How To Get And Stay On Track In 2024
Well, here we are again; another year has whizzed past. How was your 2023?
For some, it was a sad year marked by the passing of a loved one, losing a job, serious health problems, or broken relationships. Others look at the past year with pleasant memories of good times, accomplished goals, and new relationships. No matter how you look at it, the start of a new year is an opportunity to move forward with your life.
Whether you are considering some resolutions or looking forward to new milestones, I suggest the following evaluation process to help you stay on the right track. None of us want to get to this time next year with regret because we forfeited character, purpose, or priorities.
You can do this exercise on one page, and you can return to it regularly throughout the year to see if you are staying in the lane you desire.
Consider your trajectory a five-step process that can be viewed in concentric circles, that is, circles inside of circles.
Each circle feeds into the next bigger one while staying on point with the smaller circles. For instance, your mission feeds your vision, which feeds your values, and so on.
The center circle defines who you are and why you are here. It is your life mission. Your mission is the “why” of your existence. It is not complicated and hard to understand, but a simple statement of why you think God has you on this planet. The mission is what keeps you centered. Mission tends to be somewhat philosophical. For instance, someone might write, “I want to be the best Christian husband, father, child, friend, and employee I can be.” The key word in this mission statement is “Christian.” This person believes everything in their life revolves around their relationship with God.
Your mission may morph and develop over time, so doing a mission check-up at least once a year is helpful.
Out of your mission flows vision. Vision is a mental picture of a preferred image of your life. Vision is the “what” of your existence. Your vision is more specific and practical than your mission. What is the mental picture you possess of yourself six months from now? A couple of years ago, I developed a picture of myself something like this: I am a seasoned person who wants to share the wisdom I have gained through personal relationships and writing. That picture of myself guides my trajectory. Vision is important because it is difficult to pursue something if you don’t know what that something is. Most of us possess multiple visions of ourselves pertaining to different areas of our lives.
The next circle is your values. Values are the GPS to guide you to your mission and vision properly. Everyone has values, but sometimes we don’t define them well, so it is good to write them down. For instance, someone might define their values as relationships/family, faithfulness, persistence, consistency, and high moral and ethical standards. When we transgress our values, it usually makes us miserable. For instance, someone might conduct themselves with integrity at work but allow their career drive to take precedence over relationships. The practice of our values must stay balanced, or we will get off course. I’ve sat across the desk from numerous miserable people who got that way because they were not living consistently with their values.
Next, set lifestyle priorities. Our practical priorities remind us of what is most important as we live out our mission, vision, and values. For me, this circle looks something like giving attention to family and friends, sharing God’s love, having fun, and having personal “God time.” It also means writing daily. If you spend an excessive amount of time doing things that are not on your priority list, you can end up feeling empty.
Ultimately, these circles are lived through our daily activities or practices. For me, this means staying in contact with my daughters and friends and making myself available to them. It also means developing relationships with friends who have not found their way to God. God time means I spend time with God through Bible reading and study, journaling, prayer, and meditation.
All of us participate in too many practices to list in this circle. Still, we can identify those that are most important to implement our priorities, values, vision, and, ultimately, mission.
Doing this exercise and referring to it when needed will help keep you on track. Then, at the end of each year, you will have a visual tool to evaluate how you are doing and what you want to do better.
As you complete this process, understand that the lines between circles are not solid; they meld into one another. Sometimes, a value and a priority might be similar or even the same. That is okay. Don’t trip over what is in what category, but focus on the bigger picture of drawing a GPS to guide you. At the same time, you will give yourself an evaluation tool that can help you see where you are getting off course.
I pray you find and live out your mission and vision in 2024 and discover peace, joy, and fulfillment. Happy New Year!
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
