A practical, prayerful start-to-finish strategy for identifying your goals and achieving them.
We all want to achieve goals in life, but how do we find the goals that are fulfilling? And how do we pursue them in a meaningful way?
When my daughters were little girls of about six- and eight-years old, they attended a summer dance camp in our neighborhood. Run by entrepreneurial teenagers, this week-long camp met every morning, and parents were invited to a “recital” that would take place on the Friday afternoon.
On the day of the performance, I sat perched on the edge of a backyard deck with the other parents, drinking lemonade supplied by the young businesswomen and waiting for the show to begin.
Promptly at 4 p.m., the outdoor sound system crackled and hummed on and then, suddenly, to the Spice Girls’ song “Wannabe,” about 30 little girls came sassily sashaying out from the side of the house.
You might know that song and its repeated lyric: “So tell me what you want, what you really, really want…I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want.” (My daughters listened to that song incessantly for the rest of the summer!)
The brief performance was goofy and joyful, and all the little girls, regardless of how shy or nervous they’d been on day one of the camp, danced with confidence. At the end of the song, in their matching purple, sequined t-shirts and jean shorts, they all collapsed into a heap of giggles.
So…what does this little story have to do with goal setting?
I’d like to propose that, as we look at best practices for identifying and setting goals, we adopt a similar spirit of openness and play as we consider them. I hope you can enter the process with a hint of the curiosity, trust, and joy that my daughters and their friends had when they came racing onto the grassy stage to perform.
Identify Your Heart’s Desire
When you are ready to achieve your goals, first things first: Before setting and, ultimately, attaining our goals, we need to get real about what it is we “really, really want.” Fortunately, we don’t have to go it alone.
I’ve always loved the quiet promise of Psalm 37:4 which says: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (NIV) I was in my thirties, though, when I realized that this wasn’t a singsong, “vending machine-God” promise that, if we love God, we’ll get whatever we want, such as healing from illness, a trip to Paris, or grandchildren who live nearby.
Instead, in a time of soul-searching and confusion, I realized that these words can be read not only as God’s loving inclination to answer our prayers but also as an invitation to empty ourselves, let go of ego, and allow God to place desires into our hearts…the desires that will most satisfy us. Perhaps this will come in the form of a newfound artistic passion or an interest in addressing the needs of people who are hurting in our communities. Or it could be an instinct to go back to school, begin a business, or take other risks.
Loosening our grips on our wants and instead asking God to “give us the desires of our hearts” involves trusting that God has our best interests in mind, has a purpose for us to fulfill, and wants to bless us with goals to achieve.
There is no shortage of promises in the Bible to support that these things are true. One of the most beloved is Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” (NIV)
Take a moment now. Spend a few silent moments now, letting God know that you are open to His lead and to the plans He has for you.
You might sit in a quiet room and close your eyes or sit with an open notebook in front of you or simply look out the window as you wait for God’s response.
You might pray: “God, give me the desires of my heart, whatever You want them to be.”
Set Smart Goals
Perhaps you felt or heard God’s response after asking for His guidance. Or maybe you chose to read this today because you already know what you “really, really want.” Either way, the next step to achieving a goal is to set an effective one.
You’ve likely heard, from business leaders, teachers, and life coaches, that the goals people are most successful in meeting are called “SMART” ones. This acronym describes goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based.
That is, vague goals such as “I’d like to save more money” or “I’d like to be more physically fit” or “I’d like to grow spiritually”—although very well-intentioned—are difficult to achieve. How would you know you’ve made real progress toward such goals or even met them when they are stated in those ways?
Without specificity, we cannot gauge whether we are moving in the right direction toward our goals or just treading water, waiting for some magic to swoop us up and over the hard work that’s required of achieving any goal. By precisely articulating exactly what we want and what is our timeline, we can track whether we are moving forward.
I’ll give you a “replacement” goal for the first one stated above. What happens when we swap out: “I’d like to save more money” with the goal of: “I’d like to save $25 a month this year so that by December 1, I’ll have $300 set aside to pay for Christmas presents”?
This new goal is SMART as it’s specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based. It has another significant benefit, too: it contains the answer to the question, “Why?”
If I set aside $25 a month (instead of, say, paying for expensive drive-thru coffees or streaming subscriptions or purchasing other nonessentials), I’ll be able to handle the additional expense of Christmas presents when December comes with ease (and without racking up credit card debt).
Ahhh…can’t you just feel the relief of such a bite-sized and SMART goal?
Take a moment now. Begin to craft a SMART goal for whatever is the desire of your heart.
How is this goal:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-based
Why is this goal important to you?
How might achieving this goal align with your values, beliefs, and sense of what God wants for you?
How will your future be different (and better) once you’ve achieved it?
How Achieving Goals Sparks Hope
Researchers promise, again and again, that setting effective goals is key not only to meeting them and attaining our hearts’ desires, but to experiencing a longer, happier life. Why might this be? Why would setting and achieving goals be a key to longevity?
Goals keep us motivated when we are feeling weary or discouraged. They spark hope within us, and they give us a reason to work hard and stay on track. In short, they energize us.
They can also help us open up to others and to God in fresh and authentic ways.
Approach your goals with a playful, trusting spirit and a willingness to work hard for what it is you “really, really want.” And trust that God does have a plan for you, one that will help you thrive, spiritually and otherwise.
