An edited version of this appeared in the Phelps County Focus on January 2, 2026. After submission, I realized that the “A” in “SMART” should be “attainable,” not “actionable.” I don’t think that changes the thrust of the argument or the message. My short-term goals are both actionable and attainable, whereas my life goal is neither.
New Year’s Day is nothing more than an accident of the calendar, with no particular relationship to the seasons, the sun, or the stars. And yet, most of us take its cue to reflect on the past year and to plan for the year to come. For several years, I have been using the same basic reflection that identifies “doing” and “being” goals.
The culmination of the reflection is identifying my life’s goal, along with goals for the year that align with it. My short-term doing and being goals are SMART: specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, this year, I plan to run a half-marathon, to raise the productivity and impact of my research program, and to be an effective mentor. In the coming weeks and months, I can take concrete actions towards those goals, which I can evaluate next year at this time.
Life goals are different. Sometimes, a life goal is related to self-actualization or self-transcendence. Perhaps attaining some career success or guiding the next generation of your family to success or learning to play an instrument.
My life goal relates directly to what I believe to be the core of the Gospel: The kingdom of God is at hand! Jesus Christ was born to establish His eternal kingdom, which is universal human flourishing. The task laid before each of His followers is to participate in the emergence of His kingdom, which means fostering human flourishing.
So the question is, what can I do to foster human flourishing? The reality is that the world’s needs are too great. Universal human flourishing is unattainable in this finite world. I’m only one person, with limited time, resources, and knowledge, so I can only have a limited impact. Within those limits, what can I possibly do for the sake of God’s kingdom?
My life’s goal is: to enable the creation of a community where LGBTQ+ people can flourish; an organization, a place, a set of activities, and a gathering of people that enable everyone to meet their emotional, connectional, social, and spiritual needs.
This is the polar opposite of a SMART goal. It is nebulous and unmeasurable. The actions I should take are unclear. It is of only marginal personal relevance. And the time horizon is “someday.” In truth, it is impossibly ambitious. And yet, this goal is what has driven me forward for the past six years and what continues to energize all that I do in the community. It is like a distant mountain towards which I am journeying. I may never arrive, and I have no idea what the terrain is like between here and there, but the joy is in the pursuit.
What is your life goal? How will you participate in God’s emerging kingdom by fostering human flourishing? The needs are great; you cannot fulfill them all. But the inability to do everything does not absolve your responsibility to do something. Who do you truly, deeply care about? The poor, the prisoner, the homeless, the abused, the stranger, the outsider? Or, do you want to work towards reconciliation, among races or nations or within families? These are all worthy pursuits, but nobody has the time, resources, skills, and knowledge to address them all. Better to focus on the one thing that evokes your passion and aligns with your abilities.
And then, pursue it. You may never reach your goal—indeed, if you do, you probably have not set your sights high enough. But the joy is in the pursuit. The joy is in finding someone who is in need—material, emotional, connectional, or spiritual—and enabling them to flourish. The joy is in witnessing the emergence of God’s kingdom in part while we await its fullness at the end of the age.
Instead of running from that which you fear, pursue love, the universal love that binds us all together, the love that is the root of our flourishing, the love that calls out the best in yourself. Learn from your successes and failures, identify where God is calling you to participate, and join in the blossoming of God’s kingdom of love. Amen.