Plan for Success

A new year has begun and we all have our list of goals to accomplish this year.  Some of you may have already failed at one of your goals.  Perhaps you swore off desserts or caffeine from your diet and fell weak at the site of a chocolate cake or a cup of coffee.  Don’t dismay, the year has just begun!   

On the cover of a magazine that I was reading, there was a headline that read “quick fixes for wimpy willpower.”  This headline caught my attention because most of us want a quick fix.  We want to receive the benefits of our goal but would be perfectly content if we could skip out on the work it would take to achieve that goal. However, the bible tells us that “no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrew 12:11).  So we have to be willing to put in the work and stop seeking for quick fixes if we truly want to receive the satisfaction of achieving our goals.

 

Horace said that “great effort is required to arrest decay and restore vigor.  One must exercise proper deliberation, plan carefully before making a move, and be alert in guarding against relapse following a renaissance.” Have you taken time to plan out how you will accomplish your goals?  Often times, we have a list of goals but no set action plan to make those goals come to fruition. 

Take time to plan out how you will achieve your goals.  Track your progress as this will motivate you throughout the year and keep you focused.  Share your goal with your family and close friends so that they can encourage you and help you throughout the process.  Reward yourself as you achieve mini milestones towards your goal. And most importantly, daily pray to the Lord about your goals.  Through prayer you will obtain guidance, wisdom and discipline to stay on track.