Setting Goals

Setting Goals
School of Missions 2011

South Carolina Conference
2011 Global Outreach Goal
$500,000
Malachi 3:10b
"Test me in this and see if I don't
open up heaven itself to you and
pour out blessings beyond your
wildest dreams"

What Is A Goal?
The end toward which effort is directed.
1. The result or achievement toward which
effort is directed; aim; end.
2. The terminal point in a race.
3. A pole, line, or other marker by which such
a point is indicated.

Synonyms
Target
Intent
Purpose
Intention
Objective
Finish
Object

Three Key Elements Of A Goal
1. An accomplishment to be
achieved;
2. A measurable outcome;
3. A specific date and time by which
to accomplish the goal.

Why Is Goal Setting So Important?
• Goals establish direction for you and
others in your organization. If you never
set a goal, how will you know where you
are going?
• Goals identify intended results. If no
goal exists, how do you measure your
progress?

Why Is Goal Setting So Important?
• Goals challenge you to grow. If you never
set a goal, how do you move out of your
comfort zone?
• Goal setting builds confidence and reduces
stress. Frustration is lowered when
vagueness and doubt are replaced by focus
and concentration.
• Goal setting forces you to be specific.

Vision
• The act or power of imagination. (1) mode
of seeing or conceiving. (2) unusual
discernment or foresight, "a man of vision".
• Vision is a clear mental portrait of a
preferable future, communicated by God to
his chosen servant-leaders, based upon
an accurate understanding of God, self
and circumstances.

Vision
A vision is a mental picture of what
you want to create or achieve – and
it’s the single-most important thing
to have before you do any goal
planning. How can you plan
effectively without knowing what you
envision for yourself and others?

Vision
• Once you’ve zeroed-in on the image, DON’T
keep it to yourself. For your vision to be
translated into action, it must be shared with
the people who will be impacted by it – and
with those whose help you’ll need in making it
happen.
• A goal is created three times. First, as a
mental picture. Second, when written down to
add clarity and dimension. And third, when
you take action towards its achievement.

Sayings About Goals
• Unless you have definite, precise, clearly
set goals, you are not going to realize the
maximum potential that lies within you - Zig
Zigler
• One way to keep momentum going is to
have constantly greater goals - Michael
Korda
• Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability
or brains or even courage but simply
because they have never organized their
energies around a goal - Elbert Hubbard

Sayings About Goals
• Big goals get big results. No goals get no
results or somebody else's results - Mark
Victor
• Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your
soul. Dream deep, for every dream
precedes the goal - Pamela Vaull Starr
• Have the dogged determination to follow
through to achieve your goal; regardless of
circumstances or whatever other people
say, think, or do - Paul Meyer

Sayings About Goals
• "Success in any endeavor does not
happen by accident. Rather, it’s the
result of deliberate decisions, conscious
effort, and immense persistence – all
directed at specific GOALS.” Gary Ryan
Blair
• Goals determine what you will (or will not)
do and become – in business and in life.

Sayings About Goals
Everything you do, every
decision you make, and every
thought you entertain has a
direction, which serves as an
advance or retreat in the pursuit
of your goals. Gary Ryan Blair

Questions To Be Answered
1. WHAT is the goal? What specifically do I want to
accomplish?
2. WHY do I want to achieve this goal?
3. WHEN do I need to (expect to) achieve this goal?
4. WHERE am I now in relation to this goal?
5. WHO will be involved in helping me achieve this goal?
6. HOW will I accomplish this goal?

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Specific - A specific goal has a
much greater chance of being
accomplished than a general goal.
To set a specific goal you must
answer the six "W" questions:

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Who: Who is involved?
What: What do I want to accomplish?
Where: Identify a location.
When: Establish a time frame.
Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of
accomplishing the goal.
EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, "Get in shape."
But a specific goal would say, "Join a health club and
workout 3 days a week."

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for
measuring progress toward the attainment of
each goal you set. When you measure your
progress, you stay on track, reach your target
dates, and experience the exhilaration of
achievement that spurs you on to continued
effort required to reach your goal.
To determine if your goal is measurable, ask
questions such as......How much? How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Attainable - When you identify goals
that are most important to you, you
begin to figure out ways you can make
them come true. You develop the
attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial
capacity to reach them. You begin
seeing previously overlooked
opportunities to bring yourself closer to
the achievement of your goals.

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
You can attain most any goal you set when you
plan your steps wisely and establish a time
frame that allows you to carry out those steps.
Goals that may have seemed far away and out
of reach eventually move closer and become
attainable, not because your goals shrink, but
because you grow and expand to match them.
When you list your goals you build your selfimage.
You see yourself as worthy of these
goals, and develop the traits and personality
that allow you to possess them.

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Realistic - To be realistic, a goal must
represent an objective toward which you are
both willing and able to work. A goal can be
both high and realistic; you are the only one
who can decide just how high your goal should
be. But be sure that every goal represents
substantial progress. A high goal is frequently
easier to reach than a low one because a low
goal exerts low motivational force. Some of the
hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually
seem easy simply because they were a labor of
love.

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Your goal is probably realistic if you
truly believe that it can be
accomplished. Additional ways to
know if your goal is realistic is to
determine if you have accomplished
anything similar in the past or ask
yourself what conditions would have
to exist to accomplish this goal.

S.M.A.R.T. GOALS
Timely - A goal should be grounded
within a time frame. With no time frame
tied to it there's no sense of urgency. If
you want to lose 10 lbs, when do you
want to lose it by? "Someday" won't
work. But if you anchor it within a
timeframe, "by December 15", then
you've set your unconscious mind into
motion to begin working on the goal.

Nehemiah
Step One for Achieving Goals: Planning
He Saw The Need
1:2-4 - "(2) Hanani one of my brethren came
with men from Judah; and I asked them
concerning the Jews who had escaped, who
had survived the captivity, and concerning
Jerusalem. (3) And they said to me [The
need is going to be presented]

Nehemiah
'The survivors who are left from the captivity
in the province are there in great distress
and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also
broken down, and its gates are burned with
fire.' (4) so it was, when I heard these words,
[Nehemiah caught it] that I sat down and
wept, and mourned for many days."
To set goals for World Missions you first
have to see the need.

Nehemiah
He Prayed
Nehemiah's mission was based upon God's
promises in His revealed Word, and faith
that God was with him.
We are not just trying to come up with
random goals but goals that we have prayed
about; goals that are inspired by the Holy
Spirit.

Nehemiah
The Vision
He could visualize the restored walls of
Jerusalem.
Setting Goals and Mission
Nehemiah had a clear mission with specific
steps tacked to a definite target date.

Nehemiah
2:6 {The Message} - "The king, with the
queen sitting alongside him, said, 'How
long will your work take and when would
you expect to return?' I gave him a time,
and the king gave his approval to send
me."
Plotting Steps To Achieving Goals

Nehemiah
Step Two for Achieving Goals: Organization
Organization is securing the material,
manpower, methods, money, machinery
(and any other needed resources). It is
arranging and coordinating those bits and
pieces in such a fashion to reach the aims/
goals decided on in the planning phase.
Planning is "what to do," while organization
is, "how to do it."

Nehemiah
Step Three in Achieving Goals: Leading
2:17-18 – “17 Then I gave them my report:
"Face it: we're in a bad way here. Jerusalem is
a wreck; its gates are burned up. Come — let's
build the wall of Jerusalem and not live with this
disgrace any longer." 18 I told them how God
was supporting me and how the king was
backing me up. They said, ‘We're with you.
Let's get started.’ They rolled up their sleeves,
ready for the good work.”

Nehemiah
Nehemiah motivated by example. He
did not ask others to do what he
himself was unwilling to do. He wrote,
“So neither I, my brothers, my
servants, nor the men of the guard
who followed me, none of us removed
our clothes, each took his weapon
even to the water” (Nehemiah 4:23).

Nehemiah
Step Four in Achieving Goals: Controlling
Evaluation and controls were established
by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 4:7-13). One
must measure progress and performance.
Plans do not always go as hoped.
Consequently, leaders must be flexible
and able to adjust when necessary.

Nehemiah
Following the work, we are told, “So the
wall was completed on the twentyfifth
of the month Elul, in fifty-two
days” (Nehemiah 6:15). Observe his
careful and constant evaluation of
details, resources, progress, and
scheduling to see if his plan was
working. In achieving goals, one must
stay on course.

Closing Thoughts
• State goals as declarations of intention,
not items on a wish list. "I want to apply to
three schools" lacks power. "I will apply to
three schools" is powerful and intentional.
• Attach a date to each goal. State what
you intend to accomplish and when.
• Be specific. "To find a job" is too general;
"to find and research five job openings
before the end of the month" is better.

Closing Thoughts
Write down your goals and put them where
you will see them. The more often you read
your list, the more results you get. Writing
down your goals creates the roadmap to your
success. Although just the act of writing them
down can set the process in motion, it is also
extremely important to review your goals
frequently. Remember, the more focused you
are on your goals the more likely you are to
accomplish them.

Closing Thoughts
• Sometimes we realize we have to revise a goal as
circumstances and other goals change. If you
need to change a goal do not consider it a failure,
consider it a victory as you had the insight to
realize something was different.
• Make sure the goal you are working for is
something you really want, not just something that
sounds good.
• By all means, make sure your goal is high enough.

Closing Thoughts
Shoot for the moon, if you miss
you'll still be in the stars.

Closing Thoughts
• When attempting to achieve a goal that involves
others, be sure that everyone is singing from the
same sheet of music.
• The odds that you’ll succeed without taking
action are about the same as winning the lottery
without buying a ticket. A good plan will get you
in the door, but it’s ACTION that seals the deal.
• You simply can’t afford to wait for either perfect
conditions or the perfect plan.

Closing Thoughts
• Opportunities are easily missed by
holding off for the exact right
moment.
• Without deadlines, it’s far too easy
to let important goals become
nothing more than unfulfilled good
intentions.

Closing Thoughts
If there is any doubt or fear in
your voice, those around you
will sense it…and be more likely
to adopt the same negative,
self-defeating perspectives.