Back in 1998, I gathered our small team at the church I planted the year before for one of our regular leadership huddles. The topic that day: The Value of Goal Setting.

This conversation—and the way we talked about goal setting back then—is still a practice I use today and one I continue to see teams benefit from.

Here’s what I shared with our team.

We’re All Goal Seekers

Even if you’re not a “goal setter,” you are a goal seeker by nature. Our minds are wired to aim at something. When we don’t set intentional goals, our minds wander until they find one—often not the best one.

Without clear goals, we fill the gap with busyness. But with clear goals, we fill it with purpose.

Why Goal Setting Matters

Walt Disney once said, “Of all the things I’ve done, the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them toward a certain goal.”

He was right. Setting goals gives your team four things every leader needs:

Progress – Goals stretch us beyond what’s comfortable. They help us grow and take steps of faith.
Clarity – Goals give direction. They align everyone’s energy around what matters most.
A Plan – Once you name a goal, you naturally start planning how to reach it.
Accountability – Clear goals assign clear responsibility. Everyone knows who’s owning what.

The Root of Goal Setting

Every goal grows from one of two roots:

Vision – What God wants to accomplish through you.
Problems – What needs to improve to move forward.

When you start with either of these, your goals become statements of faith—tangible ways you’re trusting God to work through you.

Long-Range and Short-Range Goals

In that old huddle, we talked about both kinds:

Long-range goals (1–5 years): These are your big dreams—your BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). Back then, ours was 500 by September ’98 and 1,000 by 2000.
Short-range goals (3–6 months): These are the steps that make those dreams possible. They’re the prayers, plans, and practices that move the vision forward.

Rick Warren once said, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in five.” That’s why both matter.