing what the LORD has to say to you concerning goal setting for your life.

Pray, then Listen and Watch- for what the LORD will answer. Be alert. Does His Word, His promptings or His leading feel aligned with who you are? He will not lead you astray. He wlll connect the dots not one dot will be out of place.

Write. Everything. Down. No matter how insignificant it may appear. Write what you hear or what you see or feel. Use all your senses to capture the response. What you write can be tested later but for now be free. Write. This will serve as motivation later.

Were there instructions? Tips? Advise? Revelation on a matter? Any names dropped? Any alignments revealed? Whatever you wrote down-It’s time to act on it. It is only action that will take your goals from dream to dream come true. Partner with God to see change in your life-all of your life not just some parts. When you know that you belong to God- and His plans for you are for good, you will act knowing who you are in Him.

Having prayed, having listened and written down what the LORD impressed on your heart be courageous. Remain motivated. Don’t second guess God. So, for your dreams to become reality and with the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit Don’t forget that:

Dreams fuel passion. Dream Big. Stop playing small. Stop being timid and afraid. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? What would you do if you weren’t afraid? If you could do, have, or be anything, what would you pursue fearlessly every single day?

Dream Big. Leave your comfort zone and embrace that dream you have in your heart that you can’t seem to shake. Find out what God has to say about pursuing it -then Act on it every day.

Look at your life-do you love what you see? Are you living your best life right now? How have your thoughts and habits directed and affected the life you have right now? What do you need to do or change to get on the path to reaching your goals? Making changes in your life is healthy. Change may at first be intimidating and scary, but often, change is necessary for you to grow. Change will keep you motivated.

What are you willing to give up to successfully achieve your goals? Start giving those things up today one by one.

Yes, God is in your goal setting, but no goal achieved without sacrifices. Prove that you want it as much as you say you do. Make the sacrifice count. If you give up social time with your friends to work on your mind, to affirm who you are in Christ, to affirm your value as a daughter of God make it worthwhile. Give it your all.

What actions do you need to take now, to get started?

If you don’t act, you won’t be successful. Start now, not today, or tomorrow, or after your friends agree, or you lose weight, or you meet Mr. right. Do it now. The only thing you have promised is today. Figure out what you can do or change right this minute to get you one step closer to your goals and walking in purpose.

As you set goals take strategic steps and prioritize each one. Don’t just write down the goals God has spoken to you put real thought into it plan your actions. Yes, it may take a while to accomplish these goals, especially because they are God breathed and you now need to accomplish them in step with His step. Doing things His way and not your way. So press in until you see the goal come into being. It will come. Take it one step at a time; one strategy at a time. Prioritize every action and be strategic every day.

If you are willing to pursue the Holy Spirit led goal -you must become one with it. The hunger you have to pursue it will drive you as you partner with God in this way.

Trust yourself and God in you as you personalize the journey to goal realization. What you want, and why you want it doesn't play such a huge part here as you set personal goal milestones within the God-given plan.

You decide if you want to grow and by how much. God has a specific plan for your life. Go find out what that plan is, then, partner with God to make His plan a reality by taking practical and intentional action every day.

Determine the steps necessary to make your goal a reality. Break down the goal into baby steps or small daily action steps that will ultimately allow you to achieve your big, vision. As a single Christian woman who dreams of marriage and family and children your dreams may look like this:

For example, you may want to get married so you may have a goal to start dating again.

What will your dating life look like from now on? Will you stick to Church settings? Will you sign up online? If yes-find the best platform; upload Bio etc. Or maybe you will have date night every Friday? Whatever you decide break, down the steps needed to make accomplishing the goal easy and enjoyable.

Break it down-eliminate overwhelm and fear that will cause you to back off and not pursue. What does the Bible say about claiming your promise? Just as God spoke to the children of Israel as they got ready to enter the Promised Land. He encouraged Joshua, He encouraged them all to be courageous and fight for what He promised them (the vision) (Joshua 1).

So, Attack and Take! Go after the Vision.

Open your eyes, determine what obstacles might get in your way and figure out the solutions to these obstacles. Identify which steps are a priority and which are secondary. Document steps, deadlines, and the success of each as you go along with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He knows the path you take (Job 23:10).

What do you need to change? Old habits are hard to break- that’s how the saying goes. They may be hard to break but not impossible. You have the Holy Spirit to help you break old habits and create new ones that will serve you as you determine in your heart that your goal is worth it.

Creating good habits will help you to accomplish your goals while reaping the reward of kicking a bad habit. Habits are powerful whether good or bad. it’s time to create powerful new habits that get you to purpose and a more fulfilling life.

Be creative and open. Be determined and intentional as you create good habits that will make your goal a reality. You are up for it. Try and fail until you master it. Creating good habits while discarding bad ones will keep you motivated.

Researchers say it takes 21 days to make a habit of something. Once you create a habit, you won’t feel like you need to try so hard anymore because it will become second nature to you.

The whole objective of going SMART this way is to ensure that your goal setting is Holy Spirit led and not emotion driven. Your goals may be God breathed but God is very practical. So, create a plan then Work your plan daily. Be intentional. Be consistent.

The truth is all the power resides with you. If you follow the process of goal setting with the Holy Spirit and implement your plans, you really will see a lot more success than if you just sat back and waited for something to happen. Every small step matters.

Set small goals that you can do and perform daily. Even if they sound too easy or are repetitive, if these baby steps get you to achieve your big goal one day, it’ll be worth it. It doesn’t matter where you start-be consistent. Saving all the change from your handbag will lead to a nice financial reward at the end of your saving period. Baby steps will get you there at the end of the day you’ll see how small daily actions get results.

Create a list of activities you need to do each day. Each baby step you take from your list daily is necessary to reach this goal.

Change your mindset so you are continually thinking and talking about what you want to achieve, and the good things you’re doing, over the things you don't want to do or can’t do.

Be positive. Use the Word of God to encourage yourself and press in when you feel like giving up.

Remain motivated-your goal did not come from your mind. You have the full backing of Heaven. Believe. When obstacles come find the solution and press on. Don’t give up. There are good things ahead of you.

Keep trusting that you are on the right track. If you have the confidence to continue to do something, ultimately, you will succeed.

When the rough patches come you may need a little push to keep going. Remember too the Bible calls your heavenly Father a Rewarder

Be reminded that whether you reward yourself or not or whether or not someone rewards you achieving your life goals is all about you and what you do to get there, who you partner with and what you are willing to give up to ensure that the dream God gave you becomes a reality. Know that your actions or lack of actions speak volumes not just to you, or others but to God.

Look deep inside yourself and see what you can truly change about you and in your daily life to make it easier to accomplish the vision that God has set before you.

As you’ve discovered goal setting with the Holy Spirit is possible. It requires you to release control of you and your desires for His dreams and desires for you. Goal setting with Holy Spirit also requires you to be intentional and determined.

You learnt that remaining motivated is essential to remaining focused and confident as you take baby steps every day.

Also, once you feel aligned to the goal you will pursue it .

When you know you’re in right standing with God you can dream big audacious dreams knowing you have Heaven’s backing.

Finally, teamwork keeps you on track as you know that you can rely on God to guide you and you can also rely on those whom God has identified to come along side you and help you walk in purpose as you dream big God sized dreams.

Be fearless.