Jana emailed in last week and said:
I am intrigued by your goals and the categories you have listed. I seem to find myself “borrowing” from your list only because I am sometimes at a loss for how to set goals and/or what our family’s goals should (or could) be. Do you have any recommendations on books for how to set goals? -Jana
We only have one life to live and I want to make the most of that one life, so I’m constantly re-evaluating my life to make sure I’m living intentionally and purposefully. Longterm and shorterm goals have been a huge help to me in making sure I’m aiming in the right direction in how I’m spending my time.
Before you can know if you are hitting the mark (or at least shooting in the right direction!), you first need to know what direction you are supposed to go in. So you should start by determining your priorities. Once you know what your specific priorities are for the season of life you are in, it is much easier to set goals for each week that would help you move in the direction you hope to be going in.
For instance, I’m not seeking to become a worldclass traveler, an Olympic swimmer, or an inventor right now (nor do I foresee any of those items being on my priority list any time in the distant future, either!) so none of the goals on my weekly goal list are going to push me closer to those things. However, I am seeking to be intentional and purposeful in prioritizing things that would help me improve and excel as a child of God, wife, mother, homeschool teacher, homemaker, blogger, and friend. So pretty much all of the goals on my weekly goal lists right now are made with those priorities in mind.
I wrote more about goal-setting and how to create a personal priorities list in my upcoming book. In addition, I’ve found a lot of helpful encouragement and inspiration this year from Today Matters and Eat That Frog.
Last week’s 8 goals:
Mothering Goals
1. Finish reading All of a Kind Family and Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims aloud to the children.
2. Make a Wigwam and Teepee.
Personal Goals
3. Run 9 miles (total). {Almost, but not quite!}
4. Go to bed by 10:30 p.m. or before every night. {I did really well up until we left for Dallas and then all my good intentions went out the window!}
5. Finish reading Chasing Daylight {Still working on All the Money in the World andWhat Women Fear.}
Home Management Goals
6. Make Homemade Oxy-Clean.
Business Goals
7. Continue working on my presentation for an upcoming speaking engagement.
Ministry Goals
8. Write and send letters to our Compassion children.
And here are this week’s 10 goals:
Mothering Goals
1. Finish reading Davy Crockett: Young Rifleman aloud to the children.
Personal Goals
2. Run 12 miles (total).
3. Go to bed by 10:00 p.m. or before every night.
4. Get up by 6:00 a.m. every morning.
5. Finish reading What Women Fear, All the Money in the World, and When I Lay My Isaac Down.
Home Management Goals
6. Make Homemade Oxy-Clean.
7. Go through our house from top to bottom for our garage sale on Thursday.
8. Finish knitting the dishcloth I’m working on.
9. Start working on a rag quilt.
Business Goals
10. Shoot video for 31 Weeks to a Better Grocery Budget series.
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? If you feel comfortable doing so, I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!
You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Just filled out and printed my goal sheet for the week. Thanks for the download. It is perfect and so easy to use. Thanks for the inspiration!
Loving this sheet. I had spaced a few items this week but overall the biggest things I wanted to accomplish, I took care of. It’s amazing how much making a list helps. And I really like the way you broke yours down Crystal. I’m working on getting more into my days, not so much ala flylady like but overall making sure most all goals get met, including my own 😉
Thanks for this. I’m going to be adding a weekly goal post to my personal blog, too. Hopefully it will keep me on track.
Congratulations on the Dave Ramsey endorsement! My hubby, who normally scoffs just a little at my blog reading, was fairly impressed when I mentioned that to him. 🙂
I’ve been having hard time with my to-do lists the last couple of weeks… keep having other unplanned things come up that take priorty over my list items. Hoping that comes to an end soon, so I can stop feeling overwhelmed. I did put a couple fun things on my list this week though – just to make things seem not so all-work-and-no-play! 🙂
http://berghermlife.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-to-do-what-to-do.html
I so need to start doing this but find myself putting goal setting and planning off, then it never gets done and I sit and think about it a lot….any ideas on how to set goals and actually stick to them??
http://www.financeswithfunk.com/2011/09/12/living-on-purpose-912-edition
I have done weekly goals for years and love the idea of putting it out for others to see. Running three different business requires me to goal set and stay on task daily or there is no way I would be able to survive and keep all our balls in the air.
I would love to see a picture of the teepee and wigwam!
Right now my goal is adding “still water time” to my routine.
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:2,3
Goal 10 minutes a day – during the middle of the day (already do this in the morning along with my Bible time.)
I love this! Thanks for sharing!
yes! What a great idea…perhaps enjoying this time while drinking a glass of water too!
Or while eating chocolate covered bananas like I did today LOL!!! In my defense it was homemade chocolate so it was healthy, not too much honey added….next time I’ll add a glass of water too!
Reading your (and all the comments) goals is so inspiring. They definitely helps me stay motivated, even when when I fail to reach the goals I’ve set – so thank you!
This week’s goals are
Mothering:
Spend at least 10 minutes a day just playing with and enjoying my son.
Personal:
Read at least one chapter of the Bible a day and spending a few minutes of quiet time in prayer.
Get up by 6am – so I can spend that time in prayer!
Exercise 30 minutes per day
Homemaking:
Get stuff together for the block yard sale on Friday/Saturday
Finish knitting scarf (for a Christmas present)
Business:
Finish Virtual Assistant blog series
Update services page for business blog
I love making a 2-week mini-planner using http://www.pocketmod.com. I need help in my organization, but hate carrying around a planner/calendar. So this pocket-sized planner is perfect for me. You pick the pages you want included and print it off. I decided to have my week planner on the left and a bullet-point sheet on the right to record my goals so that I see them constantly and am reminded of what I am striving for.
Also, I have realized that my mothering goals are hard… I guess I feel like I’ve been shooting in the dark. So I’m glad you have encouraged us to do this exercise. Makes me be more intentional about many areas in my life.
I have lots of goals as well. One of mine is to spend more 1:1 time with each of my kids. Today, my littlest one went down for a nap earlier which left me with my toddler for about an hour until it was his nap time. I was tempted to clean up the kitchen and prep dinner, but instead I played tinker toys with him and did some arts n’ crafts with him. It was really wonderful. It’s amazing how well behaved, focused and patient he becomes when it’s just him and I! 🙂
Crystal you are such an inspiration! Thank you so much for posting such encouraging and helpful posts day in and day out! Your husband is very blessed to have you as a wife and your kids are blessed to have you as a Mom! Thank you for posting how you set your goals– I had never really thought of it that way (setting goals that correspond directly with my priorities). I would say my top priorities are: my relationship with God, my husband, our little home, my health, my family and friends and my jobs.
Here are some of my goals for this week:
1. Clean out our refrigerator and cupboards
2. Yoga 6 times and run 2 times (at least 10 minutes each time)
3. Start writing in a journal/keepsake book I am going to send to my husband on our 1 year anniversary when he is in Afghanistan.
4. Finish “Choosing Gratitude” by Nancy DeMoss
5. Finish this weeks’ portion of the Bible study book the women’s group is going through at our church.
6. Laundry, laundry, laundry. 🙂
DISHCLOTHES!!!! I knit those by the dozen. I am one of those woman that likes to redeem the time as much as possible, I can’t read in the car, it makes me dizzy and besides I also like to use this time to talk to my hubby while the kids are busy with my ipod touch (which they only get use of in the car) SO I KNIT, I can knit wash clothes without looking, don’t know how but I can. I also knit them while waiting for my kids to finish up activities, or while at lunch with friends, or while watching tv, or well just about anywhere. I actually had one friend tell me I should try to knit and run my next marathon. I give them to people with the verse “you knit me in my mother’s womb” and I prayed for God to cover my expenses for yarn, so that my hobby doesn’t cost the family, and every year He does, one Christmas I sold over 100 dish clothes, and a dozen girls purses I crochet. I always make sure to give away almost as many as I sell, and sometimes in the weirdest places God will tug at my heart to give my homemade clothes with the verse. It seems like such a small talent, but its fun to see ladies faces shine when they receive my homemade dish clothes.
This has nothing to do with goals, but I had to comment when I saw you mention the Davy Crockett book! For some reason, my four-year-old finds him so fascinating. We just moved to TN not far from his birthplace, and we’ve been reading books, visiting the historic site, pretending to hunt bears in the backyard…the whole nine yards. She even has a coonskin cap! No one believes it when I tell them that her favorite character right now is Davy Crockett since she is otherwise such girly-girl. These are the best days, aren’t they? 🙂
Crystal,
Congrats on your book and the endorsement from Dave Ramsey! So amazing! I cannot wait to read it!
Thanks so much! I have the best readers and feel so blessed to have you all as my cheerleaders.
I’ve battled with anxiety and fear since the birth of my first child in 1996. Just recently I feel majorly attacked by Satan and I’m crippled with fear and what ifs.
I noticed one of your to read books, What Women Fear, Walking in Faith that transforms.
I’m now adding it to my list!
So far, it’s fabulous. I *love* Angie’s writings!
Crystal- Just wanted to say a big thank-you for being real, and breaking down your real life into bit size pieces for all to see. It’s got to be hard sometimes.
This mom of three really appreciates a look into your happenings. So when I feel the internal pressure to do it all, I can step back and back it into bit size pieces.
Also Congrats on the DR review!!! DR is BIG BIG time. : )
You are so welcome; thank you for your kind encouragement.
And thank you for sharing in my excitement!
I always love your goals posts. Thank you! I do 12 a week. I print them out from my blog and post them for a reminder.
http://extraordinaryordinarylife.blogspot.com/2011/09/12-goals-for-week-and-my-wrap-up.html
I decided last week to set my goals according to “my goals” for my family instead of borrowing. My goals are simple so the activities under the goals are the things I am striving for my family. Also, I put my goals on my weekly calendar down the left side and then have the times in the next column and a column for each day of the week. This is what Steven Covey recommends. I just modified his calendar to fit mine. I use this each to help me stayed balanced as a mother of 4 including a special needs child, full time working mom, and leading a spiritual life.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=steven+covey+calendar&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=rOr&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&prmd=ivnso&tbnid=Xm5QM0J2oTjsEM:&imgrefurl=http://trainingincontext.com/category/main-content/page/3/&docid=RLWu3OLnQdhIVM&w=1056&h=816&ei=2ExuTpzoM4mJsgL-1eTfBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=181&vpy=93&dur=2234&hovh=197&hovw=255&tx=115&ty=218&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=176&start=0&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&biw=1280&bih=895
Sept 5 – Sept 11
Good manners
1. Eat dinner at table to practice manners.DONE
Support each other
1. Message family each week. DONE
Family spending plan
1. Take Financial Peace class at church. DONE
2. Apply first class lesson to spending plan. WILL DO
Eat healthy
1. Increase vegetables and fruits in meal plan (i.e. cut up and make available for snacks). BOUGHT FRUITS & VEGGIES
Exercise
1. Walk each day to strengthen back. DONE
2. Stretch back 2x/day. PARTIALLY
Spirituality
1. Pray for my brother each day. DONE
Clean house
1. Clean area around the chimney of clutter. DONE
Relax
1. Plan to take kids to a movie at the dollar movie house. DONE
2. Plan a crafts activity this week to do with kids. NOT DONE
Organize
1. Make a project list and put in home binder. STARTED
Take care of belongings
1. Take car for to get oil changed. NOT DONE
2. Get brake light replaced this week. NOT DONE
Self care
1. Get a haircut. NOT DONE
2. Go to bed by 10 pm each night. PARTIALLY
September 12-18
Good manners
1. Eat dinner at table to practice manners.
Support each other
1. Message family each week.
Family spending plan
1. Apply first class Financial Peace lesson to spending plan.
2. Apple second lesson to spending plan.
Eat healthy
1.Eat 2 fruits and 2 vegetables servings/day.
Exercise
1. Walk each day to strengthen back.
2. Stretch back 2x/day.
3. Ice heels 3x/day.
Spirituality
1. Pray for my brother each day.
Clean house
1. Create a clutter free plan for living room.
Relax
1. Plan a crafts activity this week to do with kids.
Organize
1. Complete project list for home binder.
Take care of belongings
1. Take car for to get oil changed.
2. Get brake light replaced this week.
Self care
1. Get a haircut.
2. Go to bed by 10 pm 5 nights out of 7.
I’ve been using your downloadable sheet. Love it! Also realize I’m trying to do too many things in a week 🙂
My only goal last week was to get my son started at Kindergarten & I accomplished that!
My goals for this week; Write 3 blog articles (I’m hoping to start my blog before the end of the year & want to have 15 to start with), finish sewing my skirt, start on PJ bottoms for winter for my son, start on a another skirt, make homemade spaghetti sauce (fingers crossed) & finally finish the book I’m reading on my phone/Kindle.
Well, life continues to get in the way of my weekly goals, so I’m switching to goals for the month to see if that will help. You can read about it on my blog today:
http://carriesbusynothings.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-5-goals-changes.html
And by the way – congrats on the Dave Ramsey plug for your book! I understand that kind of jump-up-and-down excitement! 🙂
Crystal, I know your reading list is probably a mile long. But, I think of you everytime I read Becoming a Woman of Influence by Carol Kent. Have you read it? Because I’m a pastor’s wife, I’m a “leader”, even though sometimes I don’t see it that way. However, when women are “looking” to you through their computer screens, just as they are when I’m interacting with church members, we are influencing them in so many ways. I hope you’ll consider reading it!
When I Lay My Isaac Down is a great book. Enjoy!
I always find it interesting how people in different parts of the country have yard sales on different days of the week.
I didn’t hit a single goal last week due to travel and a sick baby, so I just folded last week’s goals into this week and added a few more. So far so good, I have 3 out of 5 done.
http://cookingluck.blogspot.com/2011/09/friday-saving-money-challenge-check-in.html
Today is my first day as a Stay At Home Mom! So my main goal this week is to not burn myself out or beg for my old job back 🙂
My goals:
Personal
1. Exercise 40 minutes daily
2. Set aside time to read from a book daily
3. Be patient and kind with the kids as we get used to our new routine
4. Pray daily and practice gratitude daily
Kids
1. Go through daughter’s dresser with her and select clothes to donate
2. Go outside together daily, weather permitting
3. Begin our parks & recreation classes
Husband
1. Have a meaningful conversation daily
Writing
1. Complete 14 articles for publication (I write for two websites, and 10 of those articles are simple and take about 10 minutes or less each. The other 4 take about 1 hour each).
Community
1. Freecycle daughter’s unwanted clothing
2. Drop off donations to goodwill
How exciting to be able to stay home now. I will pray your week goes well.
Congrats, Jessica. How wonderful for you and your family!
I have my weekly goals set! I’m a little disappointed at how few of the previous week’s goals I accomplished, but given the rain (that canceled my outdoor goal), and a nagging back issue that had me spending a lot of quality time with the ice pack, I did okay.
http://symphonicinsanity.blogspot.com/2011/09/weekly-goals-update_12.html
This is a great post Crystal! It really put into perspective the importance of setting weekly goals. For instance, I’ve been trying to motivate myself to keep up with running, but I never thought to set a weekly mileage goal. I’m definitely going to start doing that! Thanks for the great tips!
where can we pre-order your book? please post something about it. 🙂
I’ll post about it soon–I’m waiting for the cover to get finished so I can show it to you! 🙂 Here’s the link on Amazon.com that has more info and a pre-order button:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451646208/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=monsavmom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1451646208
thank you! I just order mine 🙂 love your blog..
You are such an inspiration! Thanks for sharing your goals and progress 🙂
Crystal, I LOVE knitting wash cloths!! I think it is SO relaxing and it is something I never make time for. Maybe that should be one of my goals! Thanks for your series and congrats on your endorsement.
How do you knit dish cloths?
here is a tutorial on the basic dish cloth. I’m not sure which one Crystal uses but these are referred to as “Grandma’s favorite dish cloth” for a reason. We love them. http://majorknitter.typepad.com/photos/patterns/dishrag_and_magazine_photo.html
p.s. – also love the goal setting chart download you’ve provided; thank you! I have it printed out and slipped inside a page protector, so I can use a whiteboard marker on it each week.
What a great post; thanks for the reminders about living purposefully with priorities! Another great book that touches on this is “Creative Counterpart” by Linda Dillow. My mom gave it to me when I was engaged, and it was a great help in these areas. I think it’s about time for a re-reading, too! 🙂 Thanks again.
I am sooooooooooo excited for your endorsement Crystal! Congratulations!
Here are a few of my goals and the action steps I will be taking this week:
http://thepeacefulmom.com/2011/09/12/life-on-purpose-weekly-goal-planner-my-goals/
I was a lot like Jana last week by “borrowing” from your list. Thanks for the redirection in focusing my goals on my big picture priorities. That really helps!
I was able to get a few things done last week, but I lost my goals sheet when my computer crashed 🙂 This week, I want to finish up a big website project that I want to launch asap. I also need to desperately mop my kitchen floor..yuck! A final goal (of course this list isn’t complete), I need to patiently and gently disciple my 4th grader in the ways of positive attitude and good time management as it concerns her school work and piano, not for the purpose of getting it marked off her “to do” list but to humbly present it before the Lord. Hmm..that last one might have to be an on-going goal.
Thanks for the accountability, Crystal!
I love your goal posts. They are so inspiring. I think I might do my own today! Print it out and look at it all week long!
(I’m also totally going to pre-order your book today! I was just freaking out to my husband that you got a blurb written by Dave Ramsey!)
I was a little more than a wee bit excited that Dave Ramsey endorsed my book. More like through-the-roof excited and ecstatic, jumping up and down for joy, calling my husband and squealing–you get the picture!!! 🙂
I can only imagine! I honestly can’t think of a higher compliment within this “niche”. You “made it” a long time ago…but now you’ve REALLY made it, LOL!
(also, I’m curious when you fit your jogging in? It’s getting a bit cooler here and I want to start fitting walks in, but not sure whether to do them in the morning or the evening?)
That is awesome Crystal! Congratulations. 🙂
yey! love it! congratulations.
Wonderful endorsement! I am taking his classes now!
I also just called my husband and said, “MSM wrote a book and DAVE RAMSEY endorsed her book. Can you believe it? I wonder how she did that? I bet she freaked out!” Congrats-that’s a huge accomplishment.
Yes, I was over the moon! Humbled, thrilled, honored… maybe even speechless, which is saying a lot for me. 🙂
Wow on the book coming to life! The DR endorsement is awesome for you personally, I’m sure. It will also bring lots of readers!! Woohoo!
Will your book be released in kindle or (preferably) nook format. I can’t wait to read it, but I committed to no more physical books as a promise to my hubby!!
The Kindle version is available for pre-order on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Money-Saving-Moms-Budget-ebook/dp/B004U7HSR2/ref=kinw_dp_ke?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
I’m not sure about when it will be available in Nook format. I’ll ask my publisher about that. Thanks for asking a question I’ve yet thought of. 🙂
{And thanks so much for your excitement; you all mean the world to me!}
Cool! Thanks to all your tips I have gift cards to spend on Amazon OR Barnes and Noble!! I just love my Nook Color!
I did pretty good with last weeks goals, but I find that things like reading my book and exercising fall by the wayside in a pinch because its just for me and the time just runs out. 🙁
I have just begun rereading Tsh’s Organized Simplicity and am resolving to be more deliberate about my weekly goals, making sure they reflect my big-picture priorities.
Crystal, this post gives me that much more encouragement to move in that direction. Thanks!