Last month, we looked at how goal setting can help us make the best use of our time, energy, and resources. It can also help us move from being “hearers” to “doers” as we seek to grow in our relationship with God. Let’s look at some practical steps to take to improve your goal setting skills.

The first step in setting a goal is to change a vague intention into a concrete statement. It’s the difference between saying, “I’m not satisfied with my job” and “A year from now, I’ll be a manager in my division.” The more focused your goal, the better you’ll see it, and the easier it will be to make it a reality.

Is it good? Is it do-able?

You might also analyze the desirability and feasibility of a goal. Not all decisions require detailed analysis, but when you’re confused about the issues involved or face life-changing choices, you can benefit from a systematic process of analyzing your goal. A goal’s desirability relates to its worthiness. Is it a goal that will make your life and others’ lives better and at the same time please God? Is it a valuable goal? A goal’s feasibility refers to how likely it is you’ll actually achieve it. Even if it’s a very worthwhile goal, how realistic and do-able is it?

Another way to analyze desirability and feasibility is to weigh the benefits and costs of the goal. A “balance sheet” can be a useful weigh scale in this assessment process. It can be as simple as making a list of the pros and cons of an option.

Try a Sample Goal

Take time now to analyze a goal of your own. Begin with an actual goal you’d like to accomplish. This can be a tentative goal or one you definitely want to achieve. Think through the following questions, and write down your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

• Is this goal desirable?
• Is this goal in line with God’s purposes for your life?
• What specifically do you want, and how much do you want it?
• How committed are you to achieve your goal?
• What are the payoffs? (What will you and others gain by reaching it?)
• Is the goal compatible with your values and beliefs?
• How does this goal compare in importance with other activities you’re currently pursuing?
• What are you willing to do to reach this goal?
• What are you willing to give up in order to accomplish it?
• Can you do this?
• Is this goal feasible no matter what your motivation level is?
• Are you capable of accomplishing it?
• What resources are necessary (e.g., time, money, energy, knowledge, cooperation of others)? Do you have or can you realistically find these?
• What factors will enhance your success, and how can you make the most of them?

As you weigh the benefits and costs of a particular goal, you may discover that you don’t want to work at attaining that goal after all. That doesn’t mean you’ve wasted your time. Knowing when to drop or change goals is part of being a skilled goal setter!

Next month, in Part Three, you’ll learn how to turn your goals into plans of action. For more information on helping yourself and others thrive, see our What We Offer and Archive.