It’s not too late. You can still set goals.

Type writer with the word "Goals" in large font on the page to represent the article's topic: set goals.

You read the title right: It’s not to let late to set goals. In this post, I’m sharing why it’s not too late and giving you my super simple steps for setting goals this year.

At the time, I’m writing this, we’re already a week into 2021, and there’s a lot of talk about a better 2021. (Remember 2020? Of course, we all do.)

Does that make you cringe?

Goal-setting, intentions, resolutions, lists, new routines and rhythms, habits to cultivate. Whatever you call it. Either you are already on this train or you waved it goodbye. Maybe you’re sitting on the bench with your arms crossed saying, “Not me. Nope. I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. It is what it is.”

You might tap your foot impatiently and suggest everyone just get on with living. Balderdash to those goals. It’s a waste of precious time.

Or perhaps you are hoping another train might show up. “Can I still set some goals?” Or “Where do I begin?”

It’s not too late. And it’s not as hard as you think.

There’s nothing magical about January 1 to set your goals.

Like every other day until the Lord returns, it is followed by the next one and the next and the next. Come January 30, most of the resolutions we set will be broken. At least that’s how it has too often worked for me and thousands others.

And there’s nothing magical about writing a list of goals.

But.

Isn’t there?

Of course, I’m writing about this, so I’m on that goal-setting train.

Join me for a little journey.

Picture me and all your goal-setting friends with pen and paper, notebooks, laptops. Maybe you are on this train too. Or you took this train in the past.

We’re sipping coffee. Maybe wine. Some are furiously scribbling lists that might look like this:

Lose weight. Exercise more. Save more money. Read my Bible.

If you know even a teensy bit about setting goals, you will see that these are not going to work well. Remember learning about SMART? Specific. Measurable. Actionable. Realistic. Timely. Or variations on that? Yeah. Not gonna work.

Back to the train. Some of my fellow travelers aren’t scribbling at all. They sit quietly, gazing out the window at the passing sights, the backyards of city row-houses or snow-covered fields or a desert landscape dotted with wildflowers, depending on where they bought their train ticket. They contemplate. Some pray. Others dig in their backpack to find a book. Some talk with a friend.

After years of practicing, researching, watching videos, and reading about goals and productivity, I can get all tangled up in systems, planners, practices, mentors. I love that stuff. But it can make some people a little crazy.

I’m here to simplify it.

Ask three short questions

1. What were the good things last year?

2. What were the challenges?

3. What’s next?

For the next three weeks, I’ll share my own reflections to each question. Maybe this will inspire you and help you hop on the goal-setting train with me.

It’s definitely not too late. If you want more inspiration, here are four of my blog posts about things like this:

And if you’re ready to dig in and set these goals? Visit my goal setting series:

May this encourage you to begin with prayer: