Goals
A simple reflection on how to keep goals on track
I first started working on personal goals maybe a few years before having children. I loved the smell of fresh paper, the feel of my favorite pen, and the aroma of a good ‘ole cup of coffee beside me. I start this every year. Usually around the end of the year I reflect on the list of things I want to accomplish the following year. During this time, when I would look back at the goals I had written down, I would often see the fruition of many of them. This was not the case for each year, but I am a firm believer that writing goals down has a special kind of magic. This worked for many years.
This year was one of those years where I accomplished around 50% of what I really wanted to achieve. At first glance I felt that I had somehow missed the mark. My vision board hanging up in my kitchen reflected who I wanted to be and what I wanted to be, but my actions this year failed to match those images. Some of them came true- others I could tell were overshadowed by the busyness of life, laziness, or simply a priority that was not intentionally chosen. Today as I am coming to the end of a social media fast (which I actually broke midway through the month), I began to follow stories of an online bible teacher (@phyliciamasonheimer) regarding goal setting. She began by saying that she does not make goals by secular standards as to what can she achieve, but rather, what can she change about herself. I reflected with this question. What can I change about who I am in 2026? What is God calling me to be?
A few other good questions she asked:
What am I good at?
What are my strengths?
Where do I need to grow?
If I am quite honest, I don’t think I’ve ever asked “how can I change this year? In what area do I need to grow in?”. Regarding goal settings- I usually center it around my desires, beliefs and skills. I had not placed into consideration the molding of my own character. 2025 was a year of survival for me in many ways, but also a year where creativity flowed.
I learned how to make bread.
I learned how to make royal icing.
I finished the bible in a year by hearing it.
I wore more dresses.
I baked with my eldest daughter and had sweet memories with my toddler.
I not only reached my reading goal, but surpassed it.
This year I also lacked disciplined in many areas. I grew lazy in others. I was indifferent to some priorities I had earlier in the year. “Life got in the way”, and busy became my excuse. So what is the secret to goal setting? How can I keep track of some and not of others?
I believe that sometimes we are reactive people rather than proactive people. When things don’t go our way, or life throws us a curve ball, we don’t pivot, we ask why. Why me? Why can’t this have happened yesterday? Instead of being proactive with a change, we become reactive goal setters. Circumstances become our excuse. Goals have changed the way I view life, and every year I am giddy about the start of a new chapter. But here’s the thing- January first is not a magical day. Goals can be re-written; they can be changed. It’s important that we don’t feel like a failure because of an unachieved goal. This is actually being reactive. Perhaps the secret to goal setting is not doing more work, or being more diligent, or more focused, but rather changing who you are at the core.
Who am I?
Why am I here?
How can I grow this year?
Achievements come and go, but real goals determine who you are becoming.
