Top Ten Tuesday: The whys and hows of goal setting

I talked briefly yesterday about the advantages of setting goals. (Which, in my opinion, differs from resolutions. It has been said that resolutions are just a to-do list for the first two weeks of January. :) But goals - or resolutions - don’t need to be plans to fail.) There are many good reasons to set goals, and ways to make them a practical reality. Here is a list of 10 great reasons to set goals, and how to stick with it:

1. As Emilie Barnes put it, “Without a goal and plans to achieve it, your decisions are left to chance. And who wants to live their lives by chance?” I don’t believe living by chance is biblical or practical!

2. Goals change your life. Anytime you’ve made a change for the better in your life (job change, weight loss, etc.) it has been through setting a goal and taking steps to achieve it, whether you meant it that way or not.

3. The goals you set can ultimately change many areas of your life. Financial, spiritual, practical, work-related….every area of life can be affected and changed for the better.

4. If you were in a boat, floating will either get you nowhere or take you where you didn’t want to go. You have to row and steer that boat to get where you want to be. Remember Anne of Green Gables? When she was floating, her boat sunk and left her stranded. Don’t let your life be like a floating boat.

5. Start small. Set a few goals for this week. When the week is over, re-evaluate how those goals went and set a few for the next week. Over time, you will see that you are able to accomplish a little bit more over time, plus have more time for other things! Need proof? Here are my first weekly goals...I’ve come a long way since then!

6. Find some sort of accountability. If your goal is to keep your dirty dishes cleaned up, as opposed to letting them pile in the sink, let your family know. If you are the only one that knows about that goal, you have no motivation except to please yourself. If your whole family is aware of your efforts, they will be quick to let you know when the dishes are starting to pile up!

7. Blog about it. I’m always encouraged when I hear that by blogging my weekly goals, I am encouraging others to keep up with their own. That is how I got started setting weekly goals, by reading the posts of others that do the same. There is a whole slew of them right here, if you need a place to start.

8. Think back to the beginning of 2012. Are you a better person now than you were then? Where will you be at the end of 2013? What are you going to do about it?

9. Consider the impact on your family. Financial goals could get you out of debt, provide better schooling for your kids, and put healthier meals on the table. Spiritual goals will always benefit you and every life you touch. Practical household goals can contribute to a happier, smoother family.

10. What are you waiting for? Grab a pen and paper and write a few goals for the rest of this week. Just 3-5 different things will get you started. Then leave them in the comments section so I can cheer you on!

How do you feel about setting goals? What plans do you have for 2013?

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