A new year is a blank slate—full of fresh hope and new possibilities. How will you march into the future?
Many people make “resolutions” only to break them a few days—or a few hours—later. While others wing it and don’t have a plan at all. And they wonder why they don’t achieve their goals.
Is there a better way to have a better life in the coming year?
I believe there is.
I’ve found it helpful to cast a vision for your life and put habits in place to achieve your goals and get better results.
In short: VISION + HABITS = RESULTS.
Vision gives you direction. A vision provides clarity as you set priorities, so you know what to work on next.
A vision moves you to action. It touches your emotions because it’s what you truly want for your life. Mainly, with a vision, you are more likely to reach your goal.
Perhaps that’s why the writer of Proverbs said, “Where there is no vision, people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18).
Lack of clarity leads to low motivation. You may feel like your “get up and go” has got up and went.
It’s time to find—or renew—a vision for your life.
Do you have a dream? Perhaps you want to write a book, buy a new home, start your own business, or finally learn how to cook. Maybe you want to start dating again now that your heart is healed from a bad breakup or divorce. Or, you want to stop a bad habit or start working on that thing you’ve been putting off for years.
What do you dream about doing or becoming? Dreams can be about achieving a goal, but also about who you want to be as a person. Maybe you want to be kinder, more patient or less angry. Maybe you want to finally get out of debt so you can become a generous giver.
Whatever it is you want to improve or change, it starts by creating a vision for your life. For instance, one woman I know has a vision like this:
“I am kind and loving, a generous giver of my time and resources. I am a wise woman, smart with my finances, friendships, and every area of my life. I am building a life of peace and balance with my career and my relationships. I love and serve God, and choose joy each day.”
So how can you create a powerful life vision? Here are five essential steps.
- Ponder. Before you cast a vision, take time to first reflect on some key questions.
Review the past year. What worked well, and what brought me joy? What was challenging, and what can be improved?
What are my core values? That is, what really matters to you in life. Try to keep your list to about 5 or 6 values that show who you are and what you value most.
James Clear, author of the popular “Atomic Habits” book has a great list of core values. You can click here to read them, and choose the ones that speak to what you are most like—or aspire to be.
For instance, some core values are: authenticity, faith, kindness, creative expression, adventure, community, etc.
2. 2. Pray. Talk with God about your life. He created you, and He wants the best for you. God has the power to make real and lasting changes in our lives.
Remember, He knows and loves you so. In your prayer time ask yourself: What do I really want? Whom do I want to become? What do I want to accomplish? What does God have for me in this new year? And take time to listen.
You may want to consider what needs to change in different areas of your life. Like: work/career, relationships, health/fitness, personal growth, spiritual growth, finances, how you spend your free time (travel, hobbies, etc.). Or, other areas of life that are meaningful to you.
This will take some thought. You may need to take time to think, pray, and journal (write down) some ideas before you move forward.
Prayer changes things because God changes things.
Your prayers are heard by the God who loves you more than you can imagine. He can do anything, so dare to imagine new possibilities.
3. 3. Prepare for success
Create a vision statement. Based on your core values (from step 1) and your prayer time (from step 2), write a vision statement for your life. It doesn’t have to be long or involved. And it certainly can change as you change and grow.
Make it personal, make it specific, and make it present tense. It doesn’t have to be all-encompassing for every part your life. It’s like a foundation, a base from which you will build your better life.
Here is a brief example of a vision statement:
“I am a person of courage, strength, and boldness as I seek to love and trust God and achieve my goals. I am a reliable person whom others can count on. I value adventure and new experiences. And love to make new friends. My business is thriving and I choose to give back out of the abundance of my resources.”
·. Create a plan with steps for taking action that includes goals and habits.
o Goals. Set goals in key areas of your life, like: work/career, relationships, health/fitness, personal growth, spiritual growth, finances, etc.
o Habits. Identify bad habits you want to get rid of, and new habits you want to start. Two excellent resources for creating good habits are (as mentioned earlier) James Clear’s “Atomic Habits” and Craig Groeschel’s “The Power to Change.”
Here’s a personal fitness example of a goal and habit.
Goal: Lose 60 pounds in one year. That breaks down into shedding 5 pounds per month for 12 months.
Habit: Say you want to start the healthy habit of drinking more water. One way to start a new habit, according to Clear, is to attach the new habit to something you already do. You brush your teeth every day. So add on, “After I brush my teeth, I will drink a full glass of water.”
It seems like a small thing, but that’s where good habits start—one choice at a time. Then start adding more new habits like walking or working out a few times a week. Or eating more vegetables. (Note, this is not medical advice, simply an example of starting new habits.)
4. 4. Take action.
· Start doing your new habits. Day by day you are getting closer to your goals. And, you’re starting to live the life you imagined, your vision statement.
5. Persevere
· Keep going, even when it’s challenging. You can persevere by getting motivated.
Know your “why” (that is, why do you want this goal or vision). Get encouragement from a friend or accountability partner. Post Bible verses on strength, courage, and renewing your mind on your mirror. Mindset is key.
· Then, adjust as needed. Take time to review your vision and goals regularly—whether it’s once a week when you plan the week ahead, or when it works best for you. Tweak or fine-tune your vision or goals.Be flexible and willing to adapt as life changes and you grow.
Step by step. Day by day. Choice by choice things begin to change.
Don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way, even the small ones!
Be brave, my friend. And walk into this new year with courage, confidence, hope, and joy. God is with you. And anything is possible.
A year from now things could be amazingly better.
Blessings and joy,
Jackie
Photo: Pixels, Anna Louise
