Where Do You Want to Be in One Year?
By: Susan Deborah Schiller
"It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
We have come to our real work,
And when we no longer know which way to go,
We have begun our real journey."
– Wendell Berry
"Where do you want to be in one year?" asked my coach. Today I'm writing it down, and I hope you'll join me on this adventure if you haven't already put your own goals in writing!
In 2005 I co-partnered leading a business training class with Peter Stringham, who is now a Law of Attraction facilitator. He guided our group through writing goals for seven areas of our lives: family, work, spiritual, etc. Out of this groundwork we formulated our "Top 10 goals" for the coming year.
We wrote our "Top 10" in concise sentences that anchored our words to our future. We committed to writing our "Top 10" on paper (not computer) because the action of writing on paper is more powerful in our brains.
That was eight years ago, for me… and looking back, I've discovered that all of my goals have come to pass, not just once or twice, but every single time I've put my faith into action:
- I went from $320K in debt to currently being debt-free!
- My husband was miraculously healed of a spinal cord injury!
- I am now a writer, which has always been my passion!
- I am living in a land of mountains, rivers, and big skies… able to canoe, boat, fish, and hike!
I am grateful to God who showed me that "preparation" is the key to receiving blessings. Our belief is what brings us to God to ask for what we need, but faith without action is a dead faith! For example, to get out of debt, I joined a coaching program called "War on Debt" by Dani Johnson and I applied her teaching to my life.
Too many people stop short of taking action, once they have prayed for what they need or want. Too many people feel they are unworthy to even ask for big things!
“I forgive myself for having believed for so long that I was never good enough to have, get, be what I wanted.” – Ceanne DeRohan
This is a great place to begin… to know that God wants you to be happy! He wants you to be successful because it makes Him happy too!
What do you really want in your life? Forget about money. Forget about fear. Forget about anything that makes your dream seem impossible. We serve a BIG GOD who wants His Glory to fill the whole earth. When you're happy doing what you're passionate about it glorifies Him and it makes you SHINE! So go ahead… dream big!
Write it down. Let it be messy, not perfect. Taking action is what counts!
Your written goals, like your prayers, are the blueprint of your life. Whatever you speak (or write) is what you get. You are creating your world, one word at a time.
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What happens if you DON'T write down your goals? You live by "default".
A lifestyle by default results from sub-conscious negative "I AM" statements that were programmed in your mind from infancy… "I'm no good." or "I can't do that." or "I don't have enough time." or "I don't have the money for that." or "I always get the short end of the stick." Studies show that the majority of us have negative thoughts 80% of the day!
Could that be why our prayers sometimes go unanswered, or are delayed?
Christians sometimes call it "waiting on God" when they pray and nothing happens. As I was praying one day, I sensed God's tender voice reminding me, "Little One, you're waiting for me and the answer is slow in coming because I'm waiting for you!"
I had faith but no resulting action to support my faith!
We get in our own way so many times! God speaks when we can quiet our own souls, silencing our own head chatter. One day I heard Papa God say:
I want to be your hero. Apart from Me you can do nothing. I must be your highest desire, your highest aspiration. Dare to dream big dreams. Partner with Me – Let Me be your strength and power day to day. Press in. I have highly favored you. You have an appointment with Destiny. Breakthrough. Have no fear. I will rescue you, Little One.
So this year, I'm charting a new course for my life. It means writing down new goals as I quiet my soul and listen to God's whispers.
There is science, as well, that supports writing down our goals.
Research … shows that people who wrote down their goals, shared this information with a friend, and sent weekly updates to that friend were on average 33% more successful in accomplishing their stated goals than those who merely formulated goals.
At the end of every day, take time to celebrate the sprouts that are beginning to spring up from the soil you've planted those words into. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant your "small step" toward your goal may appear, take time to fertilize that sprout by recognizing it and thanking God for it. You took action – you were a success today!
You're creating your world!
Hey, I'm going to be accountable to you today… I'm going to write my own goals down in the comment box below. I encourage you to join me by sharing 1-2 (or more) of your goals with me today!
My Full Story What I Believe Contact Me
With all my love,
Sue
Copyright © 2010 to 2015 Team Family Online, All rights reserved. For reprint permission or for any private or commercial use, in any form of media, please contact Susan Schiller.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I re-read this and realized it was written over a year ago. So I think I may do a 20-20 hindsight list dated June 18, 2014. And if that pans out…. I will shoot for June 18, 2016.
thanks for inspiring across time! Someday we will meet again. I must see Montana! And you need to see Texas with me a tour guide.
xo
A Texas – Montana road trip and tour, we must do this, Linda!
I look forward to seeing your goals!
I'm telling you Susan, you're hidden treasure! Not so hidden now though which is great. Keep shining!
Thanks, Trish – you are very kind!
Hey Sue – what an uplifting blog. 🙂 So many nuggets of truth – I particularly like 'We get in our own way', we so often feel we have to control everything instead of letting go and letting the good come to us.
Isn’t that true, Anne… thank God for grace because I’ve been in my own way so much of my life! Thank you for your kind words, Anne 🙂
Enjoyed your post very much Susan – I am on a similar path – and I am sure many people are also learning and growing and attracting what they want to attract into their lives. – There is definitely a shift into understanding the Law Of Attraction.
Hi Corinne,
It’s quite an adventure, isn’t it… life is beautiful and I’m glad we’re on the same path!
You have an inspiring blog Sue!
It's funny to think back and remember where we were a year ago and what our goals where then. I love setting goals and glad that previous ventures have been successful.
Please keep inspiring us, your readers.
Aidan
It is fun to look back, isn’t it… sometimes it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come along. It’s so important to celebrate the sprouts, even if they are just smallish…
Thanks so much for popping in today, Aidan – have a great day!
Another great article, Susan. I haven't managed to read every one of your posts, but intend to gradually do so. You clearly live a very fulfilling life, but you worked hard to get it. I like the fact that you read some books just for fun. We all need some fun in our lives!
Hi Sue,
Yes – I totally we agree we all need fun in our lives! In fact, it’s one of the hardest lessons I learned… just to simply have fun. To take care of ourselves is not selfish – it’s essential!
It’s kind of like learning new habits of style from you, Sue… adventures in mixing colors. So often, I take getting dressed for granted, as if it were only a chore. You’ve opened my eyes to the adventure of dressing myself… simply but gloriously. I’ve learned from you quite a lot!
Great post Susan. Love it. As I am a Newbie in Blogging and generally on the Internet
Below are just 3 important points where I am currently working on to make them a habit. To me it's easier to break it down in small bites.
1. Learn one new thing every day. (Skills, New Relationships,Mindsets)
2. Write and read every day for at least 60 Minutes.
3. Start something with the end in mind and commit 100%. (90 Day Challenge and 30 Day Challenge)
Great goals, Gertraud! I can just imagine where you will be in 90 days with consistency in these efforts – way beyond imagination, really. I love your focus and I’m so glad you shared!
I do enjoy your writing style Susan. Thank you for sharing your amazing journey x
Thank you, Sonia… I’m glad to meet you!
I begin my goal writing session with my personal identity statement:
I am a Heart Scribe, one who confronts darkness (false religion) with the Light of Truth in the form of sharing stories of survivors of spiritual abuse. In sharing these stories God is glorified in these witnesses. More and more victims are empowered to come out of the shadows and to believe in and pursue their dreams again. These stories have the transforming power to set many captives free. I believe, in my generation or the next, we will experience a world where "abused no more" is a living reality.
I AM creating my world by writing these Top 10 goals on paper every day and taking action to bring them into reality:
I am spending quality time with my family in various parts of the country once every quarter for a week or two at a time.
I am opening my inbox and it's full of orders flowing in effortlessly, creating a steady flow of income whether I'm at home or away.
I am 125 lean pounds, walking 2-3 miles a day.
I am writing 3000-5000 words a day with plenty of time to read. My first book is published and I'm blogging every other day.
I am living off of 50% of my income; investing, saving, and giving away the other half.
I am traveling to the Grand Canyon, Alaska, and other places I've yet to see.
I am happily married to a prince of a man who shares all of my interests and more. We are homesteading on rural property, gardening, baking homemade bread, eating healthy foods we raised with our own hands, canning, hiking, horseback riding, boating, and enjoy the simple things of life.
I am reading scores of testimonies of women who have been set free of abuse after reading my stories.
I am surrounded by an inner circle of friends who love me in my messes, support me in my endeavors, and who allow me do the same for them.
I am reading 2-3 books a week, half of them just for the fun of it.
It's 3 years later, and I am 125 pounds, walking 2-3 miles a day. I am surrounded by an inner circle of friends who love me in my messes, support me in my endeavors, and who allow me to do the same for them. I have scores of testimonies of women who are on the road to freedom after reading my story. I have enjoyed many travels and adventures in the past 2 years, including much travel to see my family.
What I've still yet to see: Being able to live off of 50% of my income. I'm blogging and have published over a million words, but my 1st book is not yet finished! I'm still working on it, though. I'm also still working on the passive income, monetizing my website.
Now, to begin my list for this year!
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