How are you doing with the goals and plans you have set for 2018? Although we are only into the second week of January, perhaps you have already run into some challenges that are cutting into your plans.

The challenge for many of us is that we set goals without really thinking about how we can be at our best in order to give our best. We set career or ministry goals, relationship goals, and financial goals, as well as goals to improve spiritually, physically and mentally. But when the going gets tough, many times the personal goals are compromised first.

We conclude, whether consciously or unconsciously, that our well-being is not as important as the other goals we are trying to achieve. So we decide we will seek our financial goals at the expense of our physical, emotional and/or spiritual well-being.

Consider this.

What if you were to make your own well-being your uncompromising, No. 1 goal? What if you would say, “When it comes to my well-being, I will adjust my other goals rather than compromise my well-being.”

Here is what will happen if you decide to be uncompromising with your personal goals of well-being. You will be at your best and, as a result, you will be able to give your best in all other areas of your life.

When you neglect your physical, spiritual, emotional and mental well-being, you still show up in other areas of your life. But you show up distracted, unable to give a 100 percent. Because of your struggle to focus, a task that could be done in one hour takes twice as much time and the quality is not as good.

Here are some suggestions for making your well-being your No. 1, uncompromising goal for 2018.

Your physical well-being
Take care of your body by getting enough rest and exercise; eat healthily and learn to relax. You need to be intentional about attending to your physical needs because no one will do it for you. Someone once said, “You should think of your body as the car you have been given to drive through life. Do you want to be driving a car that is unpredictable and breaks down a lot, or would prefer to drive a well maintained, smooth-running car?”

Spiritual well-being
This is also an area that is easily neglected in pursuit of other goals. When you replace God with busy-ness, you end up just being busy and not doing what He wants you to do. If you want to honor God with your life, you will have to take the time daily to grow in your relationship with Him.

You can’t live on yesterday’s spiritual experiences. You need to carve out time daily to deepen your relationship with Him. You cannot truly love, live for and work for God if you do not spend time with Him on a regular basis.

Emotional Well-being
This is probably the most deceptive area of our well-being. Many of us think we are emotionally healthy, but our behaviors and attitudes betray us. Abusive outbursts of anger, fear of conflict, the need to be needed, most cases of depression, lack of motivation, and unhealthy relationships are all signs that we are not doing well emotionally. Take time to deal with the negative emotions you have been carrying. Unresolved issues of the past spill over into the present.

Mental well-being
When we are in a fog mentally, not much gets done, and our good intentions usually fizzle out. You need to be intentional about ensuring you have mental clarity on what needs to get done, and why, when, and how it will be done.

This will require you to take the time to carefully plan your activities and use your resources wisely. We struggle mentally when we feel overwhelmed by all we think we need to accomplish. But when we have mental clarity about our life, we are better able to relax and take charge of how we are living.

If you want to do your best for 2018, I suggest you make being at your best your No. 1, uncompromising priority.

If you would like help in achieving your goals as a leader or in any area of your life, call us at 208-880-0307 or email us at errol@errolcarrim.com to schedule a complimentary coaching session. To read Errol’s other posts, visit Christ-Centered Life Coaching.