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.
