In the world of business, or in medicine or in simple successful living, there is no greater predictor of future success or failure than the answer to the following question: What are your goals ?
Why are your goals so important ? Do they really make that much difference ? Isn’t it just as good to cross each bridge as we come to it and try to do our best as each new situation arises ? These are honest and good questions and they need to be answered.
Let’s look at it this way. Life is a series of decisions. Every day contains hundreds, perhaps thousands, of these decisions or choices. We have to decide what time we are going to get up, what to wear, when to leave the house, which route to take, what to do first on the job or in the home, what things to let slide and what things we make sure to get done. What controls these multitudes of decisions ? Our goals do. Our goals tell, us where we want to go. And the decisions that we make are the MEANS of leading us toward that destination. There may be several ways to get us to our destination, just as there are several routes to take in getting from Boston to Seattle, but the decisions along the way are all made with a clear-cut understanding of just where we want to go. There may be detours, stop signs, red lights and even breakdowns along the route, but steady progress can be made if the target is clearly in mind.
In the journey of life it is no less imperative to have clear thinking with regard to our goals. What is the real purpose of life ? What will really count in the long run ? What will link together and harmonize my emotional, mental, physical and spiritual needs ? The Apostle Paul had his answer. In Philippians 3:13-14 he writes: ” . . . forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Note here that Paul’s goal was the special call of God. That was first. That goal generated tremendous power in the Apostle. It gave him a zest for living and a deep peace and joy. It controlled his decisions and dictated his choices.
You, too, can clear up fuzzy thinking and aimlessness. Start today by writing down your goals. Ask God to help you to make these goals beautiful and noble and for His glory and you will find life taking on new zest and enthusiasm.
Take out your Bible right now and read Philippians chapter 3.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One