bear Lay the Foundation

   By this time I hope you have listed your values, because values are what determine your goals and ultimately your daily tasks. Goals are built from the ground up just like any structure. The foundation of a building must be stable and solid. Your values are the foundation that the rest of your activities are built on.
   I imagine that most people have as one of their top priorites "God" or "spirituality". This value will be our example as I lead you through this process.
   Get out a piece of paper and write "God" (or whatever you decide to use) at the top. Think about your desires in this area. Several may surface, but we will use just one. Write down a long-range goal under the heading. One of mine in this area is "I have a thorough knowledge of the Bible." It is important to write your goals as affirmations, in other words, like you were already perfect in the area and have reached the goal.
   Now think of the intermediate steps you can take to help you get there. I sat and thought of several general things I could do to help me to attain my goal. These steps are called "intermediate goals". Here is how the list might look at this point:

God (Governing Value)

1. I have a thorough knowledge of the Bible. (Long-range goal)
   A. Buy a concordance. (intermediate goal)
   B. Make a bible study plan.
   C. Allow time for study.
   D. Memorize verses.

   The last step in the process is to decide what daily activities I could do to make certain that I am working toward success with my #1 governing value. This requires some brainstorming. Here is the list again with some daily activities noted.

God (Governing Value)

1. I have a thorough knowledge of the Bible. (Long-range goal)
   A. Buy a concordance. (intermediate goal)
      1. Save money each week toward purchase. (daily activity)
      2. Look on ebay for a used one.
   B. Make a bible study plan.
      1. Check bookstore to see if they have one.
      2. Ask friends how they study.
      3. Read 20 minutes a day.
   C. Allow time for study.
      1. Get up earlier.
   D. Memorize verses.
      1. Get index cards to write verses on.
      2. Review cards after reading daily.

I imagine you could think of several other things to do. This is not an exhaustive list, but a beginning point. Values and goals can be revised and added to at any time. When you think of something to add, add it. Likewise, if you don't care for a particular way to meet a goal, cross it off. Just make sure you are working toward your goal in some way. The important thing is to have them in place and to be making progress. You can't just ignore them.

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Take a look at how the calendar pages work in the next lesson. They form the outline of the days of which your entire life consists.

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