A New View of Goal-Setting (for Me)

I have never been one to make resolutions. I do love fresh starts, new beginnings. So January 1 is a good time to start toward new goals.

Dan Miller of 48 Days to the Work You Love begins to work on his goals for the coming year in November (at least). Listening to his podcasts is inspiring for many areas of life. I have heard and read how important it is to write down your goals. And I have done that before, but I am beginning to get a better grasp on it. Key for me is to understand that I won’t be able to get everything done that needs to be done. However, I can certainly set goals that are realistic yet challenging. Dan suggests that you have our goals in place for the coming year by the middle of November. Well, I’m still working on mine. It may be the first time I have put this much effort in to setting goals that make a difference for me throughout the year. Dan has a Goals Sheet  (an 11-page PDF, mind you) to help you set goals in seven areas:

• Financial
• Physical
• Personal Development
• Family
• Spiritual
• Social
• Career

When I started this post last week, these are areas that had come to mind for me from looking at “Life Wheels” online.  So how do my areas match to Dan’s areas?

Fitness/Health/Exercise/Weight Loss
Under Physical

Spiritual Growth/Quiet Time/Prayer
This, under Spiritual.

Personal Growth/Self-Talk/Reading
Clearly under Personal Development

Entrepreneurial Efforts/Blogs/Home Business/eBay
Career

Relationships/Family/Extended Family
Uses two categories: Family and Social

Home/Cooking/Organizing/Decorating
Clearly, he has missed the goals for wife and mom. Right?

Until I did this categorizing, I didn’t realize he has missed the wife/mom area. But it is indeed not seen in the seven areas he identifies. So I still might work on my own guide.

For what areas are you thinking of setting goals?

Wrong Thinking v Truth and Hope

At 60, it’s probably a fact that I am about two-thirds of the way through my life here on this earth. Is there a reason I would need to expect to finish out at status quo? I have decided that the answer to that is “No.” It is the negative self-talk that rises up—this kind of stuff:

• Nothing has happened so far. Why do you think you make things any different?
• These are pretty wild goals. What makes you think you can come close to reaching them?
• Money? Why are you aiming for more money? That’ll never happen.
• You are stuck where you are. Nothing can change enough, so why bother?
• Aren’t you supposed to be content? Isn’t that what the Bible says?

Well, I do know for sure that such thinking is not from God. I know it’s not good for taking positive action. So I need to change that thinking.

Reading the Bible is key to recognizing truth. Another area for improvement in 2013.

Master’s or No Master’s

I had completed two years of college when I decided to get married. For some reason, it never occurred to me to complete my degree. It wasn’t even discussed. Looking back, I can see that I was never encouraged by my high school, my family, or my friends. And I myself had no thought for my/our future. I went to college for two years, but it simply to not even cross my mind to continue my schooling. I don’t even know why.

In 2009, I decided to complete my degree, and I graduated in December 2011. The options were limited for online classes, so I chose Human Services as the major. I considered going for my master’s (in an education area), and I was actually signed up and ready to start the first class when the impact of what it would require made me stop short. By this time I was listening to Dave Ramsey, EntreLeadership, and Dan Miller via podcasts. And dreams began to build up again.

I questioned the whole idea of getting the master’s, wondering:

How long it will take to earn the degree?
What will a master’s do for me as a career?
Is the degree going to allow me to work in a field I want to work in?
Is this what I want to be doing while my son is finishing his final year of college and living at home? Even if I can teach, will I still need to work full time anyway to keep benefits?
What else will continue to be left undone in my home business?
Is it better to work on improving the business Web site?
Is it better to work toward editing jobs, work that I love?

I chose to postpone the pursuit of a master’s and then backed out entirely by midsummer. Instead, I decided to purchase books to create my own “master’s program,” to allow me to shoot for entrepreneuerial goals. I created a small but growing library and became excited about turning some dreams in to reality. Hope had come back and I thought I could take a year to prepare and then be a great place to even consider quitting my day job. Well, the summer brought a lateral job change to a new area, with potential for promotion, or so I thought.

Sad to say, I have yet to read any of the books.

So reading books is becoming one area for goals for the coming year.

Inspiration

One area that will help me to reach goals, maintain motivation, and build confidence is to take in inspirational information. I tend to be a fairly positive person. I was inspired years ago with available motivators such as:

Zig Ziglar
Zig had a cassette series called “The Richer Life Course,” which I purchased in 1977. I still have that cassette set! It might be worth pulling those cassettes out again to listen to them, but I’m not sure that would still play well.

Tom Peters
Peters wrote the book In Search of Excellence. I just replaced that book in my library and it’s on my reading list for 2013.

So I had touched the “motivational” world, but only on the surface. I went on about my life with no long-term goals. I had not seen the big picture. I didn’t know of any programs. I didn’t have any idea that anything was wrong with my planning or, better stated, my lack of planning. When I was completing my degree (2009–2011), I took a personal financial stewardship course that used Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Make-Over book. I had read the book several years before, but I did not feel like I was in a position to make it work. I set it aside. During the class, I decided to listen to some of Dave’s television programs on Hulu. I listened to nearly every one that was available at the time. Then I discovered podcasts and found a reason to use the iPod I had been given for a birthday present months before. So I began to listen to Dave Ramsey’s podcasts. They were fun and inspiring!

Through Dave, I learned about “The EntreLeadership Podcast,” hosted by Chris LoCurto, which led me to Dan Miller’s “48 Days” podcast. I began to hear things that inspired me! I was feeling like I could take a new look at my future. Maybe I didn’t have to stay where I was. I began to dream impossible things. I also began to check out other blogs. Many are identified as “leadership” blogs, but they are full of motivation. Because I know these leaders and bloggers are Christians, and I can be confident in their foundation of thought. These are some of the blogs I enjoy:

Chris LoCurto
Jon Acuff
John Maxwell
Dan Miller
Mike Hyatt

Any suggestions of good blogs are welcomed!

As a Man Thinketh

My son came across this book through a college class and shared it with me. Once I had read it, I knew I wanted to own my own copy. The title is based on the scripture Proverbs 23:7a: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

You can do a search for this title and find it available in various forms. I chose to find a copy to purchase. The 4 1/4” x 6 1/2” is a lovely size.

I recall that Shay Carl was wowed by this book as he began his own business this past summer. I have searched to find the YouTube link where he talks about it, but so far no luck.
(If you find it, let me know, please.)


In the first chapter, James Allen helps you to see how much you are in control of your destiny.

“Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought [my emphasis] he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace.”

It is easier to see that some positive thinking can help one to take action. We understand this as we contemplate goals and look for resolutions for the coming year. But when it comes to recognizing how frequently we are forging weapons that destroy us—negative thinking—that’s a different story. Just spend a day purposing to check your thinking. Almost any goal can serve as an example. How often do the thoughts come: I can’t do this. I’ve tried so many times, and I know I’m going to fail again. I think I am doomed to be right where I am. 

These are all lies in our thinking. Changing our thinking is a key to changing our behavior.

2 Corinthians 10:5
Casing down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (KJV)

Upon this scripture, you can determine to take those lies, those weapons of destruction, and cast them out of your mind. Picture yourself literally picking up those thoughts, or weapons, and throwing them on the ground and stomping on them.

Then, replace those thoughts with uplifting words of hope, such as these:

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (NKJV)

Take time to work on your thinking. When you catch it going wrong, get rid of it and fill that space with truth and hope.

Hope always!

Zig Ziglar: Don’t get cooked in squat.

Zig Ziglar recently passed from this earth to heaven. Author of many books, including See You at the Top, Zig was a motivator for decades. Dave Ramsey mentioned Zig’s passing on his radio show, which I listen to by podcast. Dave pointed out that he would actually be seeing Zig “at the top” one day. Indeed! Those of us who know Christ as our Savior will one day join Zig at the top, in heaven, where is now in the presence of His Savior.

Yesterday I talked about Hope. I have come to realize, more and more, that Hope without a plan, without action, leaves you right where you are. Oh, yes, Hope is good, but too many people sit in that spot, waiting for good things to come to them, to happen to them.

Years ago—in the seventies—I listened to Zig Ziglar’s series on cassette tapes. Among his many inspirational thoughts, the one that comes most quickly to mind for me is, “Don’t get cooked in squat.” Zig explains: When I was a small boy in Yazoo City, Mississippi, we lived next door to some rich folks. I know they were rich because they not only had a cook, but the cook had something to cook. In the 1930’s that was a sure sign of wealth. I was there for lunch one day, as I tried to be most every day. On this occasion, the cook brought out a pan of biscuits. Since they were no thicker than a silver dollar, I asked, “Maude, what happened to those biscuits?” She reared back, laughed, and said, “Well, those biscuits squatted to rise, but they just got cooked in the squat.”

I want to take that to heart as I approach 2013.

New Month, New Day, New Start

I love new beginnings.

Here is a great opportunity! December 1, 2012. It’s a mental boost! I have attempted blogs in the past, using the blog to chronicle a journey that spent too much time bemoaning the struggles instead of sharing victories. I will take a different approach with this blog by sharing hope and motivation and victory.

Progress does follow that sort of pathway, doesn’t it?

Hope
Hope really is the point of beginning. I can see the need to make changes, step it up, and move forward, but as long as I am focused on the past failures, progress is difficult. I’m pretty good at maintaining Hope. Even when I struggle, I tend to keep a good grasp on Hope. But what am I doing about it, really doing about it?

Motivation
Once I have see some light of hope, motivation is needed. That’s an area that has been lacking for me. I get so wrapped up in the routine of life that I sit in the place of Hope for too long. I somehow feel some sort of “righteousness” in all that I have to do. But I am no different than other people. God has equipped me for the circumstances in which I find myself. I need to take advantage of online resources that are available to motivate.

Victory
That’s where I want to come out of this—in Victory!

Thomas Edison
I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.