Change Your Thinking About Goals and Resolutions to Achieve Better Success

 

by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta

Do you get a little frustrated or discouraged each January when you read blogs and articles about new ways to enhance your life? We may feel as if it didn’t do any good last year, so why bother to set a new goal.

Our emotions can grow downtrodden when we view change through the lens of what other people are doing and have accomplished. Photos of toned exercise gurus, AI models, and organizational queens draw us to compare and know we can never reach the pinnacle of success we see.

But we shouldn’t depend upon another human or a robot image to be our savior. The only time we are called to emulate another person is if they are following Christ. And even then, we should use discernment, as Christian people still fail at times.

Our goal or resolution list can be one that provides encouragement and success rather than depression and failure. Whatever you wish to accomplish this year, support that goal with God’s Holy Word. Failure comes when we put pressure on ourselves for change. Most resolutions people make are based on behavior modification which is determined by our own willpower. We can grow weary of trying.

Rather than concentrating on what WE need to do to improve the way we live, we can focus on what JESUS already did for us.

This year we can change the way we think about goals and resolutions to achieve better success.

We can begin each day with thanksgiving and praise toward the One who loves us most. This rewiring of thoughts can give us a better attitude about accomplishing our plans.

Here are some Scriptures we can put before our eyes each morning, every night, and other intervals of the day. This can help us deflect negative vibes we hear, see, and are tempted to say that can bring discouragement.

• Make Goals According to God's Promises

As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:3–4 NKJV, emphasis mine)

We have been given the ability to escape the corruption of the world through His promises. This changes our focus from comparison to others and puts our eyes on the only One who can bring transformation to our habits and lifestyles.

• Acknowledge it's the Lord's Power, Not Ours That Brings Change

Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. (Ephesians 3:20 TLB, emphasis mine)

God’s thoughts are higher than ours and He can do more for us and in us than we can think of to ask. But as this Scripture states, it is according to His power in us. We are called to acknowledge and depend upon His Spirit for strength.

• Eliminate Fear of Failure By Focusing on the Love of Christ.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV, emphasis mine)

Fear attacks all of us, but we have been given a way to defeat this enemy. Every time fear surrounds our thoughts, we can change the channel to the power and love Jesus died to give us. Think deeply on how much the Father loves you, not based on your behavior, but based on Jesus’ sacrifice. He doesn't want us to fail anymore than we do. He is always with us and speaking to us, but we need to be open to hear Him. 

I have also included this list as a downloadable PDF (see below) that includes more verses if you wish to print it to keep nearby. You may want to add Scriptures of your own.

Don’t give up on whatever your plans are for this year. Change your thinking about goals and resolutions to achieve better success. (click to share on X)

Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DKZrPFNfQY1KIWDze2eQafvaLX7jG3UV/view?usp=sharing

Here is my article from Crosswalk.com that gives 6 ways to remain consistent in achieving our goals.

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/ways-to-remain-consistent-in-achieving-goals.html

Image by Siegfried Poepperl from Pixabay