Seven steps to setting and achieving your Goals

A primary reason why people fail is a lack of direction caused by an unwillingness to take the time to plan ahead. “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs His steps” [Proverbs 16:9]. To succeed in anything you must have plans and direction. Notice, you make the plans and then you trust God to direct you. Proverbs 14:8 says, “A wise man looks ahead.” Correct planning cures most disorders in your life. And remember, any disorder in your life can cause the death of your dream.

Successful people have a clear sense of direction in every area of their lives. They have the ability to plan ahead and focus on the right things at the right time. If you want to achieve success you must have clear and concise direction. You’ll be surprised how many of your problems can be put down to lack of direction. The apostle Paul said, “I do not run with uncertainty, and I do not fight as one who beats the air” [1 Corinthians 9:26]. He was decisive and he had a target [a purpose] that he was always aiming at.

“One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching to those things which are ahead, I press forward toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” [Philippians 3:13,14]. Your ability to set clear, specific goals for yourself concerning your life will do more to guarantee higher levels of achievement than any other single skill or quality. Absolute clarity about what you want is the starting point of all great accomplishments.

The more definite and focused you are about your goals, the easier it is for you to make better decisions on your priorities and the use of your time. Note, the more time you spend on your most important goals, the more you will accomplish, and the better you will get at accomplishing even more.

The setting up of specific goals is a sure way of fulfilling the purposes of God in your life. Correct planning gives God the opportunity to direct you and steer you toward your destiny. God cannot make adjustments if there is no plan to adjust and no willingness from you to allow Him to do so. So remain flexible. Success is best achieved when you are clear about your goals but flexible about the process of getting there.

Planning and goal setting takes time, discipline, courage and patience. And there will be temptations and distractions along the way. Here is a simple, powerful, and proven method for setting and achieving any goal. Seven steps:

Step one: Decide exactly what you want. Most people never do this. You will never leave where you are until you decide where you’d rather be. The day you make a decision about what you want out of life is that day your world will change. So don’t let others dictate your personal goals, instead, decide for yourself. No one else can decide for you.

Every great leap forward in life is preceded by a clear decision and commitment to action. The ability to make good decisions is one of the most important skills of a successful person. You must decide exactly what you want and then take specific actions to turn your decisions into realities.

Step two: Write it down in clear, specific and detailed language. The clearer you are about what you want, the more motivated and determined you will be to accomplish it. Habakkuk 2:2, “Write the vision down and make it plain and clear on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” If you want to run with your vision then you need to have it down on paper in clear, specific, detailed language. Writing down your goals is better than having them in your mind. Someone once said, “The faintest line is better than the strongest mind.” Having your goals written on paper will propel you toward your destiny every time you read them!

Once you have written down your goals (as many as you can possibly think of), the next step is for you to assign priorities to them. Prioritise according your greatest heartfelt desires – what will bring you most joy to do and to achieve. Write the letters A, B or C next to each priority. C for instance, will represent goals you have written down that you would like to accomplish but are not as passionate about.

Finally, transfer all your “A” goals to a separate sheet of paper and ask yourself, “What one goal on this list, if I were to achieve it, would have the greatest positive impact on my life?” Write A-1 next to that priority and mark it as “major definite purpose” - the most important goal in your life.

Step three: Set a deadline. Or set sub-deadlines if the goal is large, long-term, or complicated. Keeping things open-ended just gives you more room to procrastinate. Learn to keep healthy pressure on yourself so that you can complete every task and fulfil every objective. But before you start something new, you must try to discontinue something old!

Setting any deadline will require some knowledge of time management. Your attitude toward time is a critical factor in all you do and everything you accomplish. Time can be invested wisely or spent stupidly.

Step four: Make a list of everything you can think of doing to achieve your goal. Use the same formula you used to determine the most important goal in your life. Make lists and grade according to what actions excite you most. To achieve your goal, what can you see yourself doing that will bring you the most pleasure? Use A, B and C to identify these actions in order of priority. Taking and implementing specific actions will turn your decisions into realities

Step five: Organise your list into a plan built on priorities and sequence; based on what comes first and then what must be done before something else can be done. This is where you can put together “an immediate actions list.” The A-1, A-2 and A-3 list of things you plan to do, and are able to do, right away.

Step six: Take positive action on your plan immediately. Don’t delay in activating your plan! Read through your plan daily and make any necessary adjustments. Carry things over to the next day and keep them constantly before you. When you plan, God directs - this is a covenant relationship.

Step seven: Do something every day, no matter how small, that moves you closer toward your goal. And celebrate every achievement! The more time you spend on your most important goal, the more you will accomplish, and the better you will get at accomplishing even more.

To end, I must warn you that you cannot move forward on achieving any goal unless you have accepted responsibility for where you are right now. You must first take complete responsibility for everything you are, and then, for everything you become and achieve. Right now, take responsibility for what ever state you are in! You are where you are and what you are because of yourself - no one else.

Greater progress in your life is possible only to the degree to which you accept a higher level of responsibility in that area. No one else can or will do this for you. And no one is coming to the rescue. If it is to be, then it’s up to you! If you want your situation to get better, you must get better. If you want things to change, you must change. If you want things to improve, you must improve.

Chris Demetriou, 05/02/2006