How to Set Powerful and Effective Goals

Do you have a love-hate relationship with New Year’s resolutions? You’re not alone. We love the opportunity to have a fresh start, a new beginning. We resolve to do better this year in those difficult areas of our lives like health, exercise, and other things. At the same time, goal setting can be disillusioning. Year after year you make the same resolutions only to abandon and forget about them. I’m not a big believer in New Year’s resolutions. In contrast, setting God-inspired, effective goals for the New Year is an important and powerful life practice.

Dr. Gail Matthew’s research said, “You are 42% more likely to achieve your goals by writing them down.” I think that increases to about 75% if you write them down after having listened to God, heard from Him and prayed about them.

The likelihood of meeting those goals continues to rise if you keep them constantly in front of you. Even more so, if you regularly evaluate your progress.

Many of us are from oral cultures and writing things down takes a lot of effort. It’s worth the time invested, even if what you write down is short and simple.

Listening

When setting goals, I often go away for a prayer retreat. I take time to pray, rest, play, worship and listen to God. I don’t want to move ahead without Him (Ex.33:15). Nor do I want to set goals and make plans in my own strength, or according to what I think should happen.

I want to listen well. To make effective goals, it’s absolutely critical that I first hear from Him. His ways are higher than mine (Is.55:8-9). He holds the future in His hands. He’s my Boss, Director, and Commander in Chief. I must not make the mistake of moving in the flesh as I set goals for the New Year.

As my team and I began this new year, we took two days to pray together online for two hours each time. It was mostly a time to listen together to what God was saying to us. We waited on the Lord together, shared what we felt He was saying to us, then talked about how to put these things into our practical plans for the year so we could obey His instructions. We want to be led by His Spirit, not our fleshly wisdom. We believe Him for much greater fruit than we have ever seen.

Have you scheduled time in the next few days or weeks to get away and pray? To take time to listen to His guidance? If not, find a way to carve out that time. I know you are busy, but this is very important. It could significantly change and impact your entire year.

Don’t rush into a new year without God’s clarity about what He wants you to focus on.

Ask God Key Questions

As you set aside that time, there are many ways to go about setting goals. This is how I begin.

Each year at the end of the year I first evaluate. Looking back at the past year, I ask God “How did I do last year? What pleased you about my life? What needs to change?”

Reviewing last year’s goals and activities, I assess progress. What happened that I can celebrate? What didn’t go as well as I had hoped? Why?

I also ask the Lord, “What do you long to do in the new year, and how can I join you in that?” Together with that key question, I seek Him for one key thing He would have me do that has the potential to bring about significant multiplication.

There are always many things I could do. I ask God to show me the ONE THING that He has on His heart for me to do. Then He often speaks to me about one thing that will bring about the most fruit in His Kingdom. When I hear this from Him and we settle on it together, that becomes a non-negotiable for my year. I will prioritize and give myself fully to that one thing. It takes the top position on my list of goals.

Focus on a Few Key Things

After you have that one big thing established, look at other areas. Consider not only your ministry goals but also personal goals. Michael Hyatt, author of The Best Year Ever, encourages us to consider various domains when setting goals. He breaks it down into the Intellectual, Spiritual, Physical, Parental, Marital, Vocational, Avocational, and Financial domains.

I appreciate that. It brings balance. Be careful in looking at all these areas not to set too many goals. That is often my temptation.

Get rid of the clutter.

I am a motivated person. My heart is big and when I draw near to God, I am filled with passion for His work. Focus is crucial though if we want to make progress in launching Disciple Making Movements (DMMs). Dream big, but stay focused on a few key things that will have a major impact on multiplying disciples.

Share and Pray with a Few Close Friends

Practice friendly accountability. We need encouragement and friends to cheer us on. After I have a draft of my goals for the New Year, I share them with my husband, my leadership team, and a few of my colleagues for input and prayer. Sometimes their insights change what I think. When that is the case, I go back to God in prayer and make adjustments.

If you have a team, include them in the process. Share your personal goals, dreams, and hopes for the team’s progress. Be sure to get their buy-in and ownership as you set goals that will involve or affect them. Goals are stronger if they are shared goals. Remember, you are more likely to go far if you go together.

Don’t Dream Too Small

When it comes to Disciple Making Movements, the biggest mistake I see people making is setting addition goals instead of multiplication goals. You will never launch a DMM with small “realistic” goals. Think multiplication.

If things actually started to multiply, what would happen? Believe God for more. He is able. Multiplication is His way. Rapid, organic growth is on His agenda for you. As you set your goals, ask yourself, “Do these goals require a move of God to happen?”

If your goals are within your ability to achieve apart from a move of God, they are too small. Make faith-based goals that rely on God to move. They may force you to stay on your knees throughout the year to see them happen, but that’s a good thing.

Our goals need to put us in a place of faith and dependence on God, not self-confidence or self-reliance.

Commit and Go For It

After listening to God, drafting goals, sharing with others, and revising after considering their feedback, it’s time to go for it! Don’t delay. Get started. Commit yourself with all your heart. Give yourself fully to what God has spoken to you. Take action and begin. Even this week, take one step forward to begin. Getting started can be the hardest part.

I believe that this will be my most fruitful year ever. God has incredible things ahead for us! Our core online course Getting Started in Disciple Making Movements: Even if You Are Busy, Can’t Speak the Language Well and Have No Money is open for registration. It would be great to journey with you this year through that online course if you haven’t yet taken it. Together, we can work to see your God-inspired disciple-making dreams move forward.

I’d love to hear what your goals are for the new year! Share them in the comments below or on the Disciple Making Movements Facebook Group. Let’s pray for and encourage one another.