Every year, between Christmas and New Year’s, I spend time going through my “orange folder”. In this folder, I have kept my goals for the upcoming year since 1996. I have used different systems including 3-year-plans, mapping, drawings, and even writing my eulogy. It’s fun to reflect back on and compare what my goals were last year, 5 years ago and 15 years ago.

After so many years, and so many different ways to write my goals, I didn’t expect to come across anything really new. But to my delight, Boomy Tookan’s book, New Year’s Resolutions: The Guide to Getting It Right Why Many New Year Resolutions Fail Within 30 Days How To Make Yours Work and Kick Start Your Year Book, delivered.

The author had asked me to review his little e-book and I found the nugget of wisdom in the last chapter. He titled the chapter, “What Will You Do For Others.” What was the nugget that changed my life?

 “The way to get what you want is to help other people get what they want.”

Yes! This is the secret to goal planning. The secret to life.

If one of my goals is to make money this year, I need to help other people make money. How do I plan to do this? I plan to tithe part of my writing earnings to the writer’s organization I’m a member of. Tookan says, “I learnt many years ago that the way to think about how much you want to earn is to think about how much you want to give. Yes; the amount of money you want to give away should be your first thought.”

If one of my goals is to lose weight (which it has been for over 15 years!) then I need to help other people lose weight. How do I plan to do this? I’ve started an online support group that offers prayer and regular encouragement to other women looking to lose weight.

If another one of my goals is to sell more books then I need to help other authors sell their books. How do I plan to do this? I’ve started a blog called, Books for Book Lovers that showcases the books of Christian authors and introduces readers to where they can get these great books.

It’s simply the principle of sowing and reaping. I believe the Bible may have a thing or two to say on this topic.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV).

What are your goals this year?

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The secret to goal planning? “The way to get what you want is to help other people get what they want.” (tweet this)