President Jeffrey R. Holland taught that “our souls were created to grow” and, “we simply couldn’t be satisfied with anything less.” But what do you do when you want to improve but feel overwhelmed by all the different goals you could set? Our ward, stake, quorum or class, extended family, and even friends often suggest goals for us to work on. How do we sift through it all and find what we personally need?
For me, it comes down to this: I keep the setting of my goals between me and the Spirit and give myself permission to let some things go.
Letting Some Good Goals Go
When I was in the MTC, I had the impression that reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish would help me learn the language more than anything else, so I set it as my personal goal. My companions also set a companionship goal for us, and our district decided to set a district goal—all of which required reading and studying completely different things. Then a general authority gave a talk at the MTC and challenged all the missionaries to read (or re-read) yet another book before we left the MTC.
There simply weren’t enough reading hours in the day, and I felt that in order to be obedient and not disappoint anyone else, I’d have to sacrifice my personal goal.
I lagged behind my companions as we returned to our dorm, not wanting them to see my frustrated tears. However, one of our teachers noticed me and pulled me aside. When I explained the situation, he said, “General authorities give general advice. If you want personal advice, talk to your personal authority.”
He ended pointing heavenward, and the Spirit confirmed to me that the impression I’d had when setting my personal goal had come from God and was the right goal for me personally at that time; it would be OK for me to let some of the other goals go. In the end, I focused on my personal and companionship goals, and they truly wound up being the best goals for me.
Now, I’m not suggesting we should disregard the counsel given by Church leaders, especially when they speak in their official capacity, like at general conference. Nor should we practice selective obedience according to our personal whims. But God knows us best, and He knows what will help us be our best, so we should take our goals to Him and let Him tell us which should be our priority.
Letting Go of Guilt
The hymn doesn’t ask “Have I done every good in the world today?”
If we are doing good—any good—then we have not “failed indeed.” We have succeeded in doing good, and that is never something to feel guilty about.
I often wonder if the woman in the New Testament who had the alabaster box of spikenard ever had a moment of guilt. After anointing Christ’s feet, she was criticized by others who believed the better choice would have been to sell the expensive ointment and donate the money to the poor. Yet Christ responded, “Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work. … She hath done what she could” (Mark 14:6–8).
There will always be others who make different decisions and set different goals than you do, and they may have strong opinions about what your decisions and goals should be. But they don’t know you like God does; they can’t see all that He can see. So which goals you prioritize are only between you and Him; everyone else’s opinions are irrelevant.
Letting God Be on Your Team
Whatever your righteous goals are, you won’t be striving for them alone. God is resolved to help you become the best, most joyful, most Christ-like version of yourself. He truly has the power to “make weak things become strong” (Ether 12:27). So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that with His help, “all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
(But that doesn’t mean you have to do them all right now).
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