1000 - 500 BC / Goal Achievement Steps / Solomon

7 Most Important Biblical Goal Setting Principles [King Solomon]

By Effluo | Published June 7, 2022 | No Comments

When looking at the great historical figures it is impossible to overlook the person that is known throughout history as the wisest person that ever lived, King Solomon. The following seven most important biblical goal setting principles were based on the study of King Solomon’s Proverbs.

Introduction to Solomon

Solomon was a king of united Israel and lived from approximately 970 to 931 BCE.  The history of Solomon transcends different religions. The Talmud, Tanakh, Old Testament, and Quran, all speak of him as a great king and prophet. He is known for building the temple to God and is remembered for his great wisdom, wealth, and power.

The biblical goal setting principles outlined here were based on the study of Solomon. Including the books and the people that influenced him. Both God’s law given through Moses and his father David were influential in Solomon’s life.  We will review writings from these significant sources to discover what was said about setting goals. The bible verses will be taken from the books of Proverbs, Deuteronomy, and Psalms.

Sources Referenced

Proverbs

Solomon’s wisdom is recorded in a book called the Proverbs, which is part of the Kethuvim in Tanakh and the Old Testament. It is considered to be a record of his thoughts and sayings.  This is the best reflection of what Solomon had to teach us.

Deuteronomy

The book of Deuteronomy is part of Torah in the Tanakh and is in the Old Testament.  This is the book with a record of laws given by God to Israel through Moses.   Given that Solomon was a king of Israel, the book of law was not only taught to him, but became part of who he was. This was a very influential part of his life.

Psalms

Solomon was the son of David, who was a king of Israel before him. David’s songs and poems were recorded in the book of Psalms. These contain a collection of beautifully written expressions of thoughts and beliefs of David and his nation.

Biblical Goal Setting Principles

Before jumping into the Goal Setting Principles discussed in the book of Proverbs it is important not to lose sight of the big picture.   The entire process of these biblical principles is based on the underlying reverence of God.  This reverence, a.k.a. fear, of the Lord leads to wisdom which is one of the most important things in successful goal achievement.   Therefore, the ultimate goal is to develop your relationship with God. He will teach you through His word of God and through your own life experiences.

When setting new goals take care to address all areas of your life.   These can be either spiritual goals to grow closer to God. Or financial goals to make enough money to make your life comfortable.  Given that it is God’s will for us to form meaningful relationships and love others, a good thing to remember is to set clear goals for social and relationship development.  Embellish your goals with such things as good works towards others and giving.

7 Biblical Goal Setting Principles Summary

1. Know Your “WHY”
2. Seek Knowledge and Advice
3. Prioritize
4. Give Your 100% to Everything You Do
5. Do Not Rush
6. Take Time To Rest
7. Be Agile – Reflect and Review

1  Know your “WHY”

The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.  – Proverbs 20:5

The first step in setting your goals is to understand the purpose behind each goal.  Draw this purpose out. Whatever goal you are setting ask yourself ‘why’ you want to reach the specific goal.  Not only will it help you stay committed to the goal during difficult times, but it will also give you clarity and a view of the bigger picture.  

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.  – Proverbs 19:21

Important aspect of asking ‘why’ behind each goal you want to achieve, is that it will help you determine your personal mission statement. Your life purpose is as unique as you are.  You were put on this planet with specific interests and desires, this can be defined as ‘Lord’s purpose’ for you.

This purpose is uniquely yours. No one else can live your life, nor can anyone else tell you how to live your life.  Therefore, it is just as important to ask if the goal you are setting is truly your goal and aligned with your values and your beliefs.    

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained.  – Proverbs 29:18

Answering the ‘why’ behind your goals will help you discover your driving force. This is your purpose. Once you discover it, you can create more goals around it. 

Ensure, that the goals you are setting are truly your goals and not someone else’s.  This becomes your vision, your driving purpose and your unique contribution to this world.

2  Seek Knowledge and Advice

Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. – Proverbs 16:20

Learning to go with your intuition and your inner drive is trusting that God gave you the tools necessary to begin your journey towards your goal achievement.  After you determine your ‘why’ and ensure that the goals you are setting are truly your goals, you go to the next step. 

All through the scriptures, there is an underlying message, first trust God and second form good relationships.  Your life is a journey, you are not born knowing everything, your own understanding is limited.  Luckily you were not meant to go through this journey alone. You are surrounded by people that have already gone through similar circumstances to yours. Form relationships with these people. These relationships will help you through difficult times and will be a good source of inspiration for you.

Plans are established by seeking advice.  – Proverbs 20:8

Therefore, the second step to setting goals is to gain knowledge and seek good advice.  The best way to do this is to find a mentor. Someone that you can trust, and someone that has already been to the place you are trying to reach.  Multiple scripture verses warn us that lack of counsel leads to disaster.

Be Careful Who You Follow

All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly. – Proverbs 13:16

Be careful, a.k.a. prudent, there are many advice-givers, so choose wisely.   Selecting wise counsel is critical.  A great way to find these wise people is to look for people that have achieved what you are trying to achieve.  If you want to establish a business, make sure that the mentor you choose has successfully built his own business.  If you want to become fit and healthy, talk to people that are already fit and healthy. Remember, everyone has an opinion, but not every opinion is created equal. Be careful with who you chose to listen to.

One last note, do not just rely on advice only. Learn, read, take classes. In the end it is your responsibility to learn and grow.  Work on the continuous renewing of your mind.  Renewal of your mind means staying open minded and learning new things on regular basis.  This is something that only you can do.

3  Divide and Conquer

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.  – Proverbs 4:26

Once you establish your ‘Why’ and learn the information necessary to achieve your goals, the next step is to divide the goals into smaller milestones.  In other words ‘give thoughts to your steps’.  

Whatever path you chose to take towards the goal achievement, make sure it is aligned with what you were taught by your mentors and that it aligns with your values. The divided goal will have a series of steps for you to complete. These steps will make the goals achievable and reachable.

The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. – Proverbs 14:15

There are multiple warnings against believing just anything or listening to just anyone. As you go through your journey you will encounter different schemes, i.e. ‘get rich quick schemes’ or ‘get fit quick schemes’. This is the time when your knowledge and your mentors will shine. They will protect you from the non sensical diversions on your path.

Prioritize

Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. – Proverbs 24:27

As you divide your goals into well-thought-out steps aligned to your values, the next step is to prioritize them.   This is where knowledge of mentors, and books will come in handy once again.

As you are beginning your journey of reaching a new goal, you may not be fully aware of the effort necessary to achieve it.  A good mentor will help you with the prioritization of the steps.  i.e. put your outdoor work in order, build the foundation, prior to building the house.

4 Give Your 100% to Everything You Do

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.  – Proverbs 24: 33-34

At this point, you have identified the ‘Why’ behind your goal, studied it, and asked for advice from mentors.  Divided the goal into smaller steps and prioritized them.  Now is the most important part, get to work. Start completing these steps.

As you get out of bed every morning, set intentions for the day that you will take you closer to your goal achievement. Set daily goals that are aligned with your bigger goals. Every day try to do something that gets you closer to your goals.

No one canceled hard work, it makes you stronger and better.  The people that say that you don’t need to work hard but work smart, are partially correct. Just note, that the act of looking for ways to work smart is hard work in itself. Keep learning and keep growing. 

Given that it is a new goal, it will require you to do things outside of your comfort zone. Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and give 100% to whatever you are doing.  Remember you already have what it takes to complete the goal because it is aligned to your purpose. Keep going after it.

5 Do Not Rush 

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. – Proverbs 21:5

As you start out on the journey of goal achievement, pace yourself. Do not rush, and do not try to complete everything at once.  Great things take time and anything that promises ‘quick’ results should be questioned.

Doing things in a hurry, or in haste, often leads to mistakes and bad decision-making. This in turn can put the goal achievement in jeopardy. Therefore, stop and think through each step. Haste will only prolong your journey if not jeopardize it completely.

Diligent people are careful in their steps and take time to ensure that the steps they are taking will bring results.   As you are working through your steps, take the time to ensure that your work is done accurately. Its not about how fast you do things, its about how well you do things.      

Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way! – Proverbs 19:2

Do Not Rush But Avoid ‘Analysis Paralysis’

Of note, DO NOT stop moving forward because you are overanalyzing things. This, analysis paralysis, may become an excuse not to make any decisions and not to progress. Again, seek advice from a person who went through what you are going through. Take it a step at a time.

In other words, don’t test the water with both feet at the same time before crossing the river. You may drown.  Also, don’t avoid the river, you will never reach the other side.  Test the water one foot at a time and do not be afraid to get wet. Keep progressing.  If you find a guide, you are more likely to succeed.

6 Take Time to Rest

Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. – Deuteronomy 5:12-14

At this point you have identified your ‘Why’, found a mentor, divided the goal and prioritized the steps, you are not hurrying and working hard. The next step to successful goal achievement is to schedule time for rest.

This part of goal setting is often overlooked. When setting a goal it is often the inclination, not only to get it completed as soon as possible, but to work nonstop in doing so.  Both inclinations eventually backfire. Reasons for not doing things in a hurry have already been discussed.  Let us focus on the importance of rest.

Plan Your Breaks and Days of Rest

The commandment to take a day off was not put in place to make our lives harder, but it is there for our own benefit. Obviously, God the creator knows best how our bodies and minds were meant to function.  Rest is necessary for the mind and for the body in order to function at full capacity.

If you do not rest, you will not be able to give your 100% to the tasks at hand. Its as simple as that.  A battery will not function if it is not recharged, and you will not function at your best if you do not rest. Therefore, when planning your days, have an appointed time for breaks during the day, and make sure to schedule a day off during the week.

 7 Be Agile – Reflect and Review   

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. – Proverbs 21:31

At this point it is important to acknowledge that no matter how well you plan, life will happen.  You never know what life will throw in your path and what obstacles you will have to overcome. Whatever it is, be agile and flexible, make it a part of your journey. 

Do not give up on your set goals, adjust your steps and keep moving ahead.

Make it a regular practice to reflect and review on the work that was completed. Ask what went well and what changes you need to make before going forward. This will inform your next steps. Remember, you are learning as you go. Therefore, do not forget to stop and observe what you have learned. Apply that knowledge.

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. – Proverbs 16:9

As you take the time to reflect and review you will inevitably change your steps towards goal achievement. The Lord will establish your steps by putting you into the life circumstances that are best for your personal growth and goal achievement.

Therefore, do not look at obstacles as something that prevents you from moving forward. Realize that often it is not an obstacle but a part of your path on your journey of life.

Summary

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. – Proverbs 16:3

Have a purpose, a vision, and work diligently towards achieving that vision. As you are going through goal setting and goal achievement be agile and flexible. Learn from life and don’t look at your hardships as obstacles, but rather as experiences necessary to achieve your goals.

7 Biblical Goal Setting Principles

1. Know Your “WHY”
2. Seek Knowledge and Advice
3. Prioritize
4. Give Your 100% to Everything You Do
5. Do Not Rush
6. Take Time To Rest
7. Be Agile – Reflect and Review

 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  – Psalm 37:4

Download the free Goal Details Worksheet PDF to help you determine the ‘Why’ behind your goals and break down the goals into high-level steps.

When you use the Effluo Goal Planner you will be able to put these seven principles to work. You can review the Planner Instructions for further information, and/or you can purchase the planner via Amazon Store.

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