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"Why Your Resolutions Don't Stick"

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I’m an unabashed history dork, currently on my second biography of Teddy Roosevelt. Of all his noteworthy moments, the one that sticks out for me is a page from his workout program - I’m fascinated by his “Body by Ted” program. While president, Roosevelt would often grab some aids or even guests, choose a distant point off in the distance and head for that point only to then return.

 The catch? They would do so in a perfectly straight line no matter what was in the way.

 “The rule was that no natural impediment should cause them to digress or to stop. So they went through the fields and over the fences, across ditches and pools, and even clambered up and down a haystack, if one happened to be in the way, or through a barnyard. Of course they often reached home spattered with mud or even drenched to the skin from a plunge into the water, but with much fun, a livelier circulation, and a hearty appetite to their credit.” He called this “hiking”.

 We can learn much in our goal setting from this practice of “hiking.” There’s something to be said for having your eyes set on a goal and refusing to let impediments interrupt your journey. Sure, we all desire discipline, but accomplishing goals in a disciplined manner isn’t always good. Your accomplished resolutions may be carrying you in the wrong direction.  

 Matt Perman’s incredible book What’s Best Next (a must get) argues that improved productivity is no longer efficient if it’s carrying you in the wrong direction. You must first know what the right direction is for productivity to matter. I couldn’t agree more. One of the key ways in which our discipline can carry us in the correct direction is to staple it to a personal mission statement. Mission statements act like Roosevelt’s lighthouse or mountaintop, dictating direction no matter the obstacles. Perman notes,

 “...the purpose of your mission statement is to define the rock-bottom principles that define you even in times when you don’t know what you are doing or where you are going. You want your mission statement to orient you even when your entire world seems to be giving way —when you’ve lost your job, lost your house, aren’t sure what city to live in, and the wonderful plan you have for your life seems blown apart. Your mission statement is a good one if it is able to help you then, in those circumstances. Only then will it be able to guide you in the ordinary circumstances of life.”

 This year, before sitting down to list out new goals and aspirations, first ask, “Why am I here? Where am I going?”. Let the answers become beacons to your calendar, expenditures, and decisions so that you're not productive in the wrong direction.  Most people fail in their resolutions simply because they are irrelevant to their overall mission, and therefore peripheral rather than central. In fact, what’s worse, someone inefficiently moving in the right direction or someone efficiently moving in the wrong direction?

We clearly see Jesus and Paul with their eyes fixed on an end without veering or shifting in their journey. Sure, they were disciplined, but they were also tethered to a defining mission. Their decisions were guided by an ultimate goal. Have you considered yours? Take some time to today draft a mission statement that becomes the “rudder” for all your resolutions, aspirations, and goals. Maybe this year you’ll head in the right direction no matter what’s in the way.

 William Thayer, Theodore Roosevelt; An Intimate Biography (Public Domain Book) Kindle Location 2378
2 Matt Perman, What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms The Way You Get Things Done (Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2014) pg. 148
Posted by Luke Thomas with

2015 Goal Setting

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Here it is, one of my resolutions for 2015 for all to see. I would love to write more blogs. I know I am about 15 years late to blogging being remotely cool and I'm definitely not interested in being popular or elevated among all the other bloggers out there. I simply want to become a better writer and I've been told several times that blogging helps those aspiring to write books. I am currently mapping my first book with the desire that it would be published this year (another goal for 2015)
 
I thought it'd be a great exercise for me to use this blog post to give resources I discussed this last Sunday and also use this resolution to generate new content as an example. 
 
In order to develop this resolution I had to go through the steps I outlined Sunday in establishing a life plan for the new year. 
 
Step 1: Where are you currently?
Answer: Nowhere. I think I have written 2 blog posts in the 4 years I have been in Knoxville, bringing my pace to 1 post every 24 months. I think I can improve. I also have read hundreds of books and have never written one even though I have threatened to write one several times. This last year has very little content generated by me to lead and serve others. 
 
Step 2: What values are the most important to you this year?
Answer: Devotional Life, Family, Health, Leading Legacy, Coaching Leaders, Creating Content for Leaders
 
Step 3: Write a Vision Statement for the values. 
Answer: (I am only doing this for Creating Content, but I have one for Health that was in the sermon Sunday)
 
I am a curator and creator of content that will help those and guide those who lead others whether they be business leaders, church leaders, or church planters. I enjoy teaching and coaching and feel that it fills my tank and places me where I truly enjoy my calling and glorify God effectively. I am spending adequate time polishing, nurturing, and getting coached on how to do this better than I have in the past. My heart is to produce material and methods that will outlive me and go further than me. This will means I am protecting this value and  saying "no" to many things that take me away from this goal. 
 
Step 4: Being specific, list some realistic metrics for these values. 
Answer
(1) Generate 25 blogs in 2015. They can be written anytime, but must come as close to 2x a month as possible. I must link to them in social media in a way that serves people well. 
(2) Write no less than 3 hours per week, to be done mostly if not exclusively on Mondays and Fridays. 
(3) Have my book's first draft finished by April. Have the revisions finished and totally edited by August.
(4) Develop longstanding content for the planter residency that can be used and taught by others. 
 
Step 5: Review weekly and even monthly.
Answer: For me this falls on Monday mornings
 
Step 6: Employ accountability for perspective and help.
Answer: I'll have Chris Harris as accountability in blogs as he supervises Legacy's blog content. I'll have Matt Norman coach me through the emotional challenges of writing and birthing a book. I'll need Kevin to help me keep it all in perspective. 
 
There you have it. I will re-examine this not only weekly but on the week of the 4th of July I'll take honest appraisal and make sure these goals were wise and on track, making changes where I need. 
 
I hope this helps - feel free to leave comments and ask questions. 
 
As promised on Sunday
 
Link to Richard Swenson's work "Margin"
 
Link to Brian Howard's Blog post on setting up a life plan and defining priorities. He has been super helpful to me in balancing how I set resolutions and goals.