Marsha GillWe’ve all heard you can only get to where you want to be if you know where you’re going. Truth right? So how do you get to the place of knowing where you’re going, so you can get where you want to be? Great question. Let’s explore together.
To start with, goals are crucial. One year ago, I went in for my annual check-up at the Veteran Health Clinic. I love my doctor; she spends time with me, addresses my concerns, and brings truth to the table. So, we’re talking about my labs, and I could tell by the line of questioning that something wasn’t right. She dropped the bomb. I was in the diabetic range, and we needed to talk about medication. I wasn’t having it. I wasn’t happy, but I was listening. That day,I prayed for healing. I decided that it wasn’t going down like that and set some serious health goals. Yes, I prayed for healing, but I also told God here’s my investment. I completely changed my diet and started walking three miles a day, which resulted in weight loss (25lbs +) which completely changed my A1C!!
Goals give a sense of purpose and should inform a person’s decisions about everything they do. When we set goals, what we’re really trying to do is to bring each piece of our lives in alignment with our overall vision for ourselves. In this case, I was realigning my health goal with the heavenly mandate in 3 John 1:2, Dear friend; I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. Using a powerful vision-setting process can help you set more effective goals since you can chart a course that will take you toward and in support of your vision.
Here are a few questions to consider. Do you have a vision for each segment of your life? Do you know where you’re headed spiritually, socially, relationally, physically, financially, and more?
Use this process to help you create a vision that works for you:
Write down your vision for a particular aspect of your life. Write a couple of paragraphs describing what you’d like to have or be. There’s no right or wrong. Pray and allow God to edit accordingly. In writing your vision, avoid focusing on what you don’t want because this will only bring about more of that. Turn your back on negativity and focus on what you do want. Ok, no pressure; you probably won’t nail it in your dreams the very first time you try the exercise.
Visualize. Read your vision statement 2-3 times a day and envision that aspect of your life matching your vision perfectly. How does your vision make you feel? Are you really excited and enthusiastic? Is it appealing to you on all levels? This shouldn’t take more than 60 seconds to do each time.
Refine. If you feel really good about your vision, that’s great. If not, pray and ask God to help to take the limits off of your life and your thoughts, asking if now is the time to make some adjustments. Continue to pray and let God refine the image of your dream life until your visualization feels spectacular. Allow God to shift you and re-write each new version. We grow as individuals, and so your vision grows as well. Your vision will forever be changing slightly throughout your life, which is good, since your desires will also change over time.
Review your vision daily and ensure that it continues to attract you. This will rapidly usher change into your life. In turn, these changes will demonstrate that you’re actually moving toward that vision.
Create separate vision statements for all the areas of your life. Consider your finances, relationships, adventure, health, social life, and spirituality. If you can get all these visions to look just the way you want, imagine what your life will look like!
Preparation is important, and so is spending time on this process.
Consider all the things you do every day. Everything you do is either helping you reach your vision or helping someone else reach theirs. Creating a vision is the first step to creating the life you desire. Tweak your visions a couple of times a day and really focus on the experience of living that vision. Live In purpose, daily.
