One of my husband, Philip's credentials is that he is a coach to individuals, executives of businesses and organisations who want to be more productive and move forward with clarity to achieve their goals. As a result, he always talks to me about aiming for a "perfect week" and how I can achieve and remain focused on my goals and dreams.
The Twelve-Week Year
One aspect of having a perfect week is utilising the thinking of a twelve-week year instead of having an annual plan where yearly plans and goals are set.
With this annualised thinking, you begin the year with big goals, but by the end of January, people usually find themselves behind where they want to be. However, we usually aren't too concerned because of the notion that, sometime later in the year, we will experience significant improvements, and in September/October, something magical will happen. The problem with this thinking is that if it doesn't happen, we get down on ourselves, work ourselves into a frenzy to finish the year on a high or resign ourselves not to set any further goals because we didn't achieve them.
The Bible encourages us to rejoice in each day God has gifted us, make the most of every opportunity, and seek to run our race well and with perseverance. Rather than being focused on annualised thinking, God wants us to understand that every day counts and to seek Him so that He can, "teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12 NIV)
Redefine Your Year
To help you number your days wisely, redefine your year. A year is no longer twelve months but twelve weeks, followed by another twelve weeks, so each twelve-week period is your year.
Now all the excitement, energy and focus that happens towards the end of an annualised year is continuous. The year-end push to hit your goals always happens and makes every week and day count. And just like you would at the end of a calendar year, you take a break every twelve weeks, celebrate your progress and accomplishments, and then reload for the next twelve weeks.
What is your Life Vision
Vision shows you what is possible for your life and what you can create with God. Your vision is the starting point for a twelve-week year as you seek God's best plan for your life and take time to determine what you want.
Rather than simply focusing on your career, finances or business, which are only part of what makes a life, begin with your life vision.
Life Vision – What do you want your life to look like in the future? Think about what you want and desire to achieve. What legacy do you want to create?
What do you want your family, relationships and spiritual journey to look like?
What level of income, security and fulfilment do you want?
What interests do you want to pursue?
What do you want for your relationships?
What do you want with the time God has gifted you with?
Your personal life vision helps clarify and articulate what you want and who, and what God has created you to be. It defines the life you desire in all areas.
Your life vision will then help you know what you want your work, career and business to look like so that you can align it with your life vision.
It builds the foundation for the link between your career and business aspirations and helps you live a balanced and healthy life.
Having clarity around your vision will also keep you engaged and help you overcome pressures and challenges so that you don't give up when the going gets tough.
Over the next few days, I encourage you to allow yourself to dream and seek God to discover your life vision, which you can connect to so that you can put in place daily actions to make it happen.
Ask God to teach you to number your days so that you, too, can gain a heart of wisdom and say as Jesus did, "I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." (John 17:4)
Then write down your vision and make it plain that you might run with it." (Habakkuk 2:2; Ephesians 2:10)
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." (C.S. Lewis)
Prayer: Lord, please help me to number my days so that I would gain a heart of wisdom and know what it is in my heart to be and do. Thank you that every day is an opportunity to make a difference and to live my best life with you. In Jesus name Amen.
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