Before we continue talking about my fall planning sessions please, please, please understand this:

I am NO ORGANIZATIONAL GURU. No way, no how.

I am merely a guy who has lived for so long without planning, without organizing, and without thinking ahead that something had to give. If I didn’t get a handle on my calendar, appointments, projects, and ideas I would run the risk of living an ineffective life. For me, ineffectiveness is a fate worse than death. So, I offer these tips and I publish the resources that have help me because I want you to be as effective as possible. Everyday is the Lord’s and I want you to be a major force for the kingdom- each and every day!

Last week, we looked at your calendar in a big 365 day chunk. Today we’ll break it into 12 parts as we seek to Measure Monthly.

As we set goals and make grand organizational plans we need to set aside some time to regularly reevaluate and stay on point. Searcy suggests two important habits to start each month to help you measure your life.

First, ask yourself this question: “Who will I be mentored by?” The answer to this question will be personal to you and your context. Will you meet with other local ministers? What about a network or even local conferences? Will you seek out a mentor in person or utilize technology to meet? How much time do you have to be mentored?

These are a lot of questions to consider but wrestle with them. For me I am planning on meeting with a handful of local ministers each month. I also will be sending out a few letters/emails seeking to have lunch with some ministers I hold in high regard around our area. Searcy challenged me with this thought- “You are the average of the 5 people you hang with most often?” Very sobering to think about.

The second part of Measuring Monthly is to set aside time to reevaluate and review your progress. Schedule some time away by yourself each month to reflect, make adjustments, and recommit to your personal growth. Go ahead and schedule this time for the end of August.

So, you’ve planned for the entire year through Abandoning Annually and now you’ve begun to find time to Measure Monthly. Next we will Withdraw Weekly as we continue to plan for personal growth.