Kids

How do you make sure you are living your life with purpose?

A great way to evaluate how you’re doing and to set goals for the future is to ask yourself, what are the roles that I play? What are the different “titles” that are connected to my name…to my life? Are you a leader? Mother? Father? Daughter? Minister?

Twice a year, I set aside time to evaluate how I’m doing in the significant roles that I play in life. I set goals, create learning plans, evaluate failures, and tweak my schedule…all through the eyes of the roles in life that matter the most to me.

Everyone is called to play a different part in life. What matters the most to me may not be the same priorities that you care about. That’s ok! The goal for me is to be aware…to be aware of the opportunities and influence that God has given me and to live life on purpose.

Here is one of the significant roles in my life and some of the questions that I ask to create a personal development plan each year:

Role: Personal

One of the greatest roles I play is in the area of self-leadership and self-development. The personal work and evaluation must be done in my own heart, on a consistent basis, before I can hope to have anything to pour out into the other roles that I play in life. These are the categories that I focus on that fall under the Personal role.

Spiritual Growth:

· What is my plan for spiritual development?

· Where is God speaking to me? Correcting me? Refining me?

· What do I need to read? Study? Memorize? Discuss with others?

Health & Fitness:

· How can I improve my health and fitness?

· Where am I struggling? How is my diet? What am I doing for exercise?

(This is always a tough one for me!)

Financial:

· Are we giving what we should be? Are there new giving opportunities to consider?

· How is our emergency fund looking?

· What are some big expenses coming in the next 12 months that we need to save for?

· Where can we cut back? Are there areas where our spending is out of control or undisciplined?

Mental/Leadership:

· What do I need to learn more about?

· What is coming that I need to be prepared for?

· What am I doing to grow as a leader?

· Who am I listening to and who do I need to be intentional about learning from?

· What am I reading?

These questions are a starting point. They get me thinking. They help me set realistic goals. They force me to change my schedule. They force me to start new habits. These questions are a starting point for a plan.

These are the six roles that I plan for, evaluate, and set goals for:

1. Personal

2. Wife

3. Mother

4. Family Manager

5. Ministry Leader

6. Extended Family

I tend to like a more structured and intentional process to evaluation, planning, and goal-setting. I’ve always been wired this way. My husband is wired very differently and he is no less purposeful.

You don’t have to do it my way. My hope for you is that you will live your life with purpose…that you won’t wake up one day and wonder where the time went.

My prayer for you is that you’ll seek your Heavenly Father and do what matters most to him every day!

Do you set goals for the new year?