To Reach Your Goals This Year, You Absolutely Need This One Thing

01 Jan 2016

This week, I had a chance to review how well I reached my goals by participating in a 2015 Year in Review series with fellow bloggers on Periscope. Although I had been reflecting on my wins and lessons from the past year, I hadn’t taken the time to write them down until I decided to publicly take this walk down memory lane. When I looked at my most important lessons (you can watch the broadcast below), I realized that the one thing which was lacking the most in order for me to reach some of my key goals was: CLARITY. Clarity is the #1 thing you need in order to reach any goal.

Think about it: if you set a goal to start your business, but you have no clarity around what problem your business is going to solve for others, you’re going to swim in circles–for a while. Because without clarity, you can’t see the target you’re trying to hit. Without clarity, you’ll jump at every opportunity; they all look good when you’re not clear on how they fit into your bigger purpose. Without clarity, you’ll just do stuff without any real strategy or reasoning behind what your actions.

Here are four reasons you should spend more time gaining clarity around your goals before you even begin pursuing them:

1. I once heard wealth-building expert, Venus Opal Reese say these words: “Money is attracted to clarity and speed.” That. Is. Powerful. Take a moment to sit with that sentence and understand what it means for you, your life and your business. Think of yourself as a powerful magnet. If you have a bunch of dirt, rust and debris covering you all up, you won’t attract anything but more of what you already have on you. However, once you begin to understand this powerful principle, you’ll do whatever you need to do to clean up your mind, your spirit and your space (physical and virtual) so that the blessings which are seeking you can actually find you since they will no longer have a bunch of junk to cut through.

2. Clarity helps you focus your efforts. I’ve known individuals (and have been guilty of this myself) who try everything and anything just because it looks good and seems to work for everyone else. But how are those actions aligned with your purpose and goals? How clear are you that all of your efforts are going to yield results just because everyone else seems to be getting them? If you haven’t already, take the time to gain clarity about what God needs you to do so that your energy and efforts are all directed in the right place. Then, and only then, will you be able to reach your goals successfully.

3. Clarity helps you focus your budget. This is huge when it comes to business. Whenever I do brand consulting with businesses, I ask a series of questions about the client’s target audience, goals, objectives and desired outcomes before I ever begin working on the brand strategy. This helps me gain clarity about the best use of the client’s budget to help them get the best return on their investment. This concept is true whether it’s in your business our in your personal budget. Get clear on your objectives and the outcome you want so that you can put your money where your mind is.

4. Clarity helps you focus your priorities. Most of us, in some way or another, have to figure out how to juggle a number of different things on our plates. The danger comes in trying to give everything in our lives the same room on that plate. I have to admit that my priorities haven’t always been in the right place when it comes to family because, as an entrepreneur, it’s so easy to lose sight of your “why” for starting your business. More often than not, it’s because you want to provide for your family in a way that feeds your soul and your bank account. Once you get clear on your priorities, it makes it easier to focus your time, money and energy in the right ways and set goals with soul. As the Bible says, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be yours.” Put first things first (faith, family, friends, purpose) and God will do exactly what He told you He would do.

5. Clarity makes faith easy. When you doubt yourself and what you’re capable of, it’s usually because you haven’t taken the time to get clear on your “why.” That “why” means everything when it comes to accomplishing anything. That “why” has been there since before you were born. That “why” is God’s promise to you that He’s got your back if you’re willing to be obedient and take that leap. Once you get really clear on your “why”, something really powerful happens. Your belief and your passion fuel your faith and get you to deeply understand: You really can do all things through Christ. He gave you your “why.” It only makes sense that He would help you see it through.

I have spent the past week in prayer and meditation, gaining incredible clarity around what my focus and my efforts need to be on in 2016. I’ve also reflected on what didn’t work last year. As you’ll see in my “Year in Review” broadcast, I accomplished quite a bit in 2015 in reached many of my goals. I hadn’t realized it until I wrote it all down. But you better believe, 2016—with my newfound clarity—is going to be even more amazing, abundant and intentional. And I wish you the same!

 

What is your biggest goal for 2016 and how will clarity help you reach it?

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