Each January, my family develops goals for the upcoming year. We set individual goals, family goals, and my wife and I set marriage goals.
This exercise is much more than a listing random New Year’s resolutions. It’s a time for us to come together to encourage one another’s dreams.
We always write down the goals and post them in a conspicuous spot in the house. My wife, KayEm, frames each person’s individual goals and places them on his/her dresser. We’ve realized that it is important to keep the goals visible as we strive towards achieving them.
Some of my personal goals include learning to play the guitar proficiently (you can monitor this goal on my blog, Six String Theory), writing a song, and adhering to a consistent exercise schedule. Our family goals are: Recording a Christmas album to share with our family, taking a family vacation, and having regular family devotions. Our marriage goals are: Having monthly dates, taking two out-of-town trips (without the kids), and sharing what we’ve learned about marriage through our blog, Making It Last Forever.
During our goal setting session, we also review our goals from the previous year. Although we didn’t accomplish all of the goals we listed last year, we were mostly satisfied with the progress we made. I was proud to see that my 7-year-old son, N, completed more goals than anyone else. We plan to award him with the “Goal Setting Trophy of Honor.” Each year, we will pass the trophy to the family member who completes the most goals.
After reviewing our progress on last year’s goals, we decided to hold quarterly family meetings to monitor our progress. Our intent is to provide accountability, support, guidance and encouragement.
My wife and I use this process not only to teach our kids the importance of goal-setting, but also the importance of putting in the work necessary to achieve their goals.
Stay Strong,
Question: How do you encourage family members to achieve their goals?
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