Written by: Rachel Wright
- From overcoming to overflowing; how to successfully plan for a
Whether you’ve had a really great year or a not so good year, you made it to the end of 2017. Whichever applies to you, I’m sure you have the expectation of having an even greater 2018. How might you have a better year? Simple. Successful planning is imperative.
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5
When we fail to plan, we plan to fail. Sounds a bit cliché, huh? It’s actually biblical. We must be intentional about planning for an outstanding year and putting it all into action. A new year is approaching and you have a fresh start at planning out how you will be more productive in this year to come.
Here are some tips on planning for a successful and more productive year:
- Write it out. Write the vision and make it plain. Get a new productivity planner, a wall calendar, a dry erase board, or utilize the applications in your latest iPhone. In the areas you lacked discipline, write out your step-by-step plan on how you’re going to be more productive.
- Get Creative. It’s what you make it out to be. You’ve written out your plan, now its time to have a little fun! If you lack creative ideas, check out Pinterest—there’s a planning board waiting for you!
- Revisit. Make a note to revisit your plans monthly or even quarterly to ensure that you’re on target.
- Involve Community. Mentors and friends are imperative. It is best practice to have close friends who can help encourage you along the way to success. Let’s take it a step further: Having mentors for each area of your live is an even greater practice. Community is necessary.
- Submit it to God. “There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.” Proverbs 19:21 The most important step we must make in successful planning is to submit our plans to God. We must ensure that our plans align with the will of God for our lives.In doing this, we ensure that God’s grace and favor is on the steps that we take. Our steps are ordered by the Lord, so why wouldn’t we include the One who has given us an expected end? Jeremiah 29:11 lets us know that God’s plans are to prosper us and give us a hope and a future—an expected end. Submit your plans to God and watch them prosper!
- Go. After you’ve written your plans, involved mentors who can hold you accountable, and submitted your plans to God, just do it! Put your plans into action and execute. What good is a plan if there is no follow through?
You’ve made it to the end of this post; therefore you have the steps to successfully planning for a productive year. You overcame 2017 and now it’s time to overflow—with milk and honey. You have power and authority over your destiny, so make 2018 count.