Happy New Year! Yes, we can still say that. The year is young. I thought I would do something different this year. Usually, I wait until three months in to check where I am at in terms of accomplishing my goals. Why? I am not quite sure. Just seems logical. Since I could not answer this question with an answer that would make a difference, I decided that I would check on my plans earlier and see if there are any benefits to this earlier review. Are you ready? Here goes.
"Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes it." Joseph Joubert. "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." Ecclesiates 7:8.
An assessment of my progress finds me on target. You might expect me to say that. But it is not necessarily so. Grateful, however, that it is so. The progress is in being intentional in wanting to achieve my goals. My plans were more detailed and targeted, specifically to be implemented in designated time frames. My word of action for the year 2025, is "execute." In order words, "do it." It is important to finish what you start. Otherwise, what is the purpose of setting goals? "It's not what you start in life, it's what you finish." K. Hepburn. "So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. Nehemiah 6:15-16.
"The art of following through is something that allows you to create the life that you actually want instead of settling for the life that you currently have." Peter Hollins. It is important to finish what you start. Seemingly, I have mastered the art of planning. It is the timely and complete implementation of my plans that has not fully materialized over the years. It has helped that I understand why I selected the particular goals that I have chosen and the subsequent plans to accomplish the specific goals that I have set. "Understanding why you do something and how it fits into the big picture of what you are trying to accomplish makes it seem more worthwhile." Peter Hollins. For me, each of the goals and action plans that I have put into motion is to promote my growth spiritually, emotionally, physically, and even financially. Knowing why you want to accomplish something is crucial because somewhere in the process (at a low moment or slow moment), you are going to question why you started the project in the first place. Your answer will determine whether you continue to completion.
"To succeed in today's world you must have the will and tenacity to finish the job." Chin-Ning Chu. It only makes sense that you do not get the benefit of planning if the plans do not come to fruition. Our plans extend through generations and to numerous beneficiaries. In fact, our efforts are a roadmap for those coming after us. They can build on what we started and make this a better world for everyone. "In the end, the American dream is not a spirit, or even a marathon, but a relay. Our families don't always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor." Julian Castro. This is certainly true for me. My father did not have the opportunity to get an education, but his love and constant encouragement and support made it a real goal for me. My parents did not have any money or possessions to leave me or my siblings. They did leave me/us the legacy of the desire to have God in my life and to get an education. I got the message. I am paying it forward; passing it on.
We have examples from biblical times; where we see that even then many bible characters followed through on given tasks. We can take heart from these characters and learn the value of completing what we start and the implications of what would have happened had they not finished what they started. A few examples are:
Moses: Led the Israelites out of Egypt despite plagues, the Pharoah's army, and stubborn people.
Ruth: Faced poverty, death and social discrimination, but remained loyal.
David: He slayed Goliath and rid his people of the fear and threat of this Philistine giant. Also, he repented of his many sins and became a king who left his words about God in history.
Peter the Apostle: Overcame personal and spiritual struggles to show his belief in Jesus.
Esther: Saved the Jewish people by acting against a decree to kill all Jewish people.
Daniel: Survived the lion's den because of his faith and demonstrated trust in God through his writings.
Paul: Established churches to preach and teach the gospel and demonstrated trust in God's enabling grace in his writings.
Their stories teach us that perseverance is crucial. When faith is a part of the mix, our chances for success go up exponentially! We will all face challenges, but we will never win or accomplish what we set out to do if we quit. So, DON'T QUIT. The adage, "If you never start, you can never finish," is a very wise saying. But, let me interject here, from personal experience, starting can be difficult. Not because the project is so hard, but because of an unknown factor (entity) called "resistance." I know it seems like a made up imposition. Made up or not, it feels real and therefore can stop you in your tracks. Resistance is that thing that keeps you marking time when you know you should be moving and doing. It is worse than procrastination because with procrastination, you know you are putting it off. With resistance, you really want to work on your plans, but it's like you are being prevented from doing so. I know this sounds a little strange, but if you have ever experienced this, you know what I am talking about. The only way to get through resistance is to power through by being very focused and very determined; taking small decisive steps to address it. Having given it some thought, starting earlier to assess progress is probably the way to go. Why? Well, it gives you time to deal with resistance and move on.
You can start to make progress when you get resistance under control. The goal is not to change anything with the assessment, just to determine if you are on target. I think most of us have gotten pretty good at planning. I remember when I was a school administrator, we met on many occasions and we came up the most detailed plans and programs for school improvement, and then we set about putting the plans in place. If we did not see progress almost immediately, we switched to another plan. The problem was that we either assessed too early or too late judging by the progress or lack of progress in student performance outcomes. We felt that we could afford the luxury of letting some plans play out and other times we felt we needed to know sooner how the plans would turn out. To be fair, there was always someone looking over our shoulders for results. I digress.
We are talking about our personal goals and we can relax and allow our plans to come to successful fruition or at least to completion. So, let's get on with the early evaluation of our plans.
Take your plan/goals out and revisit them; read them again. Determine if you are on target according to your action plan/s.
Critique and/or make changes only if you are off-target. Otherwise, continue letting it unfold. This means that you are in line for completing your plans as you designed.
Execute something from your plan right away. Choose one item from your list of goals and make it happen immediately. e.g., "Will finish reading/writing five chapters today and write a short summary. You can select any portion of your plan, but one area that can be put into effect quickly.
Update your plan and/or change your plan to reflect what has already been executed. This will give you a feeling of accomplishment which will motivate you to keep going.
Set a new date to review your plan (approximately 4-6 weeks). This will give you enough time to work on the plan and to conduct further assessment.
Celebrate. Buy yourself something; do something you enjoy, or just put a "super job" sticker on your plans (It is a great motivator for children). Do whatever you want, just validate your efforts because sometimes it is not easy to finish what you start and rewarding yourself helps. Try it.
Do not get discouraged if your goal has not been met or if you think you should be further along. The early assessment gives you the opportunity to regroup in a timely way and to get back on task if need be.
Are you ready? I am sure that you are. You have not been setting goals for so long to drop them now. So, refrain from making false starts or impulsive changes. You are capable of great things. When you have completed the task, you will reap the benefits of a job well done. "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul....." Proverbs 13:19.
Finish what you start! Wishing you Godspeed as you review your goals and adjust them accordingly. You know that old saying, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." Get going!!!! I am looking forward to being encouraged by hearing that you are succeeding in your plans.
All the best for the New Year and always!
Are you ready? GET ON THE GOOD FOOT!!! Make 2025, the year of completion.
Yours, Yvette
Thank you for your continued support. I remain appreciative. You can comment at vttlane@gmail.com
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