http://www.saddleback.com/daringfaith – You exercise faith by setting goals. Goals are statements of faith by which you say, “I believe God wants me to accomplish something by a certain date.” If you don’t have a date, it’s not a goal, it’s just a wish, a dream, a desire.
A “FAITH” goal has five characteristics:
First, it’s Focused: That means it is specific. If you use the words “more” or “less,” it’s not a focused goal. “I want to be more like Jesus” or “I want to weigh less” are not goals because you can’t measure them. A goal must be specific. For example, “I will have a quiet time for five minutes every day for the next month,” or “I will lose ten pounds in thirty days—those are FAITH goals because they are focused.
Second, a FAITH goal is Attainable: It must be possible and practical. If you set an unrealistic goal, it’s just going to discourage you. Set a goal that stretches you without breaking you, and then trust God to help you stretch.
Third, it’s Individual: That means it’s personal. You cannot set goals for other people, because you can’t control them. You can only set goals for yourself.
Fourth, it’s Trackable: That means it can be measured and verified.