“Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal, and I will give you a stock clerk.”- J. C. Penney
Today, in Chapter 15 of The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson continues his discussion of ten steps to goal-setting with goal three through six.
3. Think in categories. Mark recommends looking at the life goal lists of others as a way of stimulating your own unique goals. Mark also has found it helpful to think in categories, with each category having a spiritual dimension: family, influential, experiential, physical, and travel.
4. Be specific. In order for you to know whether you’ve accomplished a goal, it has to be measurable. For example, losing weight is not a measurable goal. However, losing a specific number of pounds by a specific date is a measurable goal.
5. Write it down. Mark has a saying he repeats often to his family and church staff: “The shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory.” Verbalizing a goal is powerful. Verbalizing a goal is more than a good idea. Mark states it is a God-idea. Writing down your goals holds you accountable and enables you to celebrate an answer to prayer because you’ve got a record of what you requested.
6. Include others. Mark observes that shared goals cement relationships: “Goals are relational glue.” Going after a goal with another person doubles your joy. When you go after a God-sized goal, you will draw closer to God.
Today’s question: What goals have you refined or re-created following your ministry downsizing or vocation loss? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “An ebenezer moment”
