Where There is No Vision – People Perish
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but (she) he that keepeth the law, happy is (she) he. [Proverbs 29:18] King James
Ok girlfriends, every Tuesday for the first few weeks of the year we are working through the 15 changes to ensure you have the best 2024 ever. today we are going to talk about setting goals. These goals will be based on the vision or the direction the Lord gave you. PODCAST on Vision.
I am very goal-orientated and have also always set very high goals. Starting on Thanksgiving I start making a dream list. I simply write down ideas in a non-formal list of things to do that align with my vision for the following year.
Because I’m not a fan of late-night parties, every New Year’s Eve, this is the time I take to finalize my goals for the upcoming year. So, what that means, is I’d take this non-formal list (brainstorming ideas) and then put them into specific goals. I know ho-hum – boring for some, but for me, this is super important. (more about this on the podcast).
As we are heading into February, it’s not too late to do this because you may have set New Year’s resolutions and I bet those have already been broken, so you might as well set some solid goals now! So, why is this important to do?
Well as Proverbs 29:18 says, where there is no (prophetic vision) revelation, the people cast off restraint. This means we tend to do things our way rather than God’s way or under his guidance and vision. I don’t know about you; I desire to be walking in God’s guidance and wisdom.
Do you have goals for this year in 2024? Goals for your business, your ministry, personally, or spiritually. Have you thought about what you want to accomplish, where you want to go, or who you want to serve? More importantly, do you have these goals written down?
We not only need to have plans or a vision, but we also need to write down these things. Habakkuk 2:2 says to write down your plans so that you have an idea of where you are going.
Without a plan how do you know how you are going to get there or if you have arrived? That is like planning a trip from Colorado to Florida without looking at a map!! 😊
First want to say that we need to have a vision. We need to have plans and listen to the Lord when he puts something on our hearts. I believe that it’s biblical to set goals because several scriptures talk about planning and being prepared.
One of the things that I want to emphasize is there is nothing wrong with having goals, however, as believers, we need to be careful about the way that we set goals and how we plan to reach these goals. Our focus needs to remain FIRST and for most on the Lord and not just on those goals (been there done that).
WHEEL OF LIFE
The wheel of life is a coaching tool that I have used for many years called. I’ve changed it a bit because some key things were missing from the wheel that are important to our lives as believers.
Typically, what you would do with this wheel is take a look at each section and rate where you are in each area from 1 -5. Meaning, a 1 needs some improvement or it’s nonexistent; but you would like it to be better up to a 5 where this area is perfect!
You can use a scale from 1-10 and you can also create your own wheel depending on what categories are important to your life.
It’s just a fun visual tool to use to give you a starting point for your goals. You may only start out with only 3 categories or you may have anywhere between 8-10. This is totally up to you.
STEP #1: I’m going to encourage you to try to find ONE goal in each category. Start by brainstorming right now for a few minutes about anything and everything you want to accomplish in 2024. Don’t use this wheel yet, just brain-dump and write whatever you think of!!
STEP #2: please go back and keep brainstorming because I hardly gave you time to do this. Once you finish your list, look at the wheel and then place each of these items into one of the categories. Give yourself grace and time to do this. As mentioned I usually take the last half of November and December to work through this process.
STEP #3: I’m briefly going to talk about the acronym SMART for setting goals. I have talked about SMART goals for many years and how to use them because I like this structured format of setting goals.
S – Specific (the more details the better)
M – Measurable (how you will determine whether you have achieved your goal)
A – Attainable (achievable, do you have the resources to reach this goal)
R – Relevant (rewarding, how does this tie into your life vision and purpose)
T – Time-bound (trackable, when will you start and finish this goal)
Goal Setting Tips The brief guidelines will help you to set effective, achievable goals:
- State each goal as a positive statement – Express your goals positively
- Be precise: Set measurable goals, putting in dates and times or amounts
- Set priorities – When you have several goals, give each a priority.
- Write goals down – This crystallizes them and gives them more force.
- Set realistic goals – It’s important to set goals that you can achieve.
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. [Proverbs 29:18]
Seek first the Kingdom of God
First and foremost, seek God when writing out your plans, make sure that He is your CEO/manager/business partner. Not only when making the plans but when working on reaching the goals, make sure we are seeking His kingdom FIRST.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need [Matthew 6:33]
Align your goals with God’s Word
We are called to be different from the world, so setting our goals should be done differently than unbelievers, based on the Word of God. When you set a goal make sure that it aligns with the Word and that you are not violating any biblical truths.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [Romans 12:2]
Set goals based on YOUR specific calling
Be sure to set your goals based on YOUR specific calling. We are each called to do something totally different than someone, so there is NO room for comparison, because what your goals look like won’t be anything like anyone else.
If you do something outside of the will of the Lord and/or our calling, it will be a waste of time and effort.
Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good [Psalms 127:1]
Lean not on your own understanding
This is a powerful scripture to memorize that will keep us out of all sorts of trouble. We want to trust in the Lord with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Totally leaving the growth of our business to the Lord, is another hard thing to do, especially for us doers! Now this doesn’t mean that we just sit back and do nothing, but we do want to have discernment on what actions we take and do for our business.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. [Proverbs 3:5-6]
We all know this verse in Jerimiah 29:11. This verse is claimed by everyone whether they are believers or not. But this verse is specifically for believers, not only believers but for those that will seek Him wholeheartedly. God is a great God and a Father who has given us great gifts. But remember that we also have a responsibility and not only a responsibility but a desire to please the Lord. Seeking him pleases Him.
So when setting your new SMART goals, use the acronym and use what I call God’s wheel of life but also follow these four simple steps to ensure you are setting the right goals in accordance to God’s will for YOUR life.
- Seek first the Kingdom of God
- Align your goals with God’s Word
- Set SMART goals based on YOUR specific calling
- Lean not on your own understanding
This is what the Lord says: You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, says the Lord. I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land. [Jeremiah 29:10-14]