Why I Still Write Goal Lists

4 Reasons I make Goal Lists and I think you should too!

Every year in December I start making a list of things that I want to “accomplish” for the next year. I use quotation marks because I’ve learned that I rarely ever do them all. Instead these are ways that I’m focusing on activities or development for the next year. I’ve been doing it at least a decade, probably more. Here is what I’ve learned:

1. Goal lists let me express my calling

I use lists to express things I think I should be striving toward each quarter that would be a measurable way to advance in areas that God has called me toward. I have goals about time with family. I have goals about reading on certain topics. I have discipleship goals, etc. I also make sure that they are attached to something measurable (think S.M.A.R.T. goals). So for my family, it’s something special with each kid individually every quarter. Family night once or (preferably) twice a week. 2-3 professional/ministry meals each week. You get the picture.

2. Goal lists keep me focused

I use these goals as a weekly and monthly check-in to see if I’m focusing my time and energy where I really want to. For example: I’ve got a time-specific goal for a 5k race in February that also includes a body weight goal. I’m not going to be (all that) upset if I don’t achieve them exactly, so long as I’m making good progress on that front. I’m able to say no to things that I’m not trying to do. I was asked to speak at an event for a school that none of my kids attend. I said no very quickly because I didn’t want to spend that time and energy on something that I don’t feel called to do.

3. Goal lists help me see God at work

The past two years I have listed things that I truly felt like I had no idea how it would work out. I felt like God gave me the prompting to try it. It took a step of faith for me to write it down because I knew I might be trying to figure it out the whole year. One year it was to start Regeneration Ministry (It was started by mid-April). One year it was to publish something (the email request for a small project came within weeks). The act of writing down a goal that I feel unable to complete but called to do stretches my faith. It’s been a great exercise the past few years!

4. Goal lists help me define success

While writing this list I realized that I have never put a new car or bank account dollar amount on my lists. I wouldn’t say that those things define success for me. Maybe for you it would define success - that can be OK (getting out of debt is a good thing). For me, I like to have a direction that I’m aimed at through the use of a goal list for the year. I always remember the old adage a pastor taught me: If you aim at nothing you hit it every time. I want to be aimed at something. I want to aim at where God has called me. It rarely (never?) works out the way I had planned, but using a list of goals to aim at has really helped me when I get to the end of the year and think - what did I really do this year? After all, I’m about half-way done with my time on earth. It also helps me when I fall into a comparison trap and I’m tempted to think things about myself that God doesn’t say in scripture. I can just refer to my goal list. This is what God has pointed me at this year. Aim I running toward him in these ways? Then I’m successful in the way God made me.

In 2025 I’m planning to start a twice per month (call it fortnightly?) podcast series on Disciple Making. I’ll be interviewing disciple makers from various backgrounds and asking them all a series of questions. The podcast is already in production, but it won’t launch until I hit 200 subscribers. If you are interested in helping me hit 200 subscribers, then please share my work!