Setting Goals In Life

Luke 14:28 (The Message)

 ^28-30“Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’

I listened briefly this morning to a radio program in which a life coach was interviewing an author and they were discussing how to introduce yourself in a business meeting.  It started me to thinking about how we see ourselves versus how others see us.  The life coach mentioned her mission statement for life.

Wow, did that set the brain waves racing.  So many questions came to mind all at once.  In fact, I had to turn off the broadcast to hear.  (Mental note, when God starts to speak in the midst of something, it is more important to hear Him than whatever you were doing.)

Those of you who know me, know I teach business owners how to keep God centered in their business.  Part of being a leader in the Marketplace is establishing the Mission Statement for your business and conveying that to your employees so that everyone is on the same page and is working towards a common goal in the business.

As the light bulb went off in me this morning, I realized that this is even more important in our personal lives.  If our lives are not lining up with our Mission Statement for ourselves, then we will be like the person in the scripture above,  and at the end of life, people will be saying we started something and couldn’t finish it.

If the goals we have set for ourselves don’t line up with our Mission statement, then one of two things are wrong, we are either on the wrong mission path or we have the wrong goals.

Let’s look at what a mission statement is.  I found a few different definitions:

• A mission statement is a formal short written statement of the purpose of a company or organization.
• A declaration of the overall goal or purpose of an organization
• A mission statement is a brief summary, approximately one or two sentences, that sums up the background, purposes and benefits of the project.
• A statement of the philosophy of a certain company and ideals apart from making a profit.
• Description prepared and endorsed by members of the organization that answers these questions: What do we do? For whom do we do it? How do we go about it? Used as a guide for making decisions in projects.

In the preparation of making a mission statement for one’s life, I think the last definition is the best one.  If you can answer those three questions; what you do, who you do it for, and how do you go about doing it, then you can properly set your goals in life.

As Christians, our answers should fall in line with God’s call upon our life.  Which brings up yet another issue, do you know what that call is?  Life is so much more than getting up, going to make a paycheck so you can pay bills and acquire more stuff.  Have you inquired of God what your purpose is?  The question, why am I here?  You are much more than just the result of your mother and father having intercourse, but to find out your true purpose you must get into the presence of the One who created you.  You are here because God has purpose for you, never sell yourself short by thinking you have no purpose.  You may not have discovered that purpose yet, but believe me you have one.  How do I know, because God never does anything without purpose in mind, and you where created in His image and likeness, therefore you have purpose.

In setting your goals in life, there are long term and short term.  It is important to have goals that are attainable which is why the short term goals are so important.  As you accomplish them, they will complete the long term goals.  Your first short term goals maybe to spend more quiet time with the Lord so you can hear and understand your purpose for that day; This will lead to finding purpose for the week, then the month, then the year.  Are you getting the point?

I can tell you this with certainty, there are others who will be affected by you fulfilling your God given purpose in route to reaching your God ordained destiny.  You must enlarge your vision to include others as you set your goals.  I am not just talking about your immediate family; people whom you may never meet could be directly impacted simply by you caring out your purpose.

As I said in the first paragraph, I started thinking about how others see me versus how I see myself.   My long term goal is to hear well done good and faithful servant at the end of my life. My mission statement in reaching that goal is to fulfill my God given purpose in route to reaching my God ordained destiny.  This is not a cliche, I have come to the realization that my happiness and sense of fulfillment is tied up in my obedience to God.  I have surrender all to Him therefore He is free to use me as He sees fit.

He created you and I with a unique specification in each of us.  You are designed with everything you need to carry out your purpose.  It is not by accident you are the gender you are or the race, or height or any other factor you had no control over.  It all plays a role in your creative purpose.  He is the potter, we are the clay.  He is the creator, we are the creation, and only the creator knows the purpose and reason for the creation.

Take some time and create your mission statement for life.  Then yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to guide you through your journey to the expected end to which God created you.