Here we are again. The start of the new year. Fresh starts and all that fun stuff. If you check my January posts for this blog over the years, you’ll see a consistent theme. Heck, maybe you should just go read this post or this one or this one from 2008.
I like this one from 2011 where I explain about the Christian concept of Ember Days. There, the point isn’t to burden oneself with massive goals that will often get dropped by mid-February, probably for the weight of it all as for anything else. Instead, the idea is think closer, nearer…what to accomplish or do in the next 3 months. In modern times, you can think about the time between now and Easter, which hits March 27. Of course, if there is a larger goal, that’s fine…but you want to be able to break that down into the more manageable parts.
So, for instance, let’s say your goal is to get a college degree. Super goal. But, unless you are in your very last semester, you can’t accomplish that this spring term. No, all you can do now is pass all of your current classes. But even that more manageable goal really has smaller parts. Think about each class as its own separate goal. Now, go smaller. You could easily create a list of goals or steps such as “attending each class” or “completing all of the reading assignments” or “being prepared for each class BEFORE class starts.”
Now, tie that into the Ember Days. You don’t want to think more about your goal when you get to the end of the term. Instead, you want to be checking in along the way. So, between now and Easter, you are thinking about accomplishing the little steps. At the end of the first week, did you do the things you set out to do? If so, rejoice and gear up for the next week. If not, then recommit yourself for the next week. If you fail two weeks in a row, you need to have a deep heart-to-heart with yourself about this goal…clearly it isn’t something you really want. As you get into February, keep checking yourself. My Easter, then you want to be able to celebrate your success of having completed the goals, the smaller steps, that you planned.
In the end, life is an ongoing journey. It can be a thrilling ride of accomplishments, big and small, that you complete. Or, it can be a numbing, pointless move through time in a daze with no focus. Don’t let it be the latter. As we look back on 2015 and then ahead to 2016, decide now to embrace the next quarter year with gusto aimed at clear goals.