Show Notes for Episode 3 of Teach Me to Walk in the Light Podcast. Learn the simple yet effective strategy to reach a goal and how to teach the strategy to your kids in an engaging FHE lesson. Also includes 3 Tips on how to improve family scripture study. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PERSONAL STUDY

Richard G. Scott once said:

“To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done.” 

If you are like me, I enjoy setting goals. I have tons of them I want to do – really good ones too. But then for some reason, by the end of February, almost all of them have fizzled out. A lot of times my goals just become really nice thoughts of “maybe one day.”

But as Elder Scott said, if we are to reach a goal then we must do things we have never done before.

I’m going to share with you 3 tips that will help you achieve your goals. You may have heard of them before, maybe not. But I promise you if you do all 3 things this year, the odds of you reaching your goal by the end of this year are very high.

Imagine you were up to bat, standing at home plate, and not 1 but several baseballs come at you at once. What are the odds of you hitting all of them? Not good. Not good at all. You’d probably be lucky to hit one. This is the same with goals. That’s why #1 Tip is…

1. Don’t set too many goals

You will have better success if you use all of your energy and focus on only 1, maybe 2 goals, at a time.

If you listened to last week’s episode and did your homework and came back with some goals already in mind, I want you to now narrow it down to the MOST IMPORTANT ONE you want to achieve. 

I know for some of us that’s hard because there’s so much we know we need to work on or there’s so much we want to accomplish. But I promise you, in the long run, years from now, having achieved just 1 goal a year will give you more success than setting a bunch of goals each year and never really reaching any of them. Set 1, maybe 2 goals max. One or two that you can put all of your energy into so that by the end of the year, you will feel like you have hit a home run!

       2. Set smaller achievable goals

There’s a Peanuts cartoon where Charlie Brown is playing baseball and he gets 3 strikes. He walks over and sits down all sad next to Lucy and he says, “I’ll never be a big-league player – I just don’t have it! All my life I’ve dreamed of playing in the big leagues but I know I’ll never make it”

Lucy responds by saying, “You’re thinking too far ahead, what you need to do is to set yourself more immediate goals.”

Charlie Brown questions her, “Immediate goals?”

Lucy says, “Start with this next inning when you go out to pitch, see if you can walk out to the mound without falling down!”

We need to take Lucy’s advice as well. Yes, dream big but in order to reach those big dreams, you have got to start small and work your way up. If you have a big dream, what is 1 goal you can set this year that will get you that much closer to your dream?

I am probably one of the most impatient people you will ever know, so I get it when you want to dream big and you want to reach your dream this year! But I have also learned, that it can be just as satisfying reaching smaller attainable goals first and watch your progress as you get closer and closer to your dream. It’s really cool. So 2. Set a smaller achievable goal this year. 

3. Read it and work on it every day.

There’s another quote by Richard G. Scott that says,

“We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day.”

I read a story in the Ensign that talked about how a young couple who made a resolution to get out of debt by the following Christmas. But six months and then a year later, they were still heavily in debt with no relief in sight. Sound familiar? Can you relate when it comes to setting goals but make no progress?

After a year of frustration and failure in achieving their goal, the couple decided to be more precise in setting their goal. They looked over the past few months and admitted that they had made some unnecessary purchases.

Making a second effort, … this couple identified their problem and decided—in writing—the procedures they would use and the sacrifices they would make to achieve their goal. With a reasonable budget and a prayerful commitment, they reached their goal even before their specified deadline.  (Rodger Dean Duncan, “Do Your Family Goals Fizzle?” Ensign, Feb. 1971, 59–60)

That story is a perfect example of how we can’t just set goals and then not really do much to achieve them. Statistics show that you have a much higher rate of achieving your goals if you write them down and look at them every day.

Another trick I have learned with this – a sure way to reach your goal – is to take your goal and write it down at the top of a piece of paper. Then look at that goal and break it down into 12 months. Outlining what it is or where you need to be each month in order to be on track to achieving your goal in 1 year. Hang on to that paper – stick it in your planner or on your bathroom mirror – somewhere where you will see it every day.  

But it doesn’t stop there – here is what really works. At the beginning of each month, look at your monthly goal for that month and divide it up into 4 weeks. Write down what you need to do each week that month in order to reach your monthly goal. Then at the beginning of every week, look at what it is you need to do that week and decide when and how you’re going to do it.

I have a FREE printable download just for you that you can print out and write your goal at the top and then a place where you can break it down each month and then into weeks. 

 

 

Last year was the first year I did this and it was an eye-opener to really realizing the work and dedication that goes into achieving a goal. But it works. It really does. It keeps you focused and always in motion to achieving your goal. Write it down, break it up, look at your goal every day, and work on it consistently. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve when you do this.  

SO remember

1. Don’t set too many goals – that’d be like trying to hit several baseballs at once. Put all your focus and energy into 1, maybe 2 goals max.

2. Set smaller achievable goals- take Lucy’s advice and start with a smaller goal that will get you one step closer to your dream

3. Read your goal and work on it every day – plan it out, what needs to be accomplished each month, and then narrow it down even more to what needs to be done each week. Plan it – schedule it – put it on your calendar.

Good luck! You so got this!

 

FHE [10:46]

 

 OPENING SONG:

Primary song Keep the Commandments pg 146 (Youtube video with lyrics click HERE)

 

 SCRIPTURE:

Share or have someone read Alma 37:6

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 

 ATTENTION GETTER:

Show images from President Oaks talk in April 2018, Small and Simple Things.

Explain how Pres Oaks saw this on a morning walk and point out how the thick and strong concrete sidewalk is cracking. Ask, “Do you know what it’s from?”

Explain how it is from the slow, small growth of one of the roots reaching out from the adjoining tree.

Pres. Oaks said:

“We need to be reminded that in total and over a significant period of time, seemingly small things bring to pass great things.”

Ask which one will bring us closer to Christ and help us to grow spiritually?

1.Reading our scriptures once every 2 weeks or every day?

2. Repenting once a year or every day?

3. Attending church once a month or every week?

Bear testimony of what President Oaks said that consistently doing small things will bring great spiritual growth.

And in order to do even these small things, we need to set goals.

 

 LESSON:

If you did the FHE last week from Episode 2, then recap why it’s important to set goals. If not, simply explain why it’s important that we set goals so that we will stay on the straight and narrow path and also so we can mature and grow spiritually.

Then tell them you’re going to teach them 3 important tips in order to achieve their goals.

FIRST TIP – Set Only One Goal

Hold in your hand five or six small balls (or other small objects). Pick someone to come up and tell them their goal is to catch all of the balls. Then throw the balls to them all at once. They will probably be unable to catch any of them- maybe 1 if they’re lucky.

Then throw the balls again to the same person but this time one at a time so they can catch each one.

Ask, “What can we learn from this object lesson about setting goals?”

If no one names this one, be sure and point it out, that it’s important we don’t set a lot of goals at once. We have a better chance of achieving our goals if we set one at a time and focus on it, instead of a lot of goals all at once.

SECOND TIP – Set Smaller, Attainable Goals

Show a ladder, step stool or a picture of one. Talk about how in order to get to the top of the ladder, you first have to climb the ladder one step at a time.

This is just like goals. It’s important that we make smaller, attainable goals.

It’s great to dream big but imagine that the top of the ladder is your big goal or dream. The only way you’ll be able to reach your goal is by going up one step at a time. All of the steps up to the top represent all of the smaller goals you need to first achieve before you can make it to the top.

THIRD TIP – Write It Down and Read it Daily

Write down your goal and read it every day and work on it every day.

Print this DOWNLOAD (Front and Back Side)

 

 

 

Write your goal at the top.

Break your goal up into 12 smaller goals, one for each month. (For example, you may put how far you want to be on your goal by the end of each month or what you plan to do that month to get you one step closer to your goal) Put this in your planner or on your bathroom mirror and look at it daily.

At the beginning of each month, take your goal for the month and break it up into 4 smaller goals, one for each week. Then at the beginning of each week, plan out how and what you will do in order to reach your goal for that week.

*If teaching younger children, help them break up their goal into 12 smaller goals and then you may consider planning the first FHE of each month to look over their goals and help them break it up into 4 weeks.

 

 ACTIVITY:

The purpose of today’s lesson is to teach everyone how they can stay on TARGET with their goals.

For the activity, play a game where the players are having to aim at a TARGET such as Darts, Bean Bag Toss, Corn Hole or Horse Shoes.

 

 CLOSING SONG:

Primary Stand for the Right pg 159 (Youtube video with lyrics of Stand for the Right & Dare to be True click HERE)

Hymn Press Forward Saints pg 81

 

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TEACHING TIP [15:45]

Tips on improving your Family Scripture Reading. Hopefully, this is one of your family’s goals this year, especially with the new Come Follow Me Curriculum for Families. Here are 3 tips I’ve come up with.

1. PICK A TIME – picking a time that works best for everyone is tricky. Some families do it in the morning, some do it over breakfast, and some families do it at night. Find a time that works best and then be consistent. The more consistent you are, the more of a habit it will become. We do ours at night and I have an alarm set on my phone to go off when it’s scripture time – and it helps. Often times I get busy or working on something and I forget to check the time. Set an alarm, or have some kind of a reminder can be helpful. I’ve also learned don’t use the excuse that so and so isn’t here so we can’t do it. Still do it! And to keep peace in the family, if you have two siblings that don’t do well sitting together, make assigned seating when you hold your family scripture study.

2. DON’T JUST READ THE SCRIPTURES – Reading is important, but we have all done it where we just read to read and then we later realize we have no idea what we just read or what’s going on. The number of verses and chapters you read is not as important as learning from the scriptures. Even if you just stay on one verse the entire time but have a great discussion over it and everyone learns something, that is much better than getting your number of verses or chapters read.

In the front of the Come Follow Me includes some great suggestions that I hope you’ll try to implement. Some of them include:

Summarize in your words what you’ve learned

Ask a gospel question and take time as a family to find the answer in the scriptures

Display in your home a scripture you find meaningful. You can take turns as a family, everyone takes a week displaying a scripture verse that really stood out to them.

Draw a picture, share object lessons, act out a story, add in a hymn that goes along with the topic, or even a video from the Media Library.

Resources are endless and the things you can do. Just don’t limit yourself to reading just to read. Have family scripture study with the goal to learn.

3. REWARD OR TREAT – Everyone likes a reward or treat when they accomplish a goal. I highly suggest making a chart or just writing your goal and putting it on the fridge along with what the reward will be. It could be having family scripture study for x amount of consecutive days in a row. Or getting to ____ book in the New Testament. Make a goal and then have the reward be to go out for ice cream or do a special activity as a family. Your kids will love it.

 

 

#taketimeforfamily [19:30]

Attend a hockey game

Hockey games can be so much fun to watch. If you have the chance to see one locally, do it. Any game together as a family is lots of fun. If you can’t watch hockey then my other suggestion is to play BROOM HOCKEY.

Broom hockey, if you haven’t played it, is simply playing hockey with brooms and a ball. Find a gym or someplace where you can play- it can even be outside on a basketball court – just be sure and bundle up. Get a bunch of brooms (borrow Grandma’s, buy a few cheap ones) and find a ball.

To make it simple we have very simple rules. We divide up into teams and have a goal set up on each end. The rules are pretty much no lifting your broom above your head, and no hitting someone else with your broom. Other than that, it’s just try and get the ball into your team’s goal.

Try it and don’t forget to take pictures and post them on Instagram or Facebook and include the hashtag: #taketimeforfamily

Let’s fill the Social Media World with examples of spending time with our families!

 

If you have any fun ideas that you like to do with your family in the winter time – I’d love to hear them. Simply email me at melanieslibrary@gmail.com and in the subject line put #taketimeforfamily and maybe I’ll share your idea on an episode.

Yours Truly,

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