How to Set Goals That Matter and Actually Achieve Them

Have you ever noticed that most New Year’s resolutions don’t last past January?  Why is that?  While in some part I think it comes from laziness or lack of motivation, overall I think the main reason is we don’t set the right goals. Goals should be something that excite us and drive us.  But too often they are unclear, unmotivating, or unobtainable.

For many years, I set very few personal goals.  I had failed too many times and I hate to fail!  At the time it seemed easier to not aim at anything than to risk failing.  But over the last few years, my thinking has changed.  I have learned to set goals that matter.  Goals that have driven me to be a better, stronger person.  What about you?  What do you need to do to set the right goals?

Here are a few practical tips on how to set goals that matter:

Know where you are going. I am convinced the number one reason I struggled with setting good goals is that I didn’t know where I was going. It is like trying to use a GPS without a destination; it won’t take you anywhere.  But determining where you want to end up in life can be challenging.  You have to be honest and take some time to search deep within you.  And for me, I had to seek God, listen, and let Him reveal the purpose He created me for.

Too often we set goals arbitrarily.  We want to accomplish something, but that goal is not tied to an overarching theme or purpose.  What is your life vision?  What goal do you need to set this year that will push you toward living out that vision?

Since this is a huge area I needed to work on, over the last few years, I spent a lot of time reading and studying how to have a personal life vision.  A few resources I recommend are:
Living Forward by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy
Visionerring by Andy Stanley
Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Be honest with where you are. It has been said, “Most people overestimate what they can do in a year, but underestimate what they can do in a lifetime.” Moving forward begins an honest assessment of where you are. How healthy are you? What do you need to change?  What is your greatest strength?  What is your greatest weakness?  What do you need to do this year to move forward?

If you try to do everything at once, more than likely you will not succeed.  But if you start where you are and move toward where you want to be, you will be on the road to success.

Michael Hyatt one of my favorite leaders has developed an assessment tool that you might want to check out.  He helps you assess 10 key areas of life and gives you some practical advice on how to move forward.  https://michaelhyatt.com/lifescore/

Define success. Too often our goals are very general. For example, I want to lose weight, I want to work out more, I want to improve my people skills, or I want to read more.  If your goal is broad, you have no way of knowing when you achieved it.  This is exhausting.  You are constantly running toward a moving target and you will never hit the goal.  A good goal should be a guide that takes you somewhere.  It should have a clear end game.

Instead of a general idea what if we were direct?  For example: I will lose 10 pounds by June, I will work out 4 times a week for 10 weeks, I will set a habit of being positive in my speech by verbally expressing appreciation to at least one person every day for 30 days, or I will read one book a month for the next year?

Determine the next step. In addition to knowing what we are aiming at, we have to have a clear path to get there. Take your goal and ask, what is the next most important thing I can do to accomplish this goal? Make a series of mini-goals that reflect this next step and assign a date to each of them.  Look at a few of the examples above: I will lose 10 pounds by June.  Maybe I create a diet plan in the next 10 days or set a monthly weight goal.  For reading one book a month for the next year, maybe I decide in the next week I will determine the 12 books I want to read and put that in writing.  Or maybe I schedule set time for reading on my calendar for the next 30 days.  Whatever it is – be clear, be realistic, and be specific.

One of my favorite Bible stories is the Joshua. Studying Joshua 1 has propelled me forward.  God gave Joshua a huge assignment.  In order to carry that out, Joshua had to step forward.  God made it clear until Joshua’s feet stepped out, Joshua would not be able to claim God’s promise.  The same is true for us.  In order to see God work and move toward the life He has called us to, we have to step forward. And that begins with the next step that is right in front of you.

Celebrate along the way. Each time you meet a mini-goal, celebrate. In his book, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg discusses how important reward is to creating habits.  He talks about how our brain creates habit loops that include 3 parts: cue, routine, and reward.  The reward is key because it helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future.  If we are just in an endless cycle of action and achieving we will burn out.  We have to enjoy the process and celebrate.

Don’t forget, God created you for a purpose.  And fulfilling that purpose brings joy.  Take time to determine where God is directing you, work hard to move toward that vision, and enjoy the journey!

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Every place on which the sole of your feet treads, I have given it to you just as I spoke to Moses.
Joshua 1:3

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.  Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
John 15:8-11