An Easy Way to Start Thinking Through Your Goals for 2013 – Today

So often in the chaos and commotion of everyday life and ministry we become entangled in the priorities of the urgent and immediate and can easily overlook the goals and objectives that are further out on the horizon.

Without an intentional approach to re-calibrating our perspective, most people will tend to concentrate on the day to day, or if you are lucky the week to week. Not many will spend much energy thinking month to month, quarter to quarter or year to year. The general mindset is usually, “I am sure someone else is figuring all of that big picture stuff out.” or “I will cross that bridge when I get there.”

For individuals, leaders and teams to be truly effective they need to have a intentional and consistent discussion about the future.

I recommend that at least monthly you have a scheduled review with yourself and your team to discuss goals priorities and objectives and outcomes for the next:

30 Days
60 Days
90 Days
180 Days
365 Days

Spend some portion of the discussion simply dreaming about the future but be sure to make the bulk of the conversation revolve around the actionable questions:

• Where do you specifically want to be in ____ days?
• What goals will you have accomplished in ____ days?
• How will you measure success ____ days from now?
• If _________ is not accomplished in ____ days, what will you do?
• The three most important things I can achieve in the next ____ days is?
• What do you hope will be different for you in _____ days?
• I can make the most impact in the next _____ days by focusing on __________ .

And so on.

By having a firm and clear target out in front of you, it will be easier to create a map towards your success.

Will you make this exercise a part of your personal quiet time or team meeting within the next 30 days?

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