Smart goal setting enables us to turn our dreams into action. However, we need to ask ourselves, whether our goals are in sync with God’s Word? or, in other words, do we put the Almighty at the center of our life? We should not shift our focus from Jesus Christ when we are setting goals.
Let us first see what the Bible says about Goal Setting.
Why Goal Setting is Important?
Most of us do not set goals as we feel it is a waste of time. It is indeed necessary to set meaningful goals as they provide direction, meaning, and purpose to our lives. Goal setting is akin to having a map on the back of our palms to guide where we want to go. However, we seldom succeed in accomplishing our objectives. The primary reason for the failure is that we do not commit to the Lord and pray for His guidance.
Next, we forget to calculate the long and short-term consequences, financially and otherwise; the Bible says, in Luke 14:28, Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?
One other reason for our failure is that we do not follow a process that is logical and progressive. Know that God rewards the faithful, let us seek Him with a truthful heart and ask for His guidance in the planning process to diligently accomplish the things that are to be completed.
Successful Smart Goal Setting Process
A successful goal-setting process involves the following seven steps:
- Goal Setting #1 — First, we should have an intense desire to achieve a certain thing and the desire should be based on (1) why we need to achieve our target and (2) how we will benefit from it. Once we have reasoned it out, we will have to start working on it. Not every act will be rewarded instantaneously, but we need to persevere. According to 2 Chronicles 15:7, But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded, we need to be strong and not give up knowing that our tasks will be rewarded.
- Goal Setting #2 — Second, we need to write down the goals and develop a clear action plan; this will give us a glimpse of how big the target is and how to go about it. According to Proverbs 21:5, The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Though our success depends on God, formulating a well-defined plan will make a world of difference. We have to plan our schedule with daily task lists and planners to keep us on track.
- Goal Setting #3 — Third, we need to execute. We will have to bypass resistance and procure assistance to accomplish our goals. According to Proverbs 15:22, Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed, thus getting wise counsel will help in achieving goals and will meet the least resistance from people who execute the plan at the grass-root level. It is always good to have a group of trustworthy people to execute the outlined tasks and provide constructive feedback on the progress.
- Goal Setting #4 — Fourth, we need to set deadlines and affirm that we will neither turn back nor quit until we accomplish. According to Hebrews 12:11, No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it; disciplining ourselves by setting reminders and building accountability for things may be tough but need to be done; keeping track of our progress will enable us to achieve things faster and better with a higher efficiency rate.
- Goal Setting #5 — Fifth, we need to visualize what we need. According to Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see; this method is the formula for all visualization and people have used it for getting what they need, provided the need is according to God’s Word.
- Goal Setting #6 — Sixth, we should feel responsible for our goals and should not find any excuse. According to Colossians 3:23-24, Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ, we should never run away or deter from our responsibilities. As in Luke 14:18, But they all alike began to make excuses….., we must not make any excuse in carrying out duties when faced with distractions, interruptions, crisis, conflicts, adversities, and a fluctuating workload.
- Goal Setting #7 — Seventh, finally, the most crucial aspect, we must ‘demonstrate sheer persistence.’ According to Proverbs 4:25-26, 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways; we must never deviate from our fixed purpose and pursue our goals with steadfast determination and dedication.
We hope that the above seven-step guideline on goal setting will help us beat the odds and accomplish our goals for a bright and better future with the mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Also, check our seven simple tips to set smart financial goals.
