We’re in the 3rd third week of January, how’s your new year looking so far? Did you make any resolutions? Do you still have any left to break 😂?
I used to be big on New Year’s resolutions – often initially enjoying the challenge of trying to stick to a new exercise regime. But the realisation that those goals seldom translated to a long-term change meant being honest with myself - I liked the theory but not the practice! Why is it so hard to keep the resolutions that I really wanted to nail this year?
An insightful recent blog post from Carey Nieuwhof on new year resolutions, gives a clue. Carey stated that 92% of people give up on their New Year’s goals within a couple of months because of 2 main reasons:
1. Although they made new resolutions, they don’t change their system. If the day-to-day habits and timetables aren’t redesigned to support the new thing, it won’t stick. Your current system is perfectly designed for the results you’re currently getting. Want to see change? Then you’ve got to change your regular habits and patterns – you need to change your system!
2. Most people just add but don’t subtract. This part is critical. Most goal setting is about adding more things to do on your plate, making your life even more complex. There must be a subtracting strategy alongside the new goal if it’s going to be realised. What will you intentionally put down so that the new resolution/goal has the best possible chance of becoming an integral part of your system and your life?
We started with new year resolutions and personal goals, but what about your work in church administration and operations? Have you started the new year with purpose that THIS will be the year I’ll do ‘x’ or I won’t allow ‘y’ to happen again? If so, please prayerfully muse on those questions of how you’ll change your systems and work habits and what you’ll put down (or subtract) to give you the best possible chance of seeing breakthrough this year.
Or maybe it’s somebody else’s new goal that you find yourself mixed up in. Many church leaders and teams have a ‘fresh’ start at two touchpoints in the year - September when the academic year restarts, and January when the calendar year starts. And so, it may be that your leader, your team, your co-workers are looking at the year ahead and beginning to talk about new things. New goals, new events, new staff, or even new vision. If that’s the case, can I suggest you keep those 2 insights in mind, and bring them into the conversation – talk about the need for systems and subtraction if there’s going to be hope of the new things becoming reality.
Much more important than personal and workplace, and even church and ministry placed goals, is the goal that Jesus has for you this year. The goal of knowing him more deeply, and by the power of the Spirit, the goal of becoming more like him.
That’s the goal that I want to look back on at the end of 2023 and know that I achieved this year. That I changed my habits and reimagined the systems in my life, and that I subtracted something it was time to let go of - to make more room for Jesus. When I look back, I hope I became more like Jesus over those 12 months.
I pray that you’re also able to engage afresh at the start of this year with the goal of following Jesus; and that you implement system changes and subtraction practices that enabled a deeper experience of Jesus and more room to hear from him and to respond to him over 2023.
And the good news is that this is not a once-a-year opportunity for establishing that goal. Every day we have the opportunity for a new and fresh start with God. We don’t have to wait until 1st January next year for a new beginning again. We get that in every moment of our lives with God.
Henri Nouwen said, “We must learn to live each day, each hour, yes each minute as a new beginning and as a unique opportunity to make everything new……. Imagine that we could live each day as a day full of new starts and promises”.
Cheering you on as you change your systems, and you practice subtraction in 2023.
And I pray that you experience God more deeply every day, and that your goals and His goals become more beautifully aligned this year.
Jules Morgan
UCAN Executive Director.