Goal Setting

Dear Meagan,

I am so stinking proud of you! Lately you have been setting a lot of goals for your life and that is absolutely amazing. The key is to get your goals, write them down and then focus!

As you have been setting your goals I have been reading a book called The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.  It's an amazing book that talks about praying through you biggest dreams, goals and desires.
It's a spiritual book, so this is a spiritual blog! Since I'm not a goal setting expert I think it will be best if I share with you the authors guide to writing life long goals. Life long goals are important because it puts everything into perspective and gives you something to constantly pursue.  After reading this I was inspired to make a lifelong goal list of over 100 goals, and I hope you are too! I may not achieve EVERY single one of them in my lifetime, but hey I won't achieve any of them if I never set them, right? It's the same for you, shoot for the moon, if you miss you will end up amongst the stars! Love ya sis, here are his guidelines, with my interpretations...

10 Steps to Goal Setting:

1. Start with prayer. Whenever you have a new goal pray about it first or if you make a lifelong goal list than pray over the whole list, it will let God know that you mean these things. Then you have to continue to pray like it depends on Him, but work for the goals like it depends on you!
2. Check your motives- Goals with misguided or selfish motives are not going to be achieved. Well maybe, but it wouldn't be worth it anyway.  If one of your goals is to make $1million dollars, make sure you have good reasons, yes you want $1 million so you can be stinkin' rich, but maybe you'd like to give some of it to a charity as well.
3. Think in categories- When making a lifelong goal list it's easiest to break it down into several categories... here are the categories Mark Batterson recommends with an example:
                -Family: Get married & have 2 kids
                -Influential: Help 5 teens who had brain tumor's through their recovery
                -Experential: Take a sewing class with Mom
                -Physical: Run a 5K
                -Travel: Pet a monkey in Costa Rica
                -Financial: Make $1 million in 1 year and give $100,000 to charity
4. Be Specific- The more specific your goal, the better! For example don't just say: "Go to Costa Rica" say, "Pet a monkey in Costa Rica." That way when you are actually petting that monkey you will have such fulfillment in achieving a lifelong goal.  Instead of saying "Be Rich" set an actual $$ amount, this way you will know with out a doubt when you have achieved it.
5. Write it Down- This step is ABSOLUTELY crucial! Write down your goals and read your list regularly to keep the goals fresh in your mind.  There is something about writing them down that makes them permanent.
6. Include Others- This can have many meanings. One is to include others in your actual goals such as take a sewing class...with Mom. You have someone else you want to do this with. It also means share your goals with someone that you trust and that will encourage you-- it holds you more accountable to them as well.
7. Celebrate Along the Way- As you achieve goals, make sure to celebrate and recognize them! Once you have helped those 5 kids or whatever your goal may be-- treat yourself!
8. Dream Big- The bigger the better-- set goals that just blow your mind. Set goals that you could never accomplish on your own, give God a chance to show of his glory!
9. Think long- The bigger the goal, the longer the time frame! The trick is to never give up, these are lifelong goals that may take a LIFELONG to achieve!
10. Pray hard- Don't just pray, pray through. Pray until your goals are achieved and never stop. God answers prayers, period. That's what He does, sure some are unanswered, but there are reasons for those unanswered prayers! Just have faith and pray like it depends on God, but act like it depends on you.

Get crackin' Meggy! I hope you read this and make that lifelong goal list-- it will give you such a sense of purpose! You were made for greatness and your biggest struggles will turn into your biggest victories :)

XOXO,

Brooke