If you want change in 2015, I suggest you set goals. While I don’t think you should wait until the New Year to set goals, I do think this is one of the best times of year to reflect on everything you did right as well as everything you did wrong and set specific goals to be your best self. Self-examination is not only necessary for improvement but it’s healthy. Without goals and self-examination, we become complacent. We should set time aside to exam ourselves during different seasons of our life.
Even if last year was amazing, we should reflect on what made it amazing and how we can either maintain that or make it even better. The fact is, we ALL have stuff to work on. Whether it’s our health, weight, financial security, spiritual growth or what type of husband, wife, mother, brother, sister, or friend we are – the first step is self-examination. Self-examination requires honesty.
Unfortunately, many people do not look at their life honestly. They look at their life more relatively. For instance, they may feel pretty fit compared to their out of shape family or feel like they eat really healthy compared to all their pizza-loving, beer-drinking friends. True self-examination requires open eyes and a clear view of one’s real self, compared to the healthiest, happiest, best version of yourself – not compared to someone else.
Remember you are your only competition. What do you want to accomplish this year?
“I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:13-14
Setting Goals
1. Examine yourself – both good and bad. Make a list of your weak areas that need strengthening and make a list of your strengths too.
2. Set annual goals – both broad and specific.
3. Set monthly goals – set a goal just for January and let that be your primary focus.
4. Set weekly goals – set the goals needed each week to help you meet your monthly goal. This can be a set number of days you want to work out a week or how many pounds a week you want to lose. Weekly goals should be easily maintainable and help you stay on track.
5. Set daily goals – Daily goals may be centered on a new daily habit, like going to be early, sticking to a specific daily caloric budget, or specific changes you will make in your diet to eat clean and healthy. Daily goals are necessary in reaching your weekly goal.
Use the acronym SMART when setting your goals. Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.
?If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.? Zig Ziglar
