Reflect & Set Goals

The Importance of Goals

A bit of wisdom that comes back to me again and again is the idea that we often overestimate what we can accomplish in a day and underestimate what we can accomplish in a year. In other words, true change happens slower than we would like, but it does happen. We all change. We all evolve. That is inevitable. The bigger question is: What are we changing into? And are we being intentional about this change?

I live by to-do lists. Most days I sit down over a cup of coffee (the coffee is really important) and I jot down a quick to-do list for the day. There’s something about the act of putting down on paper (or computer screen) what I would like to accomplish that helps me to focus and then pursue my goals. It also gives me a sense of how little or how much I need to do and what is actually achievable. If I write down 15 things, that’s not going to happen (most days it’s more like 5). But I can still use the ridiculously long list to prioritize, and perhaps know what else needs to happen that week.

I’m meandering a bit, but here’s my point. As we’re heading into 2026, I want to encourage you to take stock of what you accomplished in 2025. How did you change? What was amazing? What was not so good? And then as you reflect, begin thinking about 2026, and set some goals. I think goals can give us specific aims and help us to navigate the change that we will inevitably experience in a healthy way.

Setting Goals for 2026

Personally, I like to think through the different areas of my life and set goals for each of them. How would I like to grow spiritually in 2026? How would I like to change physically towards a better health? What are the goals that I have for my family or my relational life? What are my financial goals? Etc.

And then as I think about these ideas, I try to make them SMART goals. S - Specific, M - Measurable, A - Achievable, R - Relevant, and T - Time Bound (Google this for more information). By setting SMART goals (and sometimes this is a bit difficult, admittedly), it helps me to be realistic about what I can actually accomplish. It also helps me to know when I have actually accomplished a goal.

I think you can do goals badly. I think you can be unrealistic. I think you can list so many goals that you inevitably feel like a failure. I’m not encouraging you to do that. Don’t beat up on yourself. What I am encouraging you to do is to prayerfully take stock of 2025, and then with the Holy Spirit’s help, intentionally pursue a healthy, productive 2026. That’s what I’ll be doing.

Proverbs 3:5-6
5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

- Ben