When I was a Dallas Seminary student, Dr. Howard Hendricks had us write 1, 5, 10, and 20-year goals for our lives. It was a difficult assignment, but one of the most practical of my seminary career. I used that 12-page document as a guide for my life for many years following seminary.
Hendricks told us, “Show me a man with a set of well-defined goals, and I’ll show you a man on his way to achieving results.”
Since that time, goal setting has been a consistent discipline in my life. Every December, I spend the month praying and processing what God wants to do in and through my life in the upcoming year.
In fact, I prefer the term “Statements of Faith” over the word “Goals”. The statements I create are born not from selfish desire but from surrender to what God wants to do in my life over 12 months.
This week I started my process by writing and answering these 10 questions. These will not be my goals but stimulate thinking that will help narrow ultimately what God’s I write down.
While you may not use these exact questions, I encourage you to use these to help you process what God wants to do in your life in 2021.
Q: What one word do I want to characterize my life in 2021?
Q: What are the three skills I need to grow in to accelerate my dream?
Q: Where do I need to grow in my character/walk with God?
Q: What habits/rhythms do I need to tweak or revive to achieve greater momentum?
Q: What is the most important thing I could do in 2021 that would accelerate my vision for multiplication?
Q: What do I need to stop doing?
Q: What do I need to do more of in 2021?
Q: What is the most important thing I can do physically? Spiritually? Relationally Vocationally?
Q: How do I leverage what I already have for maximum impact?
Q: Who do I need to spend the most time with in 2021?
Q: What Kingdom impact does God want me to make in 2021?
Let me know any questions you came up with to help you process your goals.
One of the keys to accomplishing goals is the proper stewardship of your time. Check out my FREE 24-minute course on The 8 Spheres of Leadership: Leading with Direction in an age of Distraction. Download it here https://www.multiplygroup.org/8spheres
