Ready, Fire, Aim

Does the sub-title to this edition of Footprints and Monuments sound familiar? It does to me in a very real way. When I was a teenager my dad and I loved to go hunting. We would hunt whatever animal happened to be in season at the time, and anything else that moved. Especially snakes, but that is another story.

On one hunting trip my dad and I were about thirty yards from each other waiting for a particular kind of bird to fly over. I was ready. My gun was loaded. My mind was focused. I was going to "out shoot" my dad on this trip. Well, as I was sitting in my "ready" position I accidentally pulled the gun's trigger. Boom! As my shotgun let off a great blast I realized that my gun was pointing just a few feet from where my dad was sitting. Obviously, I fired before I aimed and almost killed my father in the process.

I see something similar in people's personal and professional lives all the time. Many get themselves ready with advanced education, power thoughts, and influential friends, but they fire before they aim. Aiming is a planning process that takes time and must be done before you can fire your way into a successful life, organization, or relationship.

You may ask, "I know how to get ready, and how to fire, but how do I take aim and then fire?" Or, "Is this just another goal setting exercise?" No, this is actually an exercise in life planning. In order to take aim your must know where you want to go, and what your passion is.

I have listed several questions below that will spark the creative part of your mind and help you establish your aim so that you will be able to achieve the kind of life, organization, and relationships you want.

Life Planning with accurate AIM:

• Where do you want your life, organization, and relationships to be in five, ten, or twenty years? One way to answer this is to draw a picture. This picture will give you purpose, passion, and energy. It will also keep a visual in your mind as to what you are aiming at.

• What standards of excellence, consistent growth, and specific review of progress do you need to set?

• Do you have someone in your life to hold you accountable so you don't fire before you are ready or before you have taken aim?

• A good system is better than a good friend when comes to life planning, therefore, what is on your to-do list today that will help you become more like your picture tomorrow?

About The Author

Jeff Earlywine began his ministry career while working on his undergraduate Business degree. His experiences have led him to work in many difference areas that have all benefited the local church.

CONSULTANT - Jeff has spent the last fifteen years consulting with hundreds of different organizations all across the nation. Serving as a consultant at The Injoy Group challenged him to be his best while he worked with the best. Jeff has assisted many ministries in Vision Casting, Strategic Planning, and Future Planning.

EXECUTIVE PASTOR - Jeff's unofficial title was, "Pastor of Organization," and by this title you might know this is his greatest skill. That skill gave him the passion to organize many different ministries in the local church. That skill also developed a volunteer staff capable of growing each of these ministries. He did this by equipping them to fulfill their God-given potential.

Jeff's passion is to come along side the leader and help him to identify and develop his dream, organize the needs of that dream, and then to train and equip leaders to fulfill that dream.

jeff@atlantayfc.org

---

Make Goals Specific

Saying that you want to be rich isn't enough. However, when you say: "I want $12,000 two years from now", you have a specific target that you... Read More

Goals

"A successful attempt at scoring"Let's break that definition of Goals down a little. When you attempt a goal, does that mean you hit the mark you were... Read More

Want to Learn Something New Today?

How many times do you say, "Gee, I wish I had of learned...?" How often do you avoid new tasks simply because they are out of your... Read More

Competition, Jealousy And Goals

Naturally some of us are more competitive than others, but the vast majority of us have a good degree of competition hardwired into us. If you think... Read More

Finding Life?s Candles for Dark Moments

Tragedy doesn't make an appointment. It attacks! A terrifying surprise that explodes in the midst of a family. Tragedy brings with it multiple consequences as well?financial disaster,... Read More

Setting Goals ? Things to Think About

We hear a lot about the steps we should take to achieve our goals, however unless we take the first steps to realistically consider who and what... Read More

Goals Can Take Years To Achieve

Should goals take a long time?Yes and No.Yes, goals should take a long time because when you are aiming to achieve big goals, you often run into... Read More

Goal Setting - A Valuable Lesson

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts." -Winston Churchill"I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying."... Read More

Getting To Good: Your Spontaneous Woo Quotient

As I was driving to a friend's house, I passed the Dublin Pub, a local watering hole known for its live music. On the reader board, one... Read More

Ready, Fire, Aim

Does the sub-title to this edition of Footprints and Monuments sound familiar? It does to me in a very real way. When I was a teenager my... Read More

Goal Setting Skills Ensure Success

SO WHAT DOES GOAL SETTING OFFER? It closes the manager-employee gap. Often there are misunderstandings, miscommunication, or even no communication at all between upper management and lower... Read More

Everyone Needs a BAG (Big Audacious Goal)

A Big Audacious Goal (BAG) is a clear and compelling catalyst that serves as a focal point for effort. Unlike smaller goals, the BAG is something that... Read More

Turn The Escape Key Now

"I think I know how bank robbers feel as they wait for tellers to stuff their bounty into a satchel. . . . I damn near giggled... Read More

Setting Financial Goals - Part 2

In my earlier article "Setting Financial Goals ? Part 1" I identified the 4 simple steps to setting up achievable financial goals. I mentioned that your financial... Read More

How To Achieve Your Goals

The first step, of course, is to set them. You can't get anywhere if you're not heading in that direction. Intention is essential.The second step is to... Read More

Dreams, Goals, And Aspirations - Is This Holding You Back?

In this short article I'd like to discuss a certain kind of belief that holds many people - people who are quite capable and talented - back... Read More

The Magic of Writing Goals in your life!

Goal setting is an important technique used by athletes, successful business-people, lawyers, doctors, and great achievers in all fields. Goal setting is a very powerful technique that... Read More

How To Create Your Very Own DREAMWALL!

A great way of attuning yourself daily to what your deepest dreams and wants are is to create yourself a DREAM WALL.Use books and magazines or search... Read More

5 Steps to Goal Setting Success

Goal setting is the true secret to success in any area of life. But although setting a goal may seem simple, achieving it is usually another question... Read More

Cultivating Belief in Your Goals

The Belief That You Can Do It and more importantly, That You Will!First, You must choose one goal and commit to it's achievement. It seems that this... Read More

Set Your Mind To Win!

Have you ever heard someone say, I could do it if I could just set my mind to it. Have you ever uttered these words, even just... Read More

Discover the Key to Self-confidence

"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation" - Arthur AsheSelf-confidence is necessary for successAs Arthur Ashe says preparation is an... Read More

Do You Really Value What You Wish For?

I am sitting in a shopping mall, waiting for my wife to finish her Christmas shopping. Next to me is a rather pathetic-looking fountain, which contains hundreds... Read More

Mind Over Matter -- The Power of Thoughts

One of the greatest challenges in life is understanding just how powerful our thoughts are. Many of us learn this the hard way -- myself included. After... Read More

A New Conversation About Dreams - The Power of Intention

It's time to change the way we think and speak about our dreams. Transforming a conversation, just like manifesting a dream, begins by setting an intention. Your... Read More

Setting Sail for Your Destination

Whether taking on a new project, starting a new job, beginning a new relationship, retiring, relocating, or any new start, setting sail can be the most exciting... Read More