Anyone who has done much counseling will attest to the fact that those who are successful in any field are the goal setters. Their desire to achieve is coupled with discipline. This combination is essential to being successful in anything, including Christianity.

Scriptural case for setting goals
"The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Obviously, no one has a complete picture of God's will for life. It's a day-to-day process, but God promises us guidance to keep us on track if we're willing to listen. The prerequisite to receiving God's guidance is the willingness to accept it. "Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established" (Proverbs 16:3).

Spiritual Goals

1. Bible Study Before any financial goals can be established, the proper spiritual goals should be developed. The best place to start is with a study of God's Word. God promises the wisdom to understand His Word if we'll spend the time to study it.
   
2. Prayer You get to know about God by studying His Word, but you get to know Him on a different level through prayer. Even Christ Himself needed to withdraw and pray to God, and certainly we need to pray just as much or more. Set a goal to pray regularly and consistently, even if only for a few minutes a day.
   
3. Church We are admonished to spend time with other Christians. "Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:25).
   
4. Money Giving is the external evidence of an internal spiritual condition. Even more than that, giving is an objective, measurable commitment made to God. Few promises in God's Word are as clear as those related to giving. It is the principle of sowing and reaping. "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Family Goals

1. Marriage Once the previous goals have been reached individually, they must become a part of your partnership with your spouse. A minimum goal with which to start should be to read a few verses of Scripture together regularly and to pray together for your family.
   
2. Children As Christian parents, we should teach our children God's principles. With very young children, study and prayer are relatively easy habits to develop in the family. Start with a good children's Bible guide and pray for each other. With older children, read a brief devotional at the breakfast or dinner table, and set aside a few minutes to pray together.

Financial Goals
Woven in among every other area of goal setting and planning is the financial area. The one overriding goal must be that our lifestyles are glorifying to God. A minimum goal should be for husband and wife to set aside one full day (alone) to do some financial goal planning.

Conclusion
"Success" goals that are set to soothe our fears or feed our egos are doomed to failure. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures" (James 4:3). Be certain that whatever goals you're setting are compatible with God's Word.