New Years is an exciting opportunity to start fresh and set
goals for yourself… but the reality is that old habits die hard.
We are almost done with the first month of 2015 and a lot of
us--me included--have started to slide back into our regular hustle and bustle.
Why should you set goals?
A study was conducted using the 1979 Harvard MBA class,
according to Forbes.com. Graduates were asked the following question: “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made
plans to accomplish them?” Only 3 percent had written down their goals, 13 percent had
goals but had not written them down and 84 percent had no clear goals at all.
10 years later, the graduates were interviewed again and the
researches were astonished with the findings.
The 13 percent who had goals were earning, on average, twice
as much as their classmates who didn't have any goals. And the 3 percent who
had written down their goals were earning 10 times as much as the rest of the
97 percent of the class.
This is an excellent example of how setting and writing
goals can determine your success.
Why should you make spiritual resolutions?
How are you going to progress spiritually if you don’t make
clear goals?
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin gave a great talk at the October
1998 General Conference titled “Cultivating Divine Attributes.”
“We often mark significant dates on our calendars, such as
holidays and birthdays. Dates that come around every year help us measure
progress in our lives. One annual event, New Year’s Day, is a time of
reflection and resolution.
Our baptism date,
which commemorates our spiritual rebirth, is an annual occasion worthy of
special note. We pause to recognize the date of our temple sealing as a special
anniversary because that ordinance binds us together forever with our most
cherished loved ones. Worthiness interviews, especially annual temple recommend
interviews, give us another opportunity to review our progress in fulfilling
the glorious stewardship our Father in Heaven has given each of us. Certainly
we must watch over and care for our own souls. On these occasions, we renew
covenants, affirm commitments, and establish eternal goals.”
If our purpose here on earth is to progress, then we can
measure that progression by attaining goals: baptism, temple endowment, temple
sealing. But there are other commandments to follow as well, including reading
the scriptures and praying daily. It can be hard to be consistent with these
small goals when your life is hard or busy. You don’t have to struggle with
your spiritual resolutions over and over again. Try these simple tips to help
increase your spirituality this year.
1. Find your focus
What do you want to work on this year? Make 1-4 goals that
you want to keep during 2015. Need some ideas? Read the Book of Mormon by the
end of the year. Read the Book of Mormon 3 times by the end of the year. Pray
sincerely twice a day. Be on time to church. Study the lesson for Sunday
School/Relief Society/Priesthood before Sunday. Have FHE regularly.
2. Write it down
Putting your goals in writing helps you remember them daily
and makes those goals seem real. It also helps you be successful in keeping your goals.
3. Make a 3-step plan
Now that you have your goals, how are you going to achieve
them? If you want to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year, how many
pages do you need to read per day? How are you going to remember your personal
prayers in the morning? What do you need to do to be on time to church? Write
out the steps you need to take to make the goal successful.
4. Use a calendar to keep yourself accountable
Sticker charts might seem too elementary for you, but it’s a
great way to stay on track. Print out a monthly calendar and mark each day you
complete your goal so you can track your progress month by month.
5. Celebrate your success
Set milestones you want to celebrate. A whole month of
reading the Book of Mormon every day? Reward yourself with a treat or new book
or a fun outing. If things get hard or you get busy and your head has already
hit the pillow for the evening, envision your reward to help motivate you to
keep your goal for that day.
Photo: LDS.org, Copyright Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Tracie Snowder is a journalist for KSL.com and mom of 2 girls. She received her broadcast journalism degree from BYU. She spent the first 18 years of her life in California, the next nine years in Utah and now calls College Station, Texas home while her husband attends A&M for grad school. She enjoys reading, writing, yoga, sports, music and loves the beach.
Tracie Snowder is a journalist for KSL.com and mom of 2 girls. She received her broadcast journalism degree from BYU. She spent the first 18 years of her life in California, the next nine years in Utah and now calls College Station, Texas home while her husband attends A&M for grad school. She enjoys reading, writing, yoga, sports, music and loves the beach.
