New year values

It’s the third day of the new year and I’m sure a lot of people have their goals set already. Goal setting is a good practice and it surely does work, however, as 2020 dragged to an end , I found myself dragging a little to engage in this practice.

Perhaps it was the complicated surgery of December that made me spend a little more time thinking about what truly mattered to me, what I really wanted to live for or rather, who I really wanted to live for.

As I thought on this, two sets of people were uppermost in my mind – the people I love and the people I am sent here to bless.

You see sometimes we find it hard to passionately and consistently pursue our goals because those goals weren’t set based on what we really value.

If you simply set some goals because it’s a new year and it’s what you believe is expected of you, it’s only going to take a few weeks before you lose the passion to pursue them.

If your goals are also based on ephemeral reasons e.g. to impress others, to copy others, to make yourself feel good etc. It’s also only a matter of time before you lose steam.

The passion to consistently pursue your goals till you accomplish them lies in setting your goals based on your true values.

What do you value?

What or who truly matters to you? If 2021 was your last year on earth, what would you do with it? Who would you spend the most of your time with and what would you spend your time, energy and attention on? What interests would you pursue?

With the unexpected turnout of events in 2020, I believe you do not need a near death experience like I had for you to ask yourself these very important questions.

Setting survival and good living goals (the things you need to achieve to live well here on earth) are important, of much more importance though, is setting posterity goals (impact you want to live behind, things of eternal value) and these goals cannot be clearly set and pursued without first identifying what you truly value.

For me, 2021 is a year that I desire to begin to prioritize two things I value – relationships and service.

I am making my plans and setting my goals around the people I love – God and family, and around serving young ladies and the world with my gift – doing it now not just to express my gift or to establish a stream of income (those are good reasons), but doing it as a service, to meet a need I know they have, to bless their lives before my time on earth is complete.

At the end of 2021, if I have established a deep relationship of talking to God and hearing from Him daily…… if I have established a consistent routine that has deepened my relationship with my husband, kids & other important people in my life and if I have served out resources to the people I am here to serve, I’d be most pleased!

What would it be for you? At the end of 2021 (if it were to be your last year on earth), what achievements will be of the most value to you? I’d like to hear from you in the comments.

With love,

Mrs O.

PS: After determining what is important to you, you still need to set your SMART goals to achieve them.