'Tis the Season.... To PLAN!

Another year is nearing it's end, and I'm sure that we're all making our new year's resolutions to be better. That's all well and good, but how often do we stick to the making the dream of a better us come true? Occasionally I'm sure, but probably less often than we'd like. Any worthy goal takes work to achieve, but how do we know what we need to work on to achieve our goal? We Plan!


If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

To plan effectively it takes time and dedication, but without a plan we really don't have a goal. Here are a few simple steps to help you plan for your goal effectively.

1. Pray for guidance- Pray for the help of your Heavenly Father as you work to achieve your worthy goal.

2. Be specific- What are specific things you need to work on to achieve your goal. Such as adjusting your routine, then plan specifically how you will adjust your routine.

3. Expect the unexpected- Plan out exactly what you will do as challenges arise. Anything worth having is worth working for, therefore we can expect that challenges will come, but if we plan and prepare we'll be able to conquer. Captain Moroni in the Book of Mormon is an excellent example of planning as he prepared and fortified the land again his enemies. When they attacked, Captain Moroni and his army conquered them without losing one soul of their own army. ( Read More: Alma 50)

4. Write it down- Planning does absolutely no good if you forget what you've planned. Get a planner or a notebook and write down everything. Be Specific

5. Follow the Plan- Of course the plan needs to be flexible, but be as diligent as possible in following the plan that you have created. If you don't follow the plan then you've just wasted time creating the plan.

6. Never Give Up- In the words of Wiston Churchill, "Never, never, never, never give up" Do all you can to achieve your goal, even when setbacks present themselves.

As we learn to plan to achieve worthy goals, we'll achieve our goals much more often. Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, will assist us as we do our part to work for a goal. Just as our Father in Heaven has a plan for us, we must learn to plan for us. As we do we will achieve greatness and become what our Father would have us become.