Brethren, I count myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus – Philippians 3:13-14.

A goal, according to Webster’s Dictionary is “the terminal point of a race”. The end toward which efforts are directed”. Many unhappy, unfulfilled, unaccomplished people could change their lives for the better if they would learn and adopt the principle of management by goal-setting. They would be able to live happily and accomplish much in their lifetime.There are many people who set off in all directions at once. Their potential is divided in so many different ways that progress becomes inhibited. They begin to feel overwhelmed because they’re trying to accomplish too many goals at the same time. To succeed in life, one must have a defined purpose, a theme, a goal or a vision to provide direction and guidance. Goal setting is important, many people live their lives aimlessly, feeling powerless and useless. They don’t think they can achieve anything worthwhile or they feel like they have gotten too old to fulfill their goals.

It is unfortunate how many people today are working in jobs or holding positions they do not like just because they don’t know what they want in life because they lack purpose and a plan of action. People who are successful in reaching their goals are people who know what God wants in their lives as well as the unbeliever because he or she is aware that life is a battleground and just like any other battle, it needs a battle plan. There are no short cuts for success, and it also depends on each person’s description of what is a success for them.

Goal setting is very important, it gives us a clear direction of where you are going. Goals give us a foundation to build on. Goals help us budget our time, money and resources wisely. Goals help us to be more specific in what we are doing. Goals help us to keep our value and standards in focus. Goals help us to schedule our tasks more easily. Goals are a highway to our future dreams. Goals also bring the future into the present.

How to set goals – Take a pen and paper and write down what you want to become, achieve, or what you want to do with your life.Try to be as specific as possible. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you bring your dreams to mind. Next, analyze them to see whether or not they are realistic and achievable, then set goals on how to pursue them. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to give us God’s guidance on each step. When we allow God to be our director, we will never come to the point of regret because the Holy Spirit will never direct us in ways that are opposite of God’s will.

When our goals or vision is in accordance with the will of God in our lives, then spend time in prayer, visualizing the benefits of reaching your desired goal. We need to access our assets, strengths, and weaknesses realistically as we set our goals. You need not underestimate yourself, you will be amazed at how much you can do if you’re determined to be an achiever. Learn to identify people who can help you reach your goal, and stay away from those who will make you loose your focus, people are the greatest asset in life, so, you want to make sure you have the right people in your life.

Clarify your present position in light of your goals. Know where you are and what direction you are heading before you get started. Be a thinker, “Brainstorm” think of all the possibilities you can, no matter how impossible it may seem to be, always keep in mind, what is impossible with you are possible with God. Set goals based on values and standards in each of the following: Spiritual, Family, Financial, Social, Professional. It is important to get proper information, knowledge, and ideas before setting goals that will affect your future life. Goals must be measurable so that it easy to monitor your progress. They should be realistic, achievable. and within human potential. They must be high enough to provide a challenge, but not too high that will be beyond possibilities and resources. Goals that are too low are a waste of potential and talent.

Set deadlines for every goal; otherwise, they may never be accomplished. Your deadline should be reasonable and realistic. Always put your health, family, and relationships first. There are people who are so task-oriented on their way to success that they forget some of the most important things in life. Goals must have a workable plan, know what it is going to take in terms of finances, time and expertise. Know how to get help if you need it. We must be willing to change your plans and ideas when things do not work out in a reasonable enough time. It’s good to have long-range and short-range goals. The long-range goal is the big picture, the short-range goals assist us to reach the big goal. Long-range goals will keep you from being frustrated and discouraged by short-range failures.

Most of the overwhelming feelings and the desires to give up come from short-term focus. You must realize that success and failure are not experienced overnight. They are a result of small decisions made along the way. We fail because we make small mistakes, such as not following up on our decisions, not taking appropriate actions at the given time or failure to take out goals seriously, We succeed when we are constantly making those small but important decisions, such as reading the right book, choosing to attend this meeting over that one, upholding our standard, or taking a rest.

We can set great and wonderful goals, but if God is not in your plan, then we have missed the purpose of life. When we acknowledge God, He will give us the wisdom to help us do our planning. God’s wisdom is far above the wisdom of men, He has promised us if we ask for wisdom, He will give us wisdom (If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him – James 1:5). God will grant His wisdom and reveal His will to us in a particular project when we ask Him.  Our desires should reflect His love and desires for our lives. His plans are to prosper our goals, to give us hope and a future. We have to infuse this reality in our subconscious, God’s desire for our life is to prosper in every area of our lives. To succeed, first, we place God in the plan, think of the goal, set the goal, pray over the goal, and then get started on the goal (s). God has designed us to accomplish anything we set out minds to do.