In January, I wrote a post entitled “Where Do You Want to Be At the End of 2017?”
I shared with you my goals for the upcoming year, along with three challenges to you the reader:
- Try something new you’ve always wanted to try and make it happen this year.
- Find at least one way to step out of your comfort zone this year.
- Set at least one goal you want to achieve by the end of the year.
Today, I’m asking myself, “Am I where I wanted to be at the end of 2017?”
The answer to that question is yes, and no.
Because, as we all know, life happens which can sometimes mess up our plans.
“If you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans.” Woody Allen
2017 Goal Re-cap
Sometimes, either goals don’t happen, they get altered, or they get delayed. This happened with some of the goals I shared in my post in January.
The 2017 Goal That Never Happened
First, my goal to experience tiny living didn’t happen for various reasons. It’s still something I want to do, but will have to become a goal for sometime in the future.
The 2017 Goal That Was Altered
Second, my goal for my very first mission trip got altered.
Originally, I was supposed to go to Brazil in March with my own church where we would travel down the Amazon River on a boat and sleep in hammocks while making stops in small communities along the river to help with everything from construction and home visits to ministry.
Unfortunately, my church didn’t have enough people signed up for the trip to make, so I got assigned to a different group for a mission trip scheduled for July.
This trip would still go to the same area, but instead would involve teaching jungle pastors at a small, makeshift conference center overlooking the Amazon River. Instead of the experience of staying on a boat while traveling to various villages, the pastors of those villages came to us.
When Changes Occur for the Best
This actually worked out much better than the original plan for several reasons.
One, after an unexpected complication from an unexpected surgery in late January and an extended recovery time, I wouldn’t have been physically able to go on this trip in March. But by July I was doing much better.
Two, the type of work this particular trip required was much more in line with my gifting and my skillset. God was able to use me in the best way possible.
Three, when I arrived in the jungle, I saw the boat I would have stayed on had I gone in July, and I realized, that trip would have been too far outside my comfort zone!
The challenge of no A/C, sub-par plumbing, limited electricity, and learning to communicate with those who speak a different language was just the right amount of discomfort I needed to learn to appreciate from my first mission trip.
I was in what’s called the learning zone (the area where you’re outside your comfort zone but not so far outside it that you panic and therefore are unable to learn anything from your experience).
One of the 2017 Goals I Accomplished
Finally, I was able to accomplish my goal of helping more people in my business get unstuck in their careers and find a new direction that complemented their passions.
But even that goal was delayed because of my surgery. But I accomplished it and have the same goal for 2018.
Are You Where You Wanted to Be At the End of 2017?
Now I’m asking, are you where you wanted to be at the end of 2017?
If not, why?
The good news is, there’s still some time left in this year. And, come January 1st, you get a clean slate of 365 days to work with.
What’s one new experience you want to have in 2018?
What’s one way you can step out of your comfort zone in the new year?
What goals do you want to achieve in 2018?
Don’t let time get away from you. Learn how to achieve all of the above with my complimentary 8-Step Goal-Achievement Plan by subscribing to my newsletter.
