It’s not the will to win that matter – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”
– Paul Bear Bryant
What’s one thing you want to see manifested in your life this new year? How are you preparing for it? The year 2020 has been a very difficult and unexpected year for many people, but just because this year didn’t go as planned doesn’t mean that next year can’t be better. Learning to think differently and adjust accordingly has made a big difference for me this year. Everything didn’t go as expected but being prepared and having the willingness to make shifts an adjustments through the process helped me tremendously. Has the process been easy? Not at all. In fact this has been one of the hardest years of my life, but the fruit of what I’ve been through has produced some of the greatest change in my life. It’s helped me to see the strength and capacity I truly have. It’s helped me to understand the great things I am truly capable of and it’s challenged me to not be afraid to step out and believe God for great things to happen.
A few years ago I heard my pastor say a phrase that really challenged and encouraged me. It’s a phrase I often think about because I’ve seen the fruit of it in my own life. He said, “God will bless what you prepare.” It’s one thing to dream and visualize what you want to see happen but once you start preparing for it, it becomes real. Preparation, intentionality and action is what will get you the results you desire. One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that what you want is really possible you just have to truly believe in it and be willing to work everyday and sacrifice for it to happen.
I remember a few years ago, I became really intentional about planning out the things I desire to see happen in my life. I made a list of ten goals I wanted to accomplish for the year and I was able to accomplish every single goal by the end of the year. It was one of the most transformative years of my life. One thing I look back and realize is how each year builds on the next. Because I took that time to dream, plan, prepare and take the necessary action I was able to see great things happen that year. These are some of the ways I prepared for that year:
1.) Reflect on the current year. What went right? What didn’t go right? Create a new detailed vision of what you want to see. Be specific about what you want. How do you want your life to be different from last year?
2.) Make a plan of action to help execute the vision. What do you want to see? How do you want to see it? And by when? Prepare, prepare, prepare! You will get exactly what you prepare for.
3.) Keep the vision in front of you and work on it every single day. What are the things you must do everyday to help you stay on track to reaching the goal? Discover what works! Create a routine and make time for it. Don’t stop when you mess up, start where you are and keep on going. Don’t shoot for perfection, you are human and it’s okay to have bad days.
4.) Keep the mindset of whatever it takes! It’s going to be hard. Expect that! Just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Remind yourself that you can do hard things! Look at all the things you’ve been through. Do you remember the times in your life where you didn’t know how you would make it through, but you did it anyway? Don’t forget that! Let that be your motivation and the fuel for the fire you will need to push.
I want to encourage you as we go into this new year to dream big! Visualize what you want to see happen and go after it! “It’s never to late to be what you might have been.” Everyday is a new opportunity to start fresh so you really don’t even have to wait for the New Year. You can start now. Create the future you desire by doing your best and giving your all today. Happy New Year to you! I pray this next year of your life would be the best yet and that the tear that you cried in 2020 would produce a harvest of restoration and blessings. Thanks for reading!
What’s something you want to see happen next year? Comment below. Would love to hear your story.
Intentional Hope 