What Will Next Year Bring?
With 2022 coming to a quick close in the next couple of days, I was originally looking to share a note about how to set great goals, but there are others already doing this – including Ramsey Solutions! Please permit me to summarize the article before sharing something that struck me as much more provocative from another source. Your goals should have three major components. First, make your goals specific. Second, make your goals measurable. Third, make your goals time bound. Now let me make it personal with a goal that I am setting for myself.
By way of background, after my son was 2 or 3 years old, I heard a Family Life Today broadcast where the guest started a tradition with her family. She designated 15 minutes per day during the week for one of her five children so each child got some uninterrupted one-on-one time with mom. Feeling convicted, but not as capable, I set a different goal. For each of my kids, I set aside the date of their birth each month for some one-on-one time. For my sons, we call them RECON nights. For my girls, we call them DATE nights. I’ve been pretty faithful to those evenings.
Although I can hit these dates fairly well with my kids, I’ve neglected to do the same for my bride. As you may guess, she justifiably feels left out – arguably jealous. That being said, for the first 6 months of 2023, it is my goal to have at least 1 date with my bride every six weeks or less. Please be aware, in order for it to count, she will need to qualify “the date” as a date.
A Provocative Question to Ponder
You already know that you should set goals, but so what? I’m on a weekly subscriber list delivered by James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. In his “3-2-1” email from the past week, he left his reader with the following question…
It's one year from now. December 2023. The habit you were hoping to build during the year didn't stick. What is the most likely reason it failed?
Full stop. Only one question. James Clear has asked both of us to begin with the end in mind. Engineer your goals to remove your weaknesses.
My best to you as you set your 2023 goals!
Jacob Zimmerman
P.S. I have two more things that will help make your goals a success. First, write them down and post them somewhere prominent to remind you about your commitment. Second, ask somebody – a spouse, a friend, or a coach – for some accountability.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. – African Proverb