Start Your Year Like Starting A Powerful Car Engine

“Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…!”

A sluggish start to a year is the worst thing you can do.  Start your year like a jack-rabbit!

Here are a few things that really start your year off in “high gear”:

1. Start on the end of the year the month before.

   This may be a little late to say, but it still is very critical.

   You have to plan the beginning of a year.  You act as though the year began on December 1st.  Most of us drift through the holidays then “begin to proceed to commence to start” on January 2 or 3rd!

   Start building your financial plan, your family plan, your reading plan, your 10 goal plan and activate it during the month of December.

2. Build a strong personal growth plan.

   I like to start with my “top ten goals”:  “Physical, Financial, Marriage, Family, Books, Podcasts, Spiritual, Recreational, Ministry, Content Development, Platform Development.”  Figure out your ten.

   Come up with a practical goal for the year in each area.  Then, write under each goal THREE skills or habits that will help you accomplish each one.

   Example:  PHYSICAL:  “I weigh ??? this year.  I will do that by eating no sweets or bread, walking 1.5 miles 6 days a week, working out with resistance bands 3 times a week for 15 minutes each time.”

   Example:  BOOKS:  “I read 50 books this year.  I will do that by selecting my 50 books in key categories I want to grow in (marriage, finances, spiritual life, devotions, etc.).  I will record each book on my calendar to finish reading by Saturday night every week.  I will begin that reading list the month before the year begins so I don’t get behind.

3. Build a strong financial plan.

   Where do you want to be financially at the end of this year?  “Income?”  “Debt?”  “Savings?”  “Retirement?”  THIS IS WHERE YOU DEVELOP YOUR FINANCIAL PLAN (Budget!).  

   In addition to these four things, how much do you want to GIVE in 2021 (tithes and offerings)?  How much do you want to INVEST in 2021?  What TAXES do you anticipate to pay on increased income, capital gains, etc.?

4. Build a strong family growth plan.

   Sit down with your spouse.  Look at your calendar for the year.  Put in your vacations, birthdays, anniversaries FIRST.  That is putting “family first.

   Next, put down weekly responsibilities on that calendar:  cleaning house, washing clothes, children schedule, etc.  Spend time every Sunday night going over your responsibilities and commitments for the week.

   Finally, write in a “Family Night” and a “Date Night” each week for the year.  Put it on a night where nothing competes.  Build in the budget for babysitting that shows that “family is first.”

5. Build a strong personal devotional plan.  

   Start your day with a 20-30 minute Bible reading plan (here is a good one https://bethany.com/daily.) 

   Include a 20-30 time for worshipping through the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 103, Psalm 118, or Psalm 23.

“Ladies and gentlemen, START YOUR ENGINES!”