40 to 45% of Americans create one or more resolutions each year.  Some of the most popular resolutions are regarding weight loss, exercise, and to quit smoking. Other resolutions that top the list are handling money better and reducing debt.

Take a look at how well these resolutions stand under the weight of time:

- past the first week: 75%
- past 2 weeks: 71%
- after one month: 64%
- after 6 months: 46%

While it’s true that many people break their new years resolutions research shows that people who detail out their new years resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals over those who don’t clarify their resolutions.  So here are some insightful ways to create goals that achievable.

S.M.A.R.T Goals

It’s important when setting goals to write our goals down and then track them. It is advocated by many experts to use goal setting software when setting goals. This helps us to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.  This is also a scriptural truth:

Habakkuk 2:2 (English Standard Version) 2And the LORD answered me: "Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it..."

Specific – our goals should state the answers to the What, Where, Why and How questions, detailed as simply as possible. We should use action words to explain WHAT we are going to do, WHY the goal is to important and How we are going to achieve it.

Measurable –  The old saying is, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” We should decide on goals that are measurable so we can actually see the progress we are making, otherwise how will we know when we have reached our goal? This confronts the insanity defense of doing the same thing day in and day out and expecting different results.

Achievable – an achievable goal that can be agreed upon involves realistic goals that takes into consideration our current state meaning: physical, financial and personal resources, as well as time available to hit our target goal. We should set our goal to challenge and “stretch” us out of our comfort zone, but not so much that we gain injury to our self-confidence. This will only discourage us to give up.

Realistic – a realistic goal is a goal we are in control of. We can’t set goals for other people to lose weight or treat us nicer, but we can set goals for ourselves to lose weight and be more kind to others. This means that we will need a Christ-like mindset to be able to employ self control, a bull dog determination and consistency that will empower us to attain each goal we set. Each time we hit our goals we can enjoy the rewards that comes with mountain we conquer.

Time-bound – a time-bound goal includes time-frames that are based on reality, using dates and times to measure the progress of each goal. When we set time-bound goals it gives us a actual target to shoot at. There is an old adage when it comes to shooting a gun, “Aim small – miss small.” This is true in setting our goals, the more we are able to narrow down what are target is – the better we are to hit it. This removes any type of vagueness or closure to our goals.

I believe that God wants us to set goals and achieve them so long as they are goals that lead us closer to Christ. And if we lack the creativity to come up with any goals to set in our life this year, then I leave you with Peter’s words:

2 Peter 1:5-7 (New International Version) 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.