Of all the frustrations in this life, the ones that often hurt the most are where we are at fault or fall short of what we aspire.

It’s that feeling of not having the right tool for the job—or rather not being the right tool for the job.

This is where I believe goal setting comes in.  It is how we become the person God is calling us to be.

The purpose of goal setting isn’t simply to attain the goals you set…

The primary purpose of goals is to make us the type of person who can reach these goals.

This is the reason I pray and set goals. It is because I want to continue growing as a follower of Jesus and as a leader. Goals have the ability to bring about major growth in my life.

Business philosopher Jim Rohn says “Set the kind of goals that will make something of you to achieve them.”

You can set goals for any part of your life, but I believe everyone should set goals for these six areas:

Spiritual.

What is my plan to grow spiritually in the next twelve months? Will I read the Bible in a year? Will I read a devotional book each morning? How much time will I spend in prayer? Will I go on a mission trip to a foreign country?

Personal development.

What is my plan to grow as a person this year? How many books will I read?

What conferences and seminars will I attend? What hobbies will I take up?

Vocational.

How will I grow in my calling and career this year? Will I put myself in environments where leadership is taught, so I can grow?

Will I get involved in some form of coaching network to improve my skills?

Relational.

How will I improve my marriage this year? Will I spend more time with my children?

Will I invest in my friendships more? Where will I go on vacation with my family?

Financial.

How will I be a better steward of the resources God has entrusted to me? Will I give more than I did last year? Will I support a missionary? Will I save more? Get out of debt? Will I intentionally invest more into my retirement?

Physical Health.

How will I improve my health this year? Do I plan to lose weight? How much weight? By what day do I plan to achieve this goal? How often will I go to the gym? Will I hire a personal trainer? Do I want to stretch myself and run a marathon or participate in a triathlon?

To reach our goals, we have to ask ourselves these important questions. No one has ever reached his or her goals by accident. They are obtained when we are intentional and determined.

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