Say Good-bye to Procrastination this Year

This week's post is by my friend and writing partner, Terri Webster.

by Terri Webster

Do you struggle with procrastination? I’m raising my hand high right now because I do.

Do you struggle with procrastination?

I have many great intentions and ideas. Unfortunately most of them never make it from my head and into actionable reality.

It’s incredibly frustrating.

We are now already in the second week of 2017.

Have you set your goals yet for this year, made your New Year resolutions? Do you have a plan?

I no longer make resolutions. I’ve tried setting goals, but have only been about 50% successful.

What’s the difference between resolutions and goals? 

A goal is a target; an end result that is reached over time. A goal needs a detailed plan; steps on how you’re going to reach the desired results.

A resolution in relation to a new year, is an intention; something you intend to do immediately, but maybe without a laid-out plan.

You might make a resolution to stop smoking or begin an exercise program. But without a step-by-step plan on how you’re going to keep the resolution, will NOT put you among the 8% of people who actually achieve their new-year resolutions. (www.statisticbrain.com)

A goal needs a detailed plan.

I’ve recently learned that successful goal-setting comes from writing them down and then displaying them where you see them regularly.

Last year I set several goals. A couple of them I stuck with and gained wonderful results and blessings. I had a plan in place, with the complete realization that it would be God’s power that enabled me to carry through with the plan.

I can’t tell you what the other goals were. I didn’t write them down and make a plan.

On Sunday, January 1, 2017, I heard a powerful message at church about setting goals. The key is writing them down with a plan of action. Then make sure they’re posted in plain view for you to see daily.

The pastor outlined detailed prompts based on Luke 2:52, which states, And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Since our main goal is to be more like Jesus, this makes it basic and simple.

·         Grow as Jesus did, ie, gaining wisdom and growing spiritually

·         Grow as Jesus did in stature/body; our physical state

·         Grow as Jesus did socially with God and man. Finding favor with God and people.

He ended it with these five words: “Don’t wait! Do it now!”

The pastor challenged us with a timeframe of writing down your goals and plans within 24-48 hours. If you put it off, or wait until a better time, the odds of completing your goals falls drastically.

If you wait until the wind and weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything. Ecclesiastes 11:4

Wow! How many times have I waited until I thought there was a better time?

Writing down goals brings success.

According to a Harvard study, those who had goals in their heads, but didn’t write them down, earned about twice the amount of those who had no goals at all. But those who had goals and wrote them down, earned ten times more than those who had no goals, and those with goals only in their head.

I knew if I waited until my next day off or a “better time” to write down my goals and make a plan, it wasn’t going to happen.

My pastor suggested to first clarify on paper what is important to you. Make a list of what you value and what you want.

Once I did that and framed it with Luke 2:52, the rest flowed out into an outline where everything fit on one page.

Under each category, i.e., Gaining Wisdom, Growing in Body and Gaining Favor (Socially), I listed steps on how I was going to accomplish each goal.

Within the first 24 hours my 2017 Goals and Plan of Action was complete!

I am giddy with excitement because setting goals and following through has been a major issue for me.

I’m staring down the tunnel of turning 60, in the not-so-distant future. It’s time I follow through with what’s important to me and achieving goals I’ve only talked about for years.

I hope you’re now encouraged to set your personal goals and make a plan of action. It’s never too late. There’s no time like the present because guess what…later will never come!

Don’t wait! Do it now!

I pray an abundance of His rich blessings on you as you sit down in the next 24-48 hours and write down your goals and plan of action.

Here’s to a wonderful and fulfilling 2017!

Terri

Say good-bye to procrastination this year (click to tweet)

Terri Webster

Terri began writing in her private journals as therapy to cope with the pain and hardships of being a single mom. This grew into a passion to write with a purpose.

She published “Markers for Single Moms: Finding God’s Direction in the Chaos,” in 2013. She wrote and composed “When All Seems Lost”, performed by Sara Oliver, which is the inspiration for her next book, “Prayer Markers for Single Moms: When All Seems Lost.”

Other publications include stories for Chicken Soup for the Soul and numerous feature articles for a local newspaper.

Terri founded Spring Ministries, Inc., in 2011, and is a member of EMACW.