12.28.2017 was named National Goal Writing Day. We saw all the Instagram, TUMBLR and FB posts that day. I decided to review my list of goals for 2017 before starting my list for 2018. I’m not sure exactly when I wrote my list of 2017 goals because I didn’t date them. I accomplished a few things and there were a quite a few more that I did not accomplish. There were two goals I wrote that I realized were not quite right. One was write a business plan and the other was to do a live vocal performance. I was able to check both of those things off my list in 2017. Here’s the problem: the business plan I wrote wasn’t mine. I helped someone else write out a brief draft of theirs. I also sang a solo with my church choir for one of our programs, but that wasn’t exactly the new feat I had in mind. I wanted to cross in to a new territory and sing in a different environment.
After reviewing my list from 2017 I realized that I needed to be more specific. After all, that is what the “S” in SMART goals represents. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely or TimeBound. When I wrote this list of goals during the earlier part of 2017 I didn’t set any SMART goals. I simply jotted down a few things that I would like to do. Nothing is wrong with that. It’s a great place to start, but some things require you to dig a little deeper. Setting the intention, BEING SPECIFIC and writing down the goal can make all the difference. There have been WHOLE studies conducted that show that people who write down their goals are ten times as likely to achieve them.
Another thing that I have learned is that adding a brief plan to the goal increases your odds of achieving it. The plan can be as simple as writing down three things that you know will help you accomplish this goal. Even if you don’t know all of the steps required to accomplish the goal write three action items that will move you in the right direction. Your plan doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to know everything, do everything or be everything. Just write the vision and trust in God because God supplies the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:7. Take the necessary steps to get you started. As things unfold trust God. Trust that He will continue to lead you along the right path.
More importantly, as things unfold, pray to God. Be as specific in your prayer as you were in your goal setting. Whether these prayers are focusing on small, personal interests or are of greater, more meaningful proportions you should be specific. Name exactly what it is you want in as much detail as you can. Write it down just as you would a goal. See it for yourself and believe that you will receive it. Trust in God and believe that He will grant you the desires of your heart. It might not happen right away. It might not happen exactly the way that you planned for it to happen, but it will happen.
Now that you know you need to be more specific, what are you going after?
Reva's Remix 