30 Days of Motivation: Succeed on Purpose

Quote of the Day: “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” Paul J. Meyer

Scripture of the Day:“Whatever the activity in which you engage, do it with all your ability…” Ecclesiastes 9:10

How do we lose our way? It’s not that we forget THE way, or that we get lost. Most of us just end up lost because we slowly go off course, little by little by little. Like a tourist in an unfamiliar town, as long as we stay by the main roads, we normally are safe. But, it’s easy to get distracted or lost if you aren’t careful – and most of us aren’t as careful as we should be because we don’t really grasp just how easy it is to get off course.

You’ve heard people say “just go with the flow”, but going with the flow of life is what gets people in trouble. We have to fix our eyes on our goal and do everything we can to go against the flow of life that normally knocks us off our feet. This is more than setting goals, you have to SET goals and RESET your life daily – and even hourly. Since life constantly pulls us off course, sticking to the right path requires CONSTANT readjustments and planned purpose-filled steps.

Exercise with Purpose. Diet with Purpose. Live with Purpose.

It’s not like we don’t know we’re gaining weight, getting more in debt, not going to church as much, or getting further from a goal – but we act surprised because we don’t realize just how far off track we are until it’s too late. Sadly, it’s only until it’s painfully obvious, as we are facing the repercussions (which normally means we are completely miserable), that we decide to get finally back on track.

How can we avoid this? We need to recognize the signs and to be quicker to make the necessary adjustments to get back on track. It’s not only about getting back on course this year, but this time it’s imperative we purposefully STAY on course, and stick with the right people who will help us stay on track. And, when we fall (which we will at times, so be prepared for it!) we commit to keep getting back up.

You CAN reach your goals this year. You WILL be tempted to fail. BUT, you CAN be prepared to succeed by being one step ahead of each temptation, each slip and each obstacle.

Homework:

1. Recognize the signs before they pull you off track. What are things that have pulled you off course before?
2. Decide NOW, before you get off track, how you plan to adjust, to get BACK on track when you stray.
3. What guidelines can you set to keep you tethered in? Do you have friends that can help you stick with your program? Should you weigh in weekly to hold yourself accountable? What about hiring a trainer until you get enough results to keep you motivated?
4. What are you purposely doing different this year, this month, this week and today?