Day 1 of the New Year.  So you’ve spent all week writing down your goals. Or for some, you simply started thinking of what you want to do differently in 2018. You create a goal. You have a dream. A vision. So now you are on a mission.  What next?

I spoke of this earlier this month.   Visualize your goals, dreams, desires, visions. That’s the first step to realizing your goals and dreams.   To VISUALIZE. But what comes next?   How do you take the next step to beginning the journey on this new mission for this new year? I’ve created a list of the steps I take when setting a goal.  For many, the New Year brings Resolutions.  Hopes and desires of changes one wants to make.  I’ve listed a few steps to help you get to the next level.

1. Visualize your dreams, goals, desires, visions.  SEE IT!  Now that you See it…
2. Write it down if you haven’t by now.  I took my newly opened flowered notebook and listed my goals for 2018 on page one.  I did this during the last few days of 2017.  I want to see my list.  Write it and place it where you can SEE IT every day.  This acts as a motivational factor.  It pushes you to go after that goal or dream when you can see it.
3. Create a VISION BOARD.  I never once thought of a vision board as something useful in attaining my goals.  But I will never forget the very first one I created.  I finally, for the first time, saw what it would look like to see my book cover, my dreams and desires, God’s visions He placed in my heart.  The vision board I created encouraged me to keep pushing forward.  It hangs in my office in a nook perfect where I can see it from where I work.
4. Next you MUST…I can’t emphasize this enough…You Must BELIEVE it!  Believe in your goal, dream, vision, desire.  BELIEVE that God will equip you with what you will need to attain this goal.  But one more key factor here is to also BELIEVE in YOU.  Yourself.  It’s so important to keep believing in yourself, especially when it seems that this goal may never come to fruit.  Keep believing even when you face challenges.  This is your dream.  Your goal.  And only YOU can make it happen. 
5. Take ACTION!  Don’t just sit there staring at your vision board or list of goals you’ve perfectly written out.  GO FOR IT!  Take Action.  Create a PLAN OF ACTION.  Sometimes taking action is making a list and asking yourself, “What do I need to do to make this happen?”  “What will it take?” Once you create a plan of ACTION, you can begin by putting ACTION INTO MOTION.  Just think for a moment with me.  You can’t bake a batch of cookies without first pulling out your recipe and collecting all your ingredients listed on your recipe.  Your goal is your cookie.  But first you must create that recipe and begin collecting your ingredients.  Step by step you will begin creating what will in turn result as your cookie…your GOAL.  
6. As you continue putting action into motion, remember this key factor here.  PATIENCE.  Don’t give up because the results don’t come as quickly as you desired.  Don’t give up because that one goal just became too challenging to get to.  Don’t allow discouragement to creep in and literally steal your goal from you.  That will happen.  If you allow it.  It’s up to you and no one else to make this dream, this goal, come to fruit.  Timing isn’t always on our side and it will feel at times as though it’s taking forever.  But continue pressing forward.  A marathon runner knows they have 26.2 miles to run.  They don’t train to just quit at mile 10.  They don’t put all that work in just to give up because the run became painful or just too tiresome.  They train to endure the elements that they will face.  They train to endure the challenges they will face.  They train to not give up but instead to reach their goal…the FINISH LINE.

In Habakkuk 2:2-3 the scripture gives us clear directions from God on attaining our goals…fulfilling those visions and dreams.  It says,

Then the Lord answered me and said, “Record the vision (visualize it) and inscribe it on tablets (write it down), that the one who reads it may run (go after it).  For the vision is yet for the appointed time (be patient);  It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail though it tarries (it may feel like forever but just believe in it), wait for it;  For it will certainly come (you WILL achieve it), it will not delay.”

As you begin this new year, know that today is just day 1 of 365 days.  This goal won’t be reached by the end of this week or maybe even this month.  Be patient with yourself.  And don’t get yourself overwhelmed believing you have to meet this major deadline overnight time.  Take your time.  Be diligent and steadfast in all you do.  And remember, for each step completed, progress is being made.  I wish you all the best with your goals and dreams.  I pray that the above listed steps will help you in realizing those goals and dreams you have visualized.