Lessons for Life with James Long, Jr.

Resolved: How to Set Goals that Actually Matter

• James Long

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Welcome to the first episode of the new year! In today’s episode, we’re not just talking about setting resolutions; we’re talking about crafting resolves that flow from your heart, shaped by God’s purposes and grounded in Gospel truth.

Drawing on the Full Focus system by Michael Hyatt and the legacy of Jonathan Edwards’ Resolutions, I’ll walk you through a framework for setting meaningful, spiritually rooted goals that go beyond surface-level change.

You’ll learn:

  • Why most resolutions fail
  • The importance of heart-level transformation
  • How to follow a simple 4-part process for setting life-shaping goals
  • The power of writing down your goals and committing them to prayer

Whether you’re starting fresh or refining your direction, this episode will help you aim higher, grow deeper, and walk forward with purpose in 2026.

Resources Mentioned:

Take Action This Week:

  • Go to our website for more helpful resources at jameslongjr.org
  • Journal your top 3 life domains to focus on this year
  • Pray through your motivations: “What is God calling me to aim for in 2026?”

ABOUT JAMES and LESSONS FOR LIFE

Are you seeking hope, wisdom, and practical solutions to life’s challenges? Dr. James Long, Jr., pastor, counselor, and professor with over 30 years of experience, helps people discover God’s solutions to emotional, relational, and spiritual challenges. Each episode of Lessons for Life points you to the peace and freedom found in Jesus Christ.

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SPEAKER_00:

Well, hello everyone. It's James Long Jr. and welcome to Lessons for Life and Happy New Year. It's January the 1st. This is a special day for our family as well. Well, this is a crazy week for us, to be honest with you, in the Long family, because we have New Year's Day, and then also my mother's birthday is New Year's Day. She's a New Year's baby, so it's January the 1st. My daughter Hannah's birthday is January the 2nd. And my daughter Abby, my oldest daughter Abby, her birthday is January the 6th. So this first six days of the New Year is always a special time for our family. I wanted to spend some time talking to you about a topic that is very important to us, and it's the idea of goals. Now, I know most of you are probably sitting down thinking about goals for this year. And I wanted you to think about how we can set goals. And I created this blog. You can go to our website and see the blog. It's called Resolved. Resolved, how to set goals that actually matter in the new year. So January 1st always arrives with a sense of possibility. It's a perfect time to set goals, to envision a fresh calendar, a clean page, new hopes for what can be a different year this year. For many, this is a season of resolutions. Gym memberships are always on the rise, believe it or not. Planners get open, ambitious intentions are announced, yet year after year, many of those goals quietly fade by February. Now the question is why? And it's often not because people lack sincerity, they actually have it, but it's because they lack structure, clarity, and a heart level alignment. Now, for years, I've used this tool called the Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt. I'll put a link in the blog for you. And it's a tool that has helped me bring order, intentionality, and focus to my life and my work. Now, what I appreciate most about it is not that it promises productivity for productivity's sake, but that it encourages clarity, reflection, and a purposeful action. Now, as a pastor, counselor, and coach, I have learned that goals that last must be rooted in something deeper than motivation alone. They must flow from a heart aligned with God's purposes. Let me walk you through a simple biblical framework for setting goals that actually matter. Let me give you a series of steps. So here's step number one. Step number one, reflect before you set goals. Before writing a single goal, pause. Scripture constantly reminds us that wisdom begins with reflection. In Lamentations chapter three, verse forty, it says, Let us test and examine our ways and return to the Lord. So ask yourself questions like this. What did God teach me this past year? Where did I grow spiritually, emotionally, or relationally? Where did I resist growth? What patterns, habits, or sins kept resurfacing? What burdens, callings, or desires has God placed on my heart? Now this step matters because you cannot move forward wisely without first looking honestly backwards. I often talk to my people about looking back, looking around, and then looking ahead. Because many goals fail because they are reactionary instead of reflective. I want you to take time to journal. I want you to pray, sit quietly before the Lord, invite him to search your heart, not just sharpen your plans. Step number two, define the key areas of your life. One reason goals feel overwhelming is that people try to change everything at once. Structure helps us focus on what really and truly matters. I encourage you to think about life domains such as spiritual life, physical life, relationships and family, work or vocation, finances, rest and renewal, community and service. See when goals are connected to specific areas of life, they become clearer, more realistic, and easier to steward. You are no longer chasing a vague ambition, you're pursuing faithful growth in God-given responsibilities. Step number three, write goals that are clear and actionable. Good intentions are not the same as good goals. This is where structured frameworks help. I use a structured framework from Michael Hyatt called the SMARTER S-M-A-R-T-E-R goal model. And it's helpful to me. I hope it will be helpful to you. The heart of the idea is simple. Goals should be clear enough to guide daily decisions. Now the SMARTER framework that we use includes the S, which means specific, clearly define the goals. M is measurable. They need to be observable and trackable. The A is action-oriented. They need to be tied to a daily or weekly step or steps. R is realistic. It needs to stretch, but attainable. It should stretch you and move you. It shouldn't be easy to attain, but you can attain it. The T is time-bound. It needs to be anchored to a season or a deadline. The E is evaluated regularly. Review and adjust as needed. And then the R is rooted in purpose, aligned with God's calling and values. Now structure is not legalism, it's stewardship. God is a God of order and clarity serves faithfulness. Step number four, align your goals with God's purposes. Now this is where biblical goal setting diverges from secular productivity culture. God is not primarily interested in behavior modification, he is after heart transformation. In Proverbs chapter 4, verse 23, it says, Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life. Before finalizing your goals, ask, why do I want this? What desire, fear, or longing is driving this goal? How would this goal help me love God and others more faithfully? Where do I need God's grace, not just my discipline? If goals are disconnected from the heart, they will eventually collapse under pressure. Lasting change always moves from the inside out, not the outside in. Now here's a simple invitation for today. Set goals for this year. You do not need to finish everything today, but you can begin well. And here's a simple step that you can take today. Set aside 30 to 60 minutes of uninterrupted time. Pray and reflect on this past year. Identify a few key areas where you sense God is calling you to grow. Begin writing goals that are clear, purposeful, and rooted in your Christian faith. Tomorrow I'll explore the difference between resolutions and resolves, drawing from Jonathan Edwards and a biblical vision of intentional living. And in the following post, we will address why so many goals fail at a heart level and how the gospel speaks directly to lasting change. Here's a call to action. If you would like help structuring your goals, I have created a simple Smarter Goal planning template inspired by the process I personally use. You can also learn about gospel-centered growth and accountability through our Lessons for Life community. You can go to community.jameslong junior.org. That's community.j's long l o n g j-r.org. Now take time today, not just to plan your year, but to seek the Lord who directs your steps. All right, blessings, everyone. Take care.

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James Long, Jr.

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