Episode Transcript
[00:00:09] Well, hey, friends, welcome back to another edition of the weekday podcast. We've been in this Mulligan month where we're talking about what it means to take a fresh swing at life, whether it's spiritually, emotionally, practically. And today we're leaning into a question that can change everything. What does winning look like for you? Now, here's what I found to be true. You'll never win in life if you don't know what winning looks like. And most of us are going so fast, we're distracted, that we've never slowed down long enough to define the win. Now, Proverbs 21, verse 5 reminds us that the plans of the diligent lead to advantage. But those who rush, who never stop to think, who never pause to pray or plan, they end up burned out, empty and frustrated. So today we're going to talk about how to define the win in every single area of your life and why that matters. So let me start there. Why does defining the win matters? Well, here's the idea. Vague hopes produce vague results. If you want to grow, if you want to mature, if you want to experience real change, you have to get clear. Clarity is a gift for you to give yourself. So if your word of the year is something like focus or discipline, that's great. But until you define what focus or discipline actually looks like, it'll just be a good idea. You can think of it this way. You can't hit a target you haven't identified. You can't finish a race you haven't marked out. You can't grow in a category that you've never named. So when Proverbs 21:5 says plans of the diligent lead to advantage is reminding us that God honors thoughtfulness. He blesses intentionality. He works with our plans, especially when we invite him into the process. Now, here's what I found. That life is actually multi dimensional. That we often over focus on one or two areas of life and we neglect the rest. And so maybe you've been all in at work, but disconnected at home. Or maybe you're pouring yourself into parenting but ignoring your spiritual life.
[00:02:00] We're not just workers. We're not just spouses. We're not just parents. We are whole people. And so here's nine categories to think about. Spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, marriage or closest relationships, parenting or family, career and calling, finances, community and service, and rest and recreation. Each of these areas matter to God. Each one affects the others, and each one benefits from clear vision. So the question is, well, how do you define the win. There's actually three simple steps to do that. One is to reflect honestly. Ask yourself what's going well in this area and what fills off. Be honest. You're not writing a report for someone else. You're getting clear with yourself and with God. Step number two is to describe a thriving vision in two to three sentences. Can you describe what it would look like to thrive in this area? What would be true? What habits would exist? What would it feel like? And then step number three, identify the gap. Ask the question, what's missing between where I am and where I want to be? Now, there's no shame in this process. It's super practical because the gap is where your next steps come from. So today I want to say something super important about all this. Defining the win doesn't mean you're controlling the outcome. It doesn't mean you're forcing God into your agenda. It simply means you're becoming a good steward of your life. When you combine faith with clarity, you. You get momentum. Faith says God is with me. Clarity says, here's where I believe he's leading. You're not just drifting anymore. You're moving with purpose. Vision. It's not just for big corporations. It's for ordinary people who want to live intentionally. So I'd encourage you pick three of the nine areas I listed, write a two sentence vision for each one and ask God what is one small step I can take in each of those areas this week. You don't have to stay stuck in vague hopes. You can define the win and step towards faith. Have a great day. We'll see you back here soon.
