Last week, I introduced the first of a three-step process I use throughout December to help me reflect, ponder and plan for the coming New Year. That first step can really seem more like a "pause" than a step because it involves taking time to look back. Folks who insist on an "ever forward" mentality mind find that counter-intuitive, but as the old saying goes, "those who refuse to learn history are doomed to repeat it." That's especially true as you plan your goals for the coming year. Having considered the year that is about to close (and possibly some moments during all your years before it), you are free to consider your misses and what successes you might be able to amplify in the year ahead. And that's step two: Look ahead to the coming year. In this case, it's the year 2016.

Synchronize Your Goals with Your Experiences

Take all the bullet points you listed from step one and start to organize them. What are the big triumphs and epic failures? What are the smaller victories and hiccups? Where do things overlap, cross paths or have some other form of correlation. What key lessons can you take away from each of them and from the collective sum? Take all that and have it on the ready as you plot out your dreams for 2016. And then, boil it down to about 3-5 goals. I like this approach because it helps to keep you focused as the year toils and life starts to spill over onto the pathway you're clearing right now. This approach allows you to pause every so often to check in on your goals for making sure your are clearly focused and, if not, re-clear the path or make adjustments to your course. I like to follow Michael Hyatt's advise for setting goals at this point. He's a big advocate of setting SMART goals. That's goals that are 1.) specific, 2.) Measurable, 3.) Actionable, 4.) Realistic, and 5.) Time-Bound.

Here's My SMART Goals for 2016

I should note that Hyatt suggests not going public with your goals after some recent revelations. That's totally up to you. I generally have not done so in the past with the exception of a few close friends and family. This year is a bit of an exception as I do these posts. SMART Goal for 2016 #1: Build Upon The Publication of Listen Up Kids

S-Specific: Spend a full year "listening up" and help others to do the same or join in the quest. Having finally published "Listen Up, Kids" in 2015, it sets the stage for further momentum in the year ahead. Using the lessons from that project and process, this goal goes beyond "publishing a book."

M-Measurable: Rely upon Comments, Feedback, Book Reviews, Guest Blog Posts, and other analytics to determine audience engagement and ponder Personal Growth (the fruits) of the project. That latter means of measurement is not quite quantitative and will thus be very dependent upon brutal self-honesty and by soliciting feedback from those who know me best.

A-Actionable: I like to think the "S" in Smart goals is the WHY and the "M" is the WHAT. The "A" then, is the HOW. This is the tactical element. It's the plan, and for this specific goal, I am still in the midst of developing a very specific plan that I will share in a later post before the end of the year.

R-Realistic: This goal is challenging. It's very similar to several years back when I set to do a personal devotional and blog about it every day for an entire year. I learned then that it was an admirable but unrealistic undertaking. This plan, therefore, will take that lesson and aim to be more doable.

T-Time-Bound: This is a one year goal/project. It will conclude December 31, 2016. However, I will routinely check in to monitor progress and know what should be taking place quarterly, monthly and weekly to ensure I am still on track.

In the interest of space, I'm not going to go through the full SMART details on the other goals I've set, but I will at least share them here.

• SMART Goal for 2016 #2: Facilitate 1 or 2 Faith & Finances Classes during 2016
• SMART Goal for 2016 #3: Build a deeper and more engaged community at 1Glories
• SMART Goal for 2016 #4: Find a stronger balance of work, family and spiritual life.

Spend the remainder of the week pondering your SMART goals for 2016. Be honest with yourself and give yourself permission to dream. Go to God in prayer and ask him to speak to you, to move you, motivate you and provoke you to action. Seek ye, a refining life, on purpose. Have a Merry Christmas and be sure to subscribe to the 1Glories blog posts so you don't miss the third step that will be shared next Monday. Blessings and Thanks.