How to fine-tune your plans in 2014
If you have not written down your plans for 2014 yet, its time you did. If you have, this post will help you fine-tune them to ensure success this year.
The Railroad Cars:A picture that has helped me plan my year down to the passing days and even hours is what I call the ""railroad cars.-
Imagine standing in a railroad station. Each day a train that has 24 boxcars is passing in front of you. The boxcars will stop for brief hour and then move on. You have in that hour to put the most valuable things in each boxcar.
If you put things of value you can expect them in the future, if you put in trash that's what you will find later in life. If you don't put anything in it you have nothing to expect.
This picture makes me conscious to put the most valuable things in each hour that I would like to see in my future.Here are the six things of the highest values I have placed in my boxcars in the past that have found their way in greater measure today.
GOD:Jesus in challenging His disciples said, ""Couldn't you men keep watch with me for one hour?- Matthew 26:40Spending an hour reading your Bible and praying is the baseline. You could do that first thing in the morning, in increments throughout the day or at night.
In the days of cassette I listened to the word to and from work. Today, with ipods and MP3 players that should be easier. The point is God is the highest priority. If you want to see more of Him in your future, give Him a boxcar or two everyday.
Relationships:A text message, a phone call, an email; It takes so little time to connect with your spouse, children, relatives and friends. Take one boxcar daily that you can spend encouraging, listening, praying and connecting with family and friends. This could be at different parts of your day.
Do you want to find great relationships in your future, give them a boxcar today? Be in a small group once a week. Over the years Marie and I have invested about 3-4 boxcars a week with people and today we have no shortage of close friends.
Health:Take one boxcar to read on good nutrition, healthy lifestyles, more effective and efficient ways of exercising. The thing to remember about health is while there are general things that work for everyone, you need to find the right combination that will work for you.
It takes some boxcars invested to discover what works for you. Remember, our ability to serve God, others and do other activities is related to how healthy we are.
Money:Many people take money for granted. They don't spend time learning about money.
In my hierarchy of priorities money is not the top one, but it is number 4. You will need to invest a good number of boxcars in the form of reading, studying, attending seminars and being around coaches to make sure you have some of this in the future.
Enjoyment:One of the mistakes we make in planning our lives is we don't make plans for our enjoyment. This is of utmost value. Why? Because we stop doing what we don't enjoy. As you make your plans this year, set aside boxcars for the things you enjoy.
Plan them around family and friends. That way you hit two priorities in one boxcar. Again, enjoyment drops down to number 5 of my priorities but it is given a certain number of boxcars.
Excellence:Allocate boxcars to making yourself more excellent. The more excellence the more effective, efficient, engaging, expansive, extensive, enlightened and enjoyable you will be.
One of the best ways to do that is to read, read, and read some more. Then hang-out with people who are excellent.
Don't settle this year. This is the year of God's favor on you. Remember, His way is the way of going from glory to glory. Make sure you put what is most valuable in each of the passing boxcars.
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