How to Maintain Momentum and Focus to Achieve Your Goals
The month of February is filled with red and pink candies, Valentine’s Day cards, enormous heart balloons, and thoughts of love. Lots and lots of love.
I’ve always thought it a bit odd that we move from a month of goal setting and new year resolutions right into a month of romance and love.
My interest in learning more about February and a possible connection to January led me to a deeper uncertainty about the true history of this highly celebrated month.
I did learn that February was originally named Februarius in the Roman calendar after the Latin term februum, which means purification. This ah-ha moment led me to uncover the meaning of this term and how it could possibly relate to goals and love.
Purification is defined as the process of making something spiritually or ceremonially clean (Dictionary .com) and the state of being or process of becoming free of inferior elements or ritual uncleanness (Holman Bible Dictionary).
You can imagine my satisfaction in recognizing that a connection can be made between January’s goal setting and February’s purification – freeing ourselves from anything and everything that hinders our walk with Christ (purification).
5 Tips for Maintaining Focus on Your Goals
Last week I challenged you to surrender your earthly desires to fully embrace God’s plans. This week I’m sharing tips on how you can maintain momentum and stay focused on your God-given goals.
The first step is to always begin with prayer. This allows you to confirm that you are seeking the right goals for the right reasons. Ask God whether or not you need to omit any plans or modify your goals both long-term and short-term.
If you need assistance with setting your goals, you can review the January posts on setting successful goals, new beginnings, and taking the next step for a refresher.
So, what can you do to ramp up your excitement and momentum to make your goals happen? Here are a few tips.
1. Say NO! Take time to reflect on the next 3 months. What do you have planned? What items are scheduled on your calendar? Do the plans you’ve made get you any closer to your goals? If not, what do you need to eliminate from your schedule to stay on track with your goals? Spend time praying over your calendar and ask God for insight and clarity about the plans you have made. Seek His confirmation each step of the way.
2. Adjust and modify any goal that is no longer appealing to you! Goals take passion and perseverance. If you are no longer feeling your goal, let it go! Is there anything you no longer have a desire to achieve or accomplish? Let’s be honest, life happens, and things change. It’s OK to adjust your goals as you move forward. That’s why we plan with the understanding that we need to be flexible with our goals. We also need to remember to include God in our planning because His plans will prevail as long as we walk in obedience to our calling.
3. Take inventory of your resources. It’s important to your success to consider what is needed to achieve your goals. This may include time, people power, money, and energy. Looking back at #2, has anything changed with your circumstances that may have created an obstacle to the goal you’ve set? If so, what needs to change? Perhaps you need to extend the deadline for your goal or seek help from a friend or family member to assist you. Once you’ve taken inventory of your plan, you’re in a better position to take the next step.
4. Show up daily! What’s the next step? It can be as small as organizing your SMART goals or GROW goals, or it can be a significant step, such as hiring someone to assist you or joining a professional association for networking opportunities. And, yes, there are many networking opportunities available online as we wait out the pandemic. Most importantly, whatever you decide is your next step, show up. Procrastination is detrimental to achieving your goals. Make a decision and show up – see it through, which leads to the next step…
5. Stay focused! The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals second to prayer is to remain focused on your goals. It’s the stick-to-itiveness concept – dogged perseverance. Anything worth achieving, you must be committed to the plan. If not, when the obstacles and challenges begin to pile up (and they will), you’ll want to walk (or run) away or quit. It’s tempting to tell yourself that you’re no longer interested in the goal or you stop pursuing your dream because it’s not as easy as you thought it would be. It’s essential to your success to stay centered on your goals. Let go of any distractions or items that will hinder you from your dream.
A quote from Allie Worthington sums this up, “Be prepared because when you choose obedience and take action, life often crumbles. Don’t be surprised when your routines and rhythms grow more tumultuous for a season. The enemy is going to throw everything he can at you to try to get you to slow down, to stop yielding to God, and to back away from God’s promises and the future he has for you.” Standing Strong
The challenge – will you commit your plans to God or will you walk away and quit?
A “Take Action” Challenge
This week I challenge you to spend time in reflection on the words of James 4:8-10 and take action based on God’s Word found in the scripture.
“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” James 4:8-10 MSG
James is a “how-to book” for Christian living. The Holman Study Bible for Women, CSB version, notes, “A woman who humbles herself before the Lord recognizes her need for God’s help and submits to His will for her life. The enjoyment of spiritual vitality and victory comes not through her independent efforts but through complete dependence on the Lord. To attempt to exalt oneself by relying on our own abilities or status or money bring only failure and condemnation.”
Who or what will you rely on for your journey?
Keep on shining!
