“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”

Napoleon Hill

“A dream without a goal is a wish. A goal without a plan is just a dream.”

Unknown

²⁸ From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.

Nehemiah 3:28

What motivates you? Motivation is the key to reaching goals. If we are not motivated, we will not do the work required to get to where we want to go. Nehemiah used motivation to an advantage and so can we.

Do you like checklists? My friend Jeannie Waters wrote about it in her blog this week (Click Here to Read). There is just something so satisfying about completing something. However, in order to get something completed, we have to do the work between point A and point Z. How do we motivate ourselves and others to do what needs to be done?

Proximity

Nehemiah used what motivated people by having the Levites repair the walls next to their own houses. Proximity was definitely a huge factor in speeding up the work. It was motivating and efficient for four reasons:

1. People were more motivated to get the work done quickly and properly since it was protecting their own property.
2. There was no commute to work, so it saved time and energy.
3. They had a stake in the work because they were defending their home.
4. They could get the family involved which sped up the process.

God not only gave Nehemiah a vision for what needed to be done, but also he gave him a plan for getting it done in the best way possible.

Application

As a writer, I often have visions of books in my head, but getting the words on paper, much less to a publisher, requires some planning. In the last few months I have gotten more done toward my writing goals than I have in the previous three years combined. What made the difference? I needed a plan that included goals, motivation, and accountability.

Goals

People talk about resolutions as the New Year rolls around, but usually by this time of the year (late January or early February) the vision loses its shine, which brings me to my next point. In order to reach the vision, you need goals. When we have a vision, we need to identify what we want to accomplish and why. Then we can set our goals, like becoming a full-time writer or just getting published. In order to publish a book you have to write one. So, you set a goal of finishing a novel this year, but like the quote says, you need a plan to reach that goal.

Motivation

A plan only works if we follow it, so part of setting a plan is figuring out your motivation and making it work for you. For example, I want to get published, so I determine to write a book to submit to an open call. The deadline is August. Using the 12-Week Year for Authors, I broke my goals down into chunks. The first major deadline is having a synopsis and first chapter by the middle of March. I figured out that setting particular times for particular tasks helps keep me on point. Plus, there is the added benefit of using a checklist at the end of the week. I do love checking things off.

First off, I know that if I tell someone I will do something at an appointed time, I will do it. I hate to disappoint people. So, when I make an appointment to complete a piece of work and clean my calendar to do it, I will. Second, I realized that when I met one appointment to write that I was motivated to meet the next one. As I saw the writing progress jump exponentially just after one week, I was pumped to keep going.

Accountability

One of the biggest motivations, though, is being accountable to someone besides myself. When I tell someone that I am going to do X, I don’t want to have to go back and tell them I failed. On the other hand, when I complete X, I get to go back and brag a little and get a pat on the back from my accountability partner. It’s amazing how that little bit of encouragement will keep me going. So, go find someone who will make a point of asking you if you met your goal this week. You are at least twice as likely to meet your goals than if you just rely on yourself. There is something about saying it out loud that makes it more real.

Progress

If we are going to make progress toward our vision, then we need goals and a plan. God will show us how to make the vision a reality if we will only ask. Then, the real work begins, so make sure you know what motivates you and put it to use. Find an accountability partner to help you stay on track and to encourage you. I know it has made a world of difference to me. So, saddle up and let’s make God’s vision for us a reality.