Goal-Setting 101

Another Year, Another New Year’s Resolution

Do you get annoyed every time someone talks about their New Year’s Resolution? Do you need to make a change but are not sure how? Keep reading as I share the lessons learned after more than four decades of pursuing Jesus and the goals we have set together.

Did I Stutter?

That’s correct, I rally my new annual goals around the Spirit’s whisper (Isaiah 30:29 and John 14:16-118). Four decades later, this is the difference between obedience and rebellion, success and failure. Jesus had a goal (Luke 13:32B). Paul had goals (Galatians 2:2, and Ephesians 3:8).

Lessons of Old

Here are my go-to lessons about goals. I'm continually shocked at how many hear this message year after year and still neglect the powerful SMART acrostic. Here it is…again.

1. SMART Goal Acrostic

Specific: What exactly will you accomplish?

Measurable: How exactly will you measure it?

Achievable AND Realistic: Are you overreaching? Is it achievable?

Time Sensitive: When exactly will you accomplish this?

2. Write them down, shout them out. I know this seems obvious but write your goals down.

Lessons of Late

This year I’ve implemented several new methods since many of my goals require habit forming, which can be daunting after 57 five decades of life. Here they are.

3. Print and Place: After you write (type) them, print and place them in multiple unavoidable locations (Multiple locations) like your desk, mirror, refrigerator, or on the nightstand.

4. Reverse engineer the goal: Working from the goal, create checkpoints (i.e. short-term goals). I do this in week and month increments.

5. Reject ONE thing this year. In 2023 I am rejecting all dairy products.

6. Do one thing EVERY Day of the year: This year I am recording critical biological metrics every morning before coffee (weight and blood pressure).

How Quickly We Forget.

We tend to forget. After three to four weeks our lofty goals become soggy pieces of paper taped to a foggy mirror. Peter knew how quickly we forget with twice he wrote, “This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder (2 Peter 3:1; 1:13).”

This year will be different. This year I look forward to hearing your Hero Story about conquering a goal on your way to becoming your best version of Jesus, which is the ultimate goal (Philippians 3:14). You got this!

Growing Towards Jesus,

Jim Ramos