In the 8th grade I decided that I was going to ace my French Final. Getting A's on tests was not a new experience for me; but this was a tough class and I knew that if I really wanted to meet that goal I'd have to study - not a norm for me. For several weeks I studied 30 minutes a day 6 days a week. I aced my test, including the bonus questions. After school I excitedly ran home to show my Mother the test with 112% scrawled in red across the top. She was nonplussed (like I said A's were normal) getting her attention I exclaimed, "You don't understand, I studied for this!"
I kept that test in plain sight in my bedroom for nearly a year. To this day the memory of acing that test boosts my self-confidence and brings on a big smile. That's the power of setting and achieving worthwhile goals.
Goals are different than habits. A goal is a specific measurable action; a habit is a specific consistent action. Referencing my story, I had a habit of good grades but I made a goal to earn a good grade on a specific test. I think sometimes our "resolutions" fail because we resolve on habits rather than goals . . . but I digress.
On goal setting there is a lot of advice from spiritual and secular sources. Of the former some guiding pieces of advice are that we "assign first priority to God and to His work. The work of God is to bring to pass the eternal life of His children
(see Moses 1:39), and all that this entails in the birth, nurturing, teaching, and sealing of our Heavenly Father’s children"
[Dallin H. Oaks, “Focus and Priorities,” Ensign, May 2001]. Secondly, "the individual should set [her] own [goals]. Goals should always be made to a point that will make us reach and strain. Success should not necessarily be gauged by always reaching the goal set, but by progress and attainment"
[Spencer W. Kimball, at Regional Representatives Seminar, April 3, 1975].
That advice leaves a lot of wiggle room; deciding what to focus on can be a challenge. A clue can be in our talents or interests. A few years ago I read
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, the biography of a skilled neurosurgeon. In part because of the efforts of a loving mother, Carson set-and achieved-the goal of attending Yale University. While trying to determine a major he took stock of his interests and this led him to choose a pre-med sciences major. While in medical school he had to further narrow his focus and he took stock of his talents which included extraordinary hand and eye coordination. He decided to become a neurosurgeon. According to Doctor Carson, these abilities go "beyond eye-hand coordination, encompassing the ability to understand physical relationships, to think in three dimensions. Good surgeons must understand the consequences of each action, for they’re often not able to see what’s happening on the other side of the area in which they’re actually working."
Carson further states a belief I agree with: "that God gives us all gifts, special abilities that we have the privilege of developing to help us serve Him and humanity. . . If we recognize our talents and use them appropriately, and choose a field that uses those talents, we will rise to the top of our field." This is sound counsel. However, for some, taking stock of talents and interests will create more conundrums than solutions. Having lots of abilities and interests can be a curse. Which road, or roads, to go down and for how long? This question can paralyze an individual with indecision. Or it might be the multitude of responsibilities to live up to that has one spinning wheels and going nowhere fast. To deal with this dilemma we have been given an incomparable gift. Prayer.
I have prayed since I was a child. And I have listened for responses nearly as long. I have a very personal relationship with Deity; born of many hours in prayers public and private, formal and informal. I know God's voice. I have prayed for guidance many, many times with decisions simple and complex. I have received varied answers; simple "yes" or "no" answers; "just pick something and do it and you'll find out if it was a good idea" answers; "tell me more" and "what do you think?" answers. The only way I know of for receiving answers from prayer is to 1. pray with expectation of an answer, 2. listen immediately afterward and throughout the day and week for an answer, 3. repeat. Over time God's voice will become clear.
If you make any resolves this year consider these three:
- Resolved: to put the work of God as your top priority. Helping Him accomplish His work in the ways that you can now.
- Resolved: to become intimately acquainted with yourself. To know your interests and talents and martial your goals along those lines.
- Resolved: make a personal communication with God a daily habit; to benefit from divine input on things concerning the first two resolutions.
[I realize that these are essentially habits; but I can't break them down into specific goals for you because I don't know your particular circumstances. Suffice it to say start with the resolution and pick one small goal. My first goal was to answer the questions "What makes me most happy?" and "What prophetic advice do I feel the strongest urge to comply with?, write down the response, and pray if choosing those areas of focus was acceptable.]
May you each have an accomplished year.
Bibliography:
F. Burton Howard. “The Gift of Knowing,” Tambuli, Feb 1989, 29.
Dallin H. Oaks. “Focus and Priorities,” Ensign, May 2001, 82.
Ben Carson. Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, 1990.
Catch up with Miss Liss at Bee Nymph's File Box or The Fascinating Woman, based on Fascinating Womanhood.
So a few months back I wrote a post about recognizing and acknowledging gifts of the Spirit. Typing is evidently not one of mine, since I misspelled 'recognize'. Oh well.
