Incremental Progress

Church Planting Series, Part twenty-five

I admit it: I’m goal crazy. I set all kinds of goals. By the time New Year’s Eve rolls around, I’m figuring out goals for physical fitness, spiritual fitness, writing, relationships, and more. I even develop an annual theme for my personal year along with key Bible verses. Yes, I’m goal crazy.

But one thing I know: if I never plan it, it doesn’t get done.

Sure, things can get done without planning. The serendipitous life can be a wonderful thing. Many experiences and accomplishments may happen to happen. I’ll take those with gratitude and joy.

But I know that I will not make intentional progress in key areas of life without setting goals. This is especially true of the challenging areas of life.

If I don’t set a goal for running 20 miles each week, it will be very easy to let my cardio-vascular fitness slide.

If I don’t set a goal to study the book of Daniel, my Bible reading will revert to a lazy approach.

If I don’t set a goal to write another book this year, the hard work of writing will keep me saying, “Maybe tomorrow.”

Goals push me to do what I would not naturally want to do. Goals also help move me to make incremental progress in life’s big challenges.

And incremental progress is a big deal.

I’ve participated in big-picture strategic planning and goal setting meetings. I’ve been facilitated through multiple day brain bending and post-it note posting exercises. I’ve been given voluminous binders filled with plans for the next ten years. But all of that usually ends up in a file drawer or high on a shelf somewhere.

The planning question that has impacted me most has everything to do with incremental progress toward identified priorities that are in line with the big vision (where mission, values and all the “stuff” of your organization are pushing you). The question is this:

“What can you do in the next 90-120 days to make 25% progress in this area?”

In other words, can you think of and actually accomplish one or two things that will move you forward toward a big goal?

This is called incremental progress. It never gets put in a drawer. It’s always doable. It has urgency. It moves you toward the goal. AND it allows you to begin to see more clearly where you are headed.

As you face 2010 in your life and ministry, ask these two questions: “What three to five things do we really need to do?” “What can we do in the next 90-120 days to make 25% progress in those areas?”

Get ready for progress.