The only limitation is in your mind.

As a new year unfolds, everywhere around us there is talk about resolutions. How to better ourselves in some way. I would like to let you in on something that works better than a few New Year’s resolutions. It works and is a major part of professional sports, Fortune 500 companies and in the lives of any successful person. “Goal setting.” To perform at your best, no matter what you do, you must set goals. Your mind goes to work immediately on the goals you set so that you develop purpose and direction. The natural, God given, success mechanism in your brain strives to reach that goal.
God calls us in His word to set goals in many different areas. In 2 Corinthians 5:9, the apostle Paul tells us to set a goal to please God. In Phillipians 3:14, Paul also says “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:5 says “ The goal of this command is love” and 1 Peter 1:9 talks about the goal of our faith. God wants us to be the best in all areas of our life and setting goals is the first step.

Why don’t people set goals if God wants us to and it seems evident that we can be successful? First of all, we don’t know how to or we don’t see the importance. The encouragement of setting goals should start early in life. Secondly, some have a fear of rejection. There is always someone who tells us that wecan’t do this or we can’t be that, so we need to keep some of our goals confidential. Finally, many have a fear of failure, which is the greatest stumbling block to success. We may not realize it, but every single person in history failed at one time or another. It is impossible to succeed without failing. Thomas Edison failed over 5,000 times before he got his light bulb to work.

Here are some concepts of goals;

• Everyone is about average in everything, so aim to be excellent in something. Find your area of
excellence and concentrate on it. Find what you love to do and do it.

• Have a balance of goals in all areas of your life. Goals should be set in the physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual areas of your life. 

• Make your goals challenging, make them cause you to stretch.

• Write your goals down on a 3x5 card. Make your long and short term goals clear and in complete
detail.

• Describe how you will benefit from achieving your goals. Your intensity and belief will be greater
towards attaining that goal.

• Set a deadline. You need to have something measurable and specific.

• Identify obstacles to overcome. Large obstacles, when you write them down, seem much smaller.
These obstacles also take your mind off of your goal.

• Don’t aim for specific awards or honors, they are too vague. Instead, set your sights on the goals that
will enable you to achieve those awards. 
So what are you waiting for? Get to it. Write down the thing you desire and absolutely believe beyond
a shadow of doubt that you can obtain this goal. Goals have to be realistic and believable, so if you have
a problem with this look to God’s Word. Look in Luke 1:37, where it says “For nothing is impossible
with God.” Visualize yourself being and doing what it is you want to be or do and remember, “ What is
impossible with men is possible with God.” 
 

Bryan Wagner is a former NFL punter. He played on several teams during his career including the original
Cleveland Browns. Bryan currently works as a financial consultant, and lives in Northeast Ohio, with his wife Robin and their three children.