With a New Year comes new opportunities. Honestly, there is nothing particularly special about the New Year and goal setting–you can just as easily start something new on any given day of the year. However, the changing of the calendar from one year to the next can be a great impetus to make a change. So, how could you make a bigger difference in the lives of others in 2024? It starts with simply being intentional.

When most of us set goals we start out with the best intentions. We do really plan to lose weight, pay off debt, serve more, or any other number of positive steps. The problem is our intention does not always move to being intentional. In other words, we want to make the change, but we never take the steps to get there. Sometimes, this is due to a lack of clarity on what it would actually look like to arrive at the said change. What would your life look like if you paid off the debt, or lost the weight? How would it make a difference? Having a clear picture of the destination plays a role.

Other times, we get stuck in “paralysis by analysis”. We have clarity on what it might mean to arrive at our goal but we get so caught up in figuring out the “perfect steps” to reach it that we never actually move. We become anxious and decide we will try again next year. Lack of clarity on the “best path to take” plays a role.

Whatever it is that prevents us from moving forward, it often comes back to being more intentional. If we lack a clear picture of what it would look like to achieve our goal, we need to be more intentional about developing the vision of our destination. If we are unclear on the steps to take, we need to do the best we can to understand them and then take an intentional step forward, even if the path ahead is a little murky.

In the end, the keyword when it comes to being intentional is action. The truth is, we may never have a completely clear picture of the destination, and it often changes shape along the way. Similarly, if we wait until we know the perfect steps to take, we will be waiting forever. Eventually, you have to take a step and discover the next best step along the way. Simply being and remaining intentional (taking action) as you move forward toward your goal or vision will make all the difference.

This is how you can make a bigger difference in the lives of others in 2024. I know because that is my story. I didn’t have a completely clear picture of what it meant to live a more impactful life, but I knew that was the life I desired. Instead of allowing the unknown to stop me, I intentionally took steps forward to understand how I could make a difference and to plug into opportunities to serve when they presented themselves. Every opportunity was not a perfect fit, but they each played a role in moving me toward the life of impact I was created to live. It all started with simply being intentional to act. The same could be true for you.

Do you need a little more guidance? I created a free resource, 5 Foundational Steps to Make a True Difference in Someone’s Life to do just that. Click here to download it today.

Simply being intentional when you are not completely clear on the end result can be challenge. It requires us to simply trust. More on that next time.

James Belt

​​Click here​ for more resources to help you bring hope to others!