How to create a God-centered vision and purpose for 2021
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A New Year provides a new opportunity to set your vision and goals for the unwritten year ahead. Those who write down their goals and dreams are 42% more likely to achieve them if they write them down. But what if you don’t know where to start?
We sat down with Laura King, an expert on helping you discover and connect with your true inner purpose, to learn how you can align your behaviors and vision with God’s calling and purpose in your life.
Meet Laura
For over 15 years, Laura King has helped thousands of people follow their passion and succeed in their careers and lives. She sifts through the noise and helps her clients find their unique talents to align with their sought after skills. She enables them to achieve financial success, influence future generations, and leave a legacy.
When Your Life Isn’t How You Envisioned It.
Laura’s career started by moving away from what she had known to a new, big city and embarking on her dream job at a well-known corporate retailer. Soon after the honeymoon phase wore off, Laura realized that the dream job she landed was not really what she had envisioned. With the demand of the job and the realization her dream job wasn’t a dream afterall, Laura began to suffer from anxiety and depression and eventually had to take a medical leave in her early 20s. At that time, Laura had to look at her life and see where she needed to focus and find her purpose. She concluded that we don’t need to define ourselves by what we do but by who we are.
How to find a vision for your life.
As odd as it may seem, you need to have the end in mind when creating a vision for your life. “Our time on earth is written. Our eternal life is not, but our earthly life is,” says Laura. One of the easiest ways to focus on a path for your life is to envision what you want others to say about you at the end of your life. To do this, you need to write your obituary. Yes. As uncomfortable and goofy as it may sound, this task will help you craft the message and the course you want your life to have. Once you’ve written your obituary, you can go on to prepare your 10-year, 5-year, and 1-year vision statements; setting monthly and weekly goals that roll up into those vision statements.
Not comfortable with doing something as bold as writing your obituary? These three other vision tools can help craft your path:
Don’t have the time? Make it simple.
Do you keep a busy schedule, but want to stay focused on your goals? Set your intention for the year ahead with a Word and Verse for the Year.
Example
Word: Simplicity
Verse: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
A word of caution – Don’t wait to have a perfect vision. You will be waiting forever.
Getting Past the Struggle
Even with a vision, you can still struggle and need to work through your issues. If you want to do something BIG, you’ll most likely face spiritual warfare. Satan will do his best to try to take you down when you are on the right track. “You need community, you need to be grounded in what you are good at, and you need to have a clear vision to keep you on the right track. It will help you through those tough days,” says Laura. There is power in seeing something written every day as well. “Put it on Post It or write on something you will see every day to help you remember your goals.”
Listening to God’s Promptings
So many times, women are too hard on themselves and get focused on doing all the things. You need to listen to what God is telling you to do. He won’t ask you to do ALL the things. Set your intention, sit back, reflect, and listen for God to help guide your vision and path. Quiet is key – you can’t hear Him clearly if you are always busy. Pray over your vision and put pen to paper. If you are feeling a nudge to change your vision down the road, don’t be afraid to update it. Follow God’s promptings, and He will guide your way.
Keep praying about your steps and ask God to lead you every step of the way – each day. You are the creator of your life, but you will only find purpose through the Creator.
More from this episode
Faith and obedience are vital themes in Laura’s life, and she wants to spread her energy and gifts to YOU. Laura teaches her clients to tap into the magic of connecting what they love with what they do to create their zone of genius. She believes that when your talents align with your purpose, you cannot limit what you can achieve.
Ready to connect with Laura? Connect with her online and via Instagram and Facebook.
Looking to build a community of Christian women? Head over to Faith & Gather for connection and more stories to become faith-inspired.