Go for the goal

I can see the inspiration behind the new effort.  And it inspires me to adopt the effort within Joy in the Journey Radio . . . .

With General Conference just around the corner, I can hardly wait.  It seems the Brethren aren’t waiting either.  This past Sunday, they introduced a new program for children and youth.  Given my new calling as a teacher’s quorum advisor in my ward, I paid special attention to the fifth Sunday presentation.

Another interest also drove my curiosity.  I knew the Church would be leaving the Scout program, and I’ve been wondering with what.  After all, I was a Scout and remember hearing Ezra Taft Benson, a strong devotee to the Boy Scout movement, declare that Scouting was “the right arm of the priesthood.”

How did the Church plan to replace its “right arm”?  The thrust of the answer came from a special presentation hosted by Elder M. Russell Ballard and other General Authorities and Church officers.  And what I saw greatly impressed me.

Now children and youth will focus on completing goals they establish in each of four general areas: spiritual, social, intellectual, and physical.  Consistent with the home-centered church model the Church has recently adopted, children youth make their own goals in the home with guidance and support from their parents.  They choose the goals, and they plan activities and other efforts to help one another achieve their goals.

I can see the inspiration behind the new effort.  And it inspires me to adopt the effort within Joy in the Journey Radio as another way to help LDS singles deal with the challenges of LDS singles life when they go for the goal.

Get a goal

Goals provide direction.  Without goals, we’re like a sail-less ship at sea tossed around aimlessly by the waves of life.  And it doesn’t really matter what goal we have, at least initially.  The important thing is to get moving in some direction.  We can always course correct along the way.

For goals in my personal life, I’ve long used the four-part model (which I adopted from Steven Covey’s books) as a template.  It’s also worked quite well as a framework for organizing my self-improvement efforts.

But now seeing the Church adopt that same model for its new program for children and youth has opened my eyes to another vision, one encouraging me to adopt it within the toolbox Joy in the Journey Radio offers to LDS singles everywhere.  You see, I see the model helping LDS singles be less single.

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Learn the plan

If you’re wondering how that works, run with me a moment.  Singles become less single when they get married.  Some might argue they become less single when they’re engaged, because at that point, to use hunting parlance, “the buck is tagged.”  Either way, we can say singles become less single when they have progressed sufficiently in their dating journey.

How do singles progress in their dating journey?  They go through the different stages.  How do they progress from one stage to the next?  They make the requisite agreement.  How do they make agreements?  By being agreeable enough or by offering sufficient value.

Singles who aren’t agreeable enough or who aren’t offering sufficient value don’t secure the agreement they need to progress.  How can they fix that?  They make changes in themselves to become more agreeable and offer better value.

And that’s where setting goals with the four-part life model comes in.  This excellent vehicle can deliver those self-improvement efforts that can help singles become less single.

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Prepare to evolve

I’m not entirely certain yet how Joy in the Journey Radio will evolve to incorporate this idea.  But I feel strongly that the Lord supports this effort because He planted the idea in my head.  And so, probably in the coming year, you will see this idea drive some changes to Joy in the Journey Radio.

For starters, I can tell you the evolution will involve changes in the topics for the radio show and the blog where radio show monologues become posts.  I’ve written a great deal (and in many cases I might also say sufficiently) about many of the challenges confronting LDS singles and the solutions they can implement to overcome those challenges.  Expanding the menu to include topics related to growth in each of the four main areas in the life model will broaden the horizons for both host and audience.

Beyond that, I don’t really know much right now.  I do see the role Joy in the Journey Radio plays to help LDS singles changing from focusing on challenges directly related to LDS singles life towards a more holistic effort aimed at helping LDS singles find more joy by creating their best life.

So get ready to go for the goal.  When you do, you’ll move yourself towards you best life.  And that will bring you more joy in your journey.

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You can listen to the monologue from today's episode of Joy In The Journey Radio here.  Please also feel free to continue the conversation by leaving a comment below.  Want to hear more?  Listen to the whole show by going to the show page for this episode.