I once heard one of my mentors, Bob Proctor, declare, “You are not your body. You have a body.” 

Thinking back on the context of what he was trying to teach me then, I believe he was trying to get me to understand that the body is merely a container. It is something that was created, by God, through my mama and my daddy, to hold my mind, my soul and my spirit. 

If you are like me, then when you think about your body, you think of it as “you”.  But it is just one part of you. You are a composite of the physical, mental and spiritual. 

In the same way, it is good to be reminded about the purpose of having a body, it’s good to remember this about goals:  we are NOT our goal. We HAVE goals. And the goals we set have a purpose. The purpose is almost always tied to some sort of expansion.  The process, not the goal itself, is what helps us grow.

 A byproduct of having goals is growth, in many forms.  Growth in thinking. Growth in taking action. Growth in committing. Growth in overcoming. Growth in appreciating. Growth in repeating the process of goal setting and getting. 

Get it? Goals lead to growth. 

What’s the opposite of growth? Here are a few words that aren’t very pretty that I associate with that question: decay, rot, death, stagnation, entropy, decline, loss. 

Yuck!

Let’s bring it back to some positivity! Words I associate with growth include: increase, expansion, multiplication, prosperity, abundance and thriving. 

Yay!

So listen, my goal-setting friend. You stay focused on those goals you set for yourself earlier this year. They are part of your secret sauce that will keep you growing, thriving and even flourishing.

“And may those from the city flourish like vegetation of the earth.” Psalms 72:16 

Take time now to review your goals.  Are there any that you’ve lost interest in?  Prune, please. Pruning always always leads to healthier growth…at least that’s what my mama, a good gardener, says.

For the goals that are still on your list, select the one that most inspires and excites you, and take some action on it every day. 

Let me know how it’s helping you grow!