Tag Archive for: goals

The Road to 200…

“Can it be done?” asked the missionary.
“That’s a stretch” was the reply.
Nevertheless, the goal was set.

Finding

Every week, finding new people with which to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is a challenge.

Missionary work is finding people, teaching them and helping them to come unto Christ.

Since 2017 in Belgium and the Netherlands non-religious people have been in the majority.

Indeed, recent censuses show that those following no religious belief is increasing.

Its tough out there!
And yet we try.
Our previous best, 10% shy of the new goal, was achieved with a seasoned group of experienced missionaries.
Things change, our mission is now made up of youthful inexperience, yet aflame with a fire of faith.

Impossible?

The scriptures are replete with examples where the Lord employs the unlikely to achieve the impossible.
Could it happen again?
“And he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” – Luke 18:27
Faith is a principle of action and power.
I know that struggles yield learning and growth.

Momentum

And so, with obedience, prayer, inner belief and frankly, a lot of effort, the missionaries went to work, with all their heart, might, mind and strength.
Momentum started to build.
Hour by hour, day by day, miracles happened.
One by one, clutching a Book of Mormon, missionaries spoke with everyone they met.
Here’s just one example.
By mid-week, I received a message from Kate, Emily, Anna and Grace.
They’d been working their socks off all day in Amsterdam and online.
The result, that day, they found 32 people themselves.
By Friday afternoon the mission goal was done.
By this morning, it was completely smashed.
A remarkable week! How could that happen?
President Russell M. Nelson taught that as we increase our faith in Jesus Christ, focus on eternity and build our strength and courage in Him, miracles happen as we acknowledge the Hand of the Lord.
And they did!
How have you seen the hand of the Lord in your life?

To a Mouse

When missionaries stay at the mission home, I love to share something of my Scottish heritage with them.
I introduced our national bard (poet) Robert Burns, to our last visitors and read his classic poem “To a Mouse.”
In it, he shares his remorse at destroying the nest of a tiny field mouse with his plough, whilst considering the futility of planning for a hopeful future in the face of unforeseen consequences.
And so, off I went…“Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie…”
Their bewildered and perplexed faces were a delight to behold, as they struggled to understand a single word!
Today, I want to focus on one line of the poem; “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men/Gang aft a-gley.”
In other words, no matter how well we prepare, our plans can often go astray, unfolding in unexpected ways.
Remember the familiar phrase “Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans”.
Just like the tiny mouse, all of us are subject to unforeseen events and must adapt accordingly.
By doing the best we can, we have to prepare even for what we are unprepared for.
Goal setting and planning are an essential part of everyday missionary life.
“He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the busiest life.” – Victor Hugo
When we plan our days to fill a purpose, rather than just fill them to keep busy, we become more productive, especially when we adapt to the unexpected.
Plan to expect the unexpected.
Life’s lessons often come unexpectedly!
M. Russell Ballard said “A goal is a destination or an end, while a plan is the route by which you get there…. Goal setting is essentially beginning with the end in mind. And planning is devising a way to get to that end.”
Remember the old cliché, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”.
Many essays have been written on “To a Mouse”.
However, like the “wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie…,” I suggest it’s always best to prepare for the here and now.
As you plan today, what do you want to make happen?

Time is Life

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞.

It is irreversible and irreplaceable.

This year has been very different from others gone by.

For the last 10 years, I’d coach circa 15 people one on one, and have around 100 – 200, sixty-to-ninety-minute coaching conversations a year, in amongst my many other professional activities.

This year, I’ve coached circa 150 people one on one, and have had around 1000 – 1200, twenty-to-forty-minute coaching conversations, in amongst my many other missionary activities.

It’s been a little busier, very different, more intensive and a little more tiring too!

However, I absolutely love it!

In amongst all of those coaching conversations, there have been many incredible discoveries made.
Amongst the many coaching techniques, I frequently use, is a very simple one, it’s akin to judo.

The word judo consists of two Japanese characters, ju, which means “gentle”, and do, which means “the way”.

Judo, therefore, literally means the gentle way.

I did say it was simple!

This is the model.

• Invite them to share their story
• Ask questions, to create curiosity and to explore their journey.
• Share a personal story as an alternative view.
• Review – what can I do better?

As you review 2022 and reflect upon all that has gone by, perhaps you can ask yourself this question too…

“What could I have done better?”

Let’s huddle!

𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐭?
Before every basketball game at High School, I recall our team would huddle together on the court, share some motivational words together, plan some tactics, culminating in a united shout of “let’s go!”
Years later, whilst studying at University, I worked part time at the local Asda superstore, and as soon as you started the morning shift, it was time to stand together for 15 minutes for our daily huddle.
Now, in the mission field, they are still part of my routine with a virtual weekly online huddle.
Huddles are all about gathering people together, sharing key information and aligning everyone for the game, the day, or the week ahead by considering what we want to achieve.
The goal of any huddle is always short term.
Any information shared is about making everyone more successful and productive, by focussing on any accomplishments, identifying top priorities, and sharing updates.
There is usually some feedback provided too.
And it is always important to leave time for questions and to ask for input from all participants.
Huddles are quick, they improve communication, people feel more connected and very quickly everyone understands what is expected of them.
It keeps everyone in the loop, while understanding what everyone else is doing too.
My experience of successful huddles suggests that they need to be short, regular, upbeat, engaging and remember to have a bit of fun too!
Have you huddled recently?

Finishers Wanted

Recently I was asked; “How do I improve my self-discipline?”

It requires time and effort on your part.

It also requires the development of daily habits by reminding yourself often why you need this ability and how it will help you achieve your goals in life.

Remember the little poem…

Finishers wanted.

Stick to your task, till it sticks to you;

Beginners are many, but enders few.

Honour, power, place and praise will come, in time, to the one who stays.

Stick to your task, till it sticks to you;

Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it, too;

For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile

Will come life’s victories after a while.  (Anonymous)

Focus and self-discipline are the foundations for producing truly amazing results and performance.

Plato said: “The first and best victory is to conquer self; to be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile.”

Consider these ideas…

  • Set clear goals.
  • Start small.
  • Learn how to say no.
  • Know where you will struggle and where you succeed.
  • Find a way to monitor your progress – create a to do list.
  • Encourage yourself to stick to your plan, a partner can help too!
  • Get rid of your distractions.
  • Forgive yourself when you fail – begin again!
  • Keep a journal.
  • Practice, repeat, practice, repeat.

The path may be tough, but the results are amazing.

The pain you feel today, will be the strength you feel tomorrow.

It starts with you – begin now!

Why do you think self-discipline is important to your progress and happiness?

Marathons and Missions – the same, but different

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞: it’s long, there’s often discomfort, it requires perseverance, your mindset makes all the difference and the rewards for endurance are simply wonderful!
Mission life requires a lot of self-discipline as you constantly work towards future goals.
I am learning that a huge part of taking part in any marathon, just like mission life, is all about looking after your wellbeing – physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally – all of which effect your ability to succeed in the mission.
I have also learned that the best marathon runners have a structured daily plan and routine. Sticking to the structure provides a roadmap through the months of service and allows for more balance to focus on what’s truly important and matters most of all.
I have learned too that pushing too hard can impact your immune system and leave you a little weakened and shaken. Maintaining a balance is critical.
In marathons, and in life, sometimes you make great progress, and sometimes your progress is slowed to a crawl, setbacks are inevitable.
Running a marathon takes a long time, and yet time in the mission field fly’s by incredibly fast.
Participating in a marathon is exhausting – enough said!
One of my biggest lessons thus far – Small steps work more effectively over the long run.
7 months ago, I wrote a short article that mission life is a marathon, not a sprint. Now I know that for a fact, but I love every minute of it! 🙂

Growth Rings

Every human being is also a human 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈.
A careful study of the growth rings of a tree, always tell an interesting story.
Look carefully, it requires some close inspection.
Discovering whether any particular year provided a favourable or unfavourable period of growth, is easy to identify.
Some years, there is quite a bit of new wood added.
In other years when growth was unfavourable, only a small fraction of that amount was added.
Similarly – stop for a moment, reflect back and consider how your own life, is like the history of a tree.
There may have been years of great spurts of new growth where favourable conditions allowed you to flourish and develop.
In other years, unfavourable conditions, and experiences, may have reduced the amount of development and growth.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating if we could see our personal growth records as we are making them in our own lives, just like trees do?!
If we could see that record, perhaps we’d be much more motivated in our daily choices and decision making to make our growing conditions more favourable year on year, thus producing a fair amount of new wood.
I may be prone to say, “Yep, 1983 I was at my best” or “1992 was a challenging year.”
How can we keep our lives under better control?
For me, keeping a regular journal, maintaining regular study habits & routines, plus setting stretching goals, really helps to maintain a growth trajectory.
As a human 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈, what do your yearly growth rings look like?

Measuring Progress

How do you measure your progress?
….It’s just gone 6.50am and I am doing good!
One of my favourite Christmas presents is my water bottle.
It allows me to measure the amount of water I drink, by the hour, throughout the entire day.
No more counting glasses for me…
With this I can see the progress I am making to achieve my daily 2 litre goal.
I love it!!
It is a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Targeted) way of setting a daily goal.
The first step to measure progress is to set a goal…
There is however little point in setting a goal if you will never know whether you were successful or not.
To determine the level of success, you must be able to measure your progress.
When you measure your progress, you see exactly how you are getting along, which in turn can act as a great motivator for you to stick with something.
In my experience, the fact that you are making progress will give you the drive and energy to stick with the goal.
How do you measure your progress with your personal goals?

Goals – do we need a bigger truck?

Another year, and goal setting is back on everyone’s mind again – so are goals really important?
I’ve been setting goals since I was 12 years old – I’m a believer!
Goals are all about organising and planning.
Dallin H. Oaks captures the whole essence of goals setting in this little story….
“Two men formed a partnership. They built a small shed beside a busy road. They obtained a truck and drove it to a farmer’s field, where they purchased a truckload of melons for a dollar a melon.
Then they drove the loaded truck to their shed by the road, where they sold their melons for a dollar a melon. They drove back to the farmer’s field and bought another truckload of melons for a dollar a melon.
Transporting them to the roadside, they again sold them for a dollar a melon. As they drove back toward the farmer’s field to get another load, one partner said to the other, “We’re not making much money on this business, are we?” “No, we’re not,” his partner replied. “Do you think we need a bigger truck?”
“We don’t need a bigger truckload of information, either,” Elder Oaks said. “Our biggest need is a clearer focus on how we should value and use what we already have.”
Goals help us to do that. Goals stretch us and focus our minds on what is really necessary.
My advice – set a few significant specific goals and then concentrate on reaching them. They will help you to grow, develop and succeed.
What is your learning takeaway from the story?

Extremes

For those old enough, you will remember the summer of 1976, it was an absolute scorcher. Record high temperatures and a long period of drought. 😎
All year long our family wouldn’t travel far at all. But with dad being a train driver and free tickets, most summers we went as far away as possible. 1976 was one of those long train journey’s, all the way down to Cornwall and basically, that’s as far as you can go. Holidays together were a priority.
With the record temperatures and glorious sunshine, I have lots of fond memories of being on the beach that summer. I remember getting up to a lot of mischief, but most of all my feet being scorched on the hot sand! 😕
Only a few weeks later in typical UK fashion, the heaven’s opened and the country was hit by massive storms and floods which dominated the remainder of the year. It seemed as if mother nature was re-balancing.
𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 – Life seems full of them.
Dry/Wet
Hot/Cold
Black/White
Feast/Famine
Doubt/Certainty
Freedom/Subjection
Happiness/Sadness
Like the hot dry summer, then wet autumn of 76, in life we must often chart a course between the two of them.
Finding a balance in life is a matter of setting the right priorities and establishing goals to provide direction.
How do you maintain balance in your life?