It is not enough to take steps which may some day lead to a goal; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

What jazzes you? What floats your boat? Is there something in your life that gets you out of bed in the morning with purpose and determination? Do you have a personal mission statement that gives you a daily green light reminding you to go after it?

More important than the green light, does that mission statement have a red-light clause? Do you know when enough is enough? If you don’t know when you’ve reached your goal, when do you stop running? When is enough, enough?

The idea of goal-setting is especially important for dads. But be careful. Don’t set your goals using a floating scale.

Too many men spend their life trying to keep up with their neighbors. But as soon as they catch up, they change neighborhoods. They move to a bigger house surrounded by even bigger houses and greener lawns. Consider this passage from Philippians.

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:11-12

Learning contentment is actually a wise survival skill for today’s competitive world. Some other guy will always have a bigger house, higher-achieving kids or a better-looking wife.

I hope you’ve positioned a long bright avenue of green lights in your life. Signals that say “go” are invaluable when it comes to reaching worthy life goals. But I also hope you position some yellow and red lights along the way to remind you to enjoy the scenery and smell the flowers.

Perhaps the ultimate goal is to be able to walk in your door at the end of the day and be able to say, “It’s good to be home. This home. With this family.”

What about you?

Making a list of goals is a good thing. Even aggressive goals that require hard work and superior intelligence. But on your list of goals make sure to include things like “happy wife,” “happy kids” and “humility.”

 

Adapted from:One-Minute Devotions for Dads.Copyright © 2012 by Jay Payleitner. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR. Used by permission.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *