Two Paths to Change (part 2): Projects
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.—2 Cor. 3:18
[This is part 2 of a post I began last week. You can find part 1 here.]
To move from a plan to change, we need to differentiate between what is God’s work and mind and then move concretely by setting quarterly goals of habits or projects. Good habits train us and run in the background, which often develop the foundational character and personal discipline we need to tackle our next focus: projects!
Think in Terms of Projects
Another way to change is through projects. Unlike a habit that will probably last a lifetime, a project has an ending date or deadline. It is something that can be completed and crossed off your to-do list—a habit cannot.
A project can be quick—a few minutes or days or weeks. Or it can take a bit longer: a year or more. The thing is you’ll know when you have finished it.
While habits should be set with a start date, projects are set by their end date or deadline. To set a deadline, you’ll need to make your best guess. This is a skill that comes with time.
Generally, we underestimate the time required to complete a task, so for that reason, I work in some margin and give myself more time (usually double) than I originally think I need. If I think it will take me 10 minutes, I give myself 20. If I think it will take me 6 weeks, I give it 12.
That way, provided I do not procrastinate too much, I am allowed some wiggle room to adjust when the unexpected comes. This also helps alleviate some of the stress.
There was a time when I would pack my days so full (because I did not include margin!) and feel exhausted afterwards. Even if my plan worked according to my timetable, it was just too tight a turnaround. It’s not sustainable to do this day after day.
Therefore, adding margin is an act of humility. Consequently, it will decrease how much you can actually do. This will require saying “no” to good things in order to have room for the best.
So we talked about thinking in terms of quarters, which gives us focus. We talked about thinking in terms of habits and projects, which helps define the kind of work we do in faith, trusting that God can use it to help bring change.
Now it’s time to articulate these in words so we want to
Think in Terms of Actions
In my personal experience, identifying change as specifically as possible, whether it be a habit’s objective or a project’s finished destination, is what often determines whether I get there. I like to think both at concrete actions in terms of the end goal as well as the small wins it takes to get there.
Defining Goals
Here are some questions to consider as you articulate your goals:
What is the action (whether habit or project) you want to accomplish? Name it specifically with an action verb, such as read, declutter, eat, complete as well as a number or percentage.
When do you want to either start the goal (if it’s a habit) or complete the goal (if it’s a project)?
For example, putting these two together, an actionable goal would be something like “Eat healthy meals 75% of the week starting January 3” (habit) or “Declutter my bookshelves by 200 books by April 30” (project).
After you define your goal (again no more than 3), I recommend that you do one final check before committing to it with three more questions:
Does it align with your target?
No matter how well-written a goal is, if it isn’t going to help you get there, it won’t be a good one. You’ll give up because it’s a lot of work in the wrong direction. This is why reverse engineering helps me because it defines the pathway I need in order to get where I want to go.
Is it realistic, in the sense that it’s not delusional?
We cannot run a marathon in two weeks if we’ve been a couch potato all our lives. Are we expecting too much all at once? Are there other milestones you would need to reach first?
While a good goal is certainly out of your comfort zone (you will not change if you don’t stretch yourself a bit), it doesn’t have to be a huge change to qualify.
Is it interesting and meaningful?
Though it seems like a little thing, it is going to be critical to help you keep showing up to practice your habits or take the next steps in your project. Can you articulate what positive benefit you will receive from your efforts that will help you towards God’s purposes?
Defining Wins
Often times, however, I feel discouraged because goals seem like they are too far off. I need more frequent moments of victory, especially on those days when getting dressed seems like a major feat.
So along with my goals, I like to think in terms of “wins.” These are the minimal small actions we take that are smaller victories along the way. These are the things we want to do on any given day that will move us towards our quarterly goals.
When we are building a new habit, a win can be aiming not to “break the streak” by doing it again—or picking up after you missed a day instead of giving up.
When we are working on a project, a win can simply be taking the next baby step, which will set you up and give you some momentum towards the next step you need to take.
Again, like your goals, these should be stated in action verbs that reflect your commitment, not what God will do. It should be very doable within a day or completed within a week.
For me, wins can often be something like “Call the doctor to set up an appointment” toward my goal for health care or “pull out address list for Christmas cards” toward my goal for blessing other people during the Christmas season or “choose dishes to prepare for Christmas dinner” in my goal to create a meaningful Christmas day celebration.
One Degree of Transformation
As someone who has so much growing up to do, I have seen God’s faithfulness to use my small efforts each day to make big progress. He helps me to show up, participate and invest my time—He does the inner work of shaping my character, moving me forward, and giving fruit. This, I believe, is the “one degree” of transformation that, over time, moves us from where we are to become the saints He has saved us to be.
Admittedly, this is usually an unglamorous process. It is practicing habits over and over, trusting He will use them to build in us not only results but the character of patience, perseverance and endurance. It is learning how to take risks in new areas of growth as we try things outside of our comfort zone.
From my own experience, as I have done these things, God has been faithful to me. I am not just “getting things done” but am able to slowly learn how to live the Gospel, to love God and others as I intentionally find ways to make disciples in the ordinary tasks of life. He is showing me how to maximize the moments He has given me as I plan intentionally to do so.
In the next post, we’ll take it down to the time level. Even if I have habits to practice and projects to tackle, it does not mean anything if our schedules do not have time for it. We’ll consider how Gospel-driven productivity impacts our minutes and our hours.
