Plan Your 2026 for the Glory of God
Description
Download the annual planning workbook: https://redeemingproductivity.com/plan-your-2026-for-the-glory-of-god/Join Redeeming Productivity Academy: https://red...
Notes
00:00 Workshop Overview: Plan Your 2026 for the Glory of God
- Workshop objectives:
- Get clear on God-honoring priorities
- Get organized with a plan of action rooted in biblical vision
- Develop consistent effort on goals through habits
- Workbook available in the description to implement concepts during or after the workshop
02:27 Christian Approach to Personal Productivity
- The fundamental shift: Why Christians must approach productivity differently than the secular world
- Secular methods default to self-focus and worldview that's ultimately empty
- Easy to follow secular approaches but end up in legalistic shame cycles when you fail
- Personal testimony: Moving from secular productivity methods to God-centered stewardship
- Initially pursued goals for self-improvement and selfish ambitions (video games, laziness)
- Realized the Lord convicted him that his life belongs to God, not himself
05:15 Understanding Stewardship: 2026 is Not Your Year
- The core realization: Every year is a stewardship—it never belonged to you to begin with
- Year belongs to God, not you
- This fundamentally changes how you approach even New Year's resolutions
- If you get nothing else from this workshop, understand: 2026 is a stewardship for the glory of God
06:59 The Stewardship Framework
- Definition: A steward is a manager/servant entrusted with managing part of a household for the master
- Biblical example: 07:14 Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14)
- Master entrusts servants with talents to invest on his behalf
- Expectation: Use them wisely and make a good return before his return
- Jesus is the master; you are the steward of your life, the gospel, and your resources
- 08:01 What's Required: Faithfulness
- 1 Corinthians 4: "It is required of stewards that they be found faithful"
- Faithfulness requires intentional, God-empowered diligence—not just good intentions
- Must make a plan and follow through; doesn't happen by accident
11:42 Phase 1: Get Clear on Your Priorities
Understanding Domains of Stewardship
- 13:18 Seven major life areas to evaluate and steward:
- Spiritual (walk with God—foundational to all others)
- Physical (health and exercise)
- Recreational (rest and leisure)
- Economical (finances and household management)
- Vocational (your job or main work)
- Relational (relationships and people in your life)
- 13:36 Intellectual (what you consume mentally; avoid excessive social media and low-quality content)
- These categories are the same for most people, but how you steward each is unique to your situation
13:01 Self-Evaluation Exercise
- Reflect and evaluate your faithfulness in the last year
- 15:21 Rate your faithfulness in each domain on a scale of 1-5
- 5 = You're generally doing what's needed to be faithful (not perfection, but moving in the right direction)
- 1 = You've largely neglected this area
- For each domain, honestly identify:
- What went well this past year?
- What can I improve?
- This is not meant to be discouraging but to provide honest clarity for the year ahead
22:22 Specific Examples of Self-Evaluation
- Intellectual domain example:
- Rating: 2 (not where you want to be)
- What didn't go well: "I spent too much time on social media looking at stuff that's not helpful"
- What went well: "I've been reading good books and filling my mind with truth"
- Use these evaluations to identify which domains need focused attention in the new year
Why This Exercise Helps
- Reveals gaps where you've been less than faithful
- Provides foundation for setting intentional, targeted goals rather than random resolutions
- Narrows your focus to areas that actually need attention instead of trying to do everything at once
24:19 Phase 2: Get Organized with Goals
Understanding the "Faithfulness Gap"
- 24:27 Faithfulness gap = the distance between your desire to hear "well done, good and faithful servant" and where you are now
- A goal is a plan to close that gap in God's power and for His glory
25:02 How to Set Goals
- Choose 3-5 goals for the year (one per quarter is ideal to avoid overwhelm)
- Don't start all five goals on January 1—pick one or two to work on first
- For each goal, specify:
- Which domain of stewardship it addresses
- Target completion date (this creates urgency)
- Clear, specific definition of what "done" looks like
26:33 Definition of Done: Write Goals as Completed
- Write goals as if already completed (forces clarity and measurability)
- Example: "I read at least one chapter of the Bible and spent 10+ minutes in prayer at least five days per week" instead of vague "do daily devotions"
- 27:52 More examples:
- "Kim and I had a date night at least once a month" (relational)
- "I bought a house" (economical)
- "I took a walk or exercised at least three times per week" (physical)
- "I took time off work at least once every two months" (recreational)
- Avoid vague goals—specify amount, timeline, and method
29:03 Adding God's Glory Component
- For each goal, articulate: How does this glorify God and show faithfulness to Him?
- 29:10 Example: Daily devotions "deepens my relationship with God and familiarizes me with His word"
- This reframes motivation from self-focus to God-centeredness
- Serves as powerful motivation when you flag during the year—reminds you why you're doing this
31:35 Progressive Growth Through Quarterly Goals
- View domains of stewardship like a game where you level up over time
- Each quarter, strategically tackle one major life area with focused goals
- Over months and years, systematically build faithfulness across all life areas
- Goals during quarters build habits that stick around and compound over time
- Instead of atrophying or staying stuck, you're actively pursuing faithfulness
42:55 Phase 3: Get Consistent with Habits and Time
The Core Principle
- It's one thing to know your priority; it's another to have a goal; it's entirely another to have a daily plan
- 43:41 "Faithful people have always been in the marked minority"—faithfulness requires consistent, habitual action
- Consistency shapes your character and who you're becoming
Step 1: Schedule "Time on Goal" (TOG)
- The highest-leverage action: Simply plan when you will work on your goal each week
- 44:43 Time on goal (TOG) is the simplest way to get more consistent
- Set an end date to create urgency and encapsulate the goal
- Example: "This goal is for January" or "This goal ends March 31st"
- Open your calendar and block specific times each week
- 46:01 Project-based goals: Schedule large chunks (e.g., 2 times per week for 2 hours)
- Habit-based goals: Schedule daily (e.g., 7:30-8:00 AM for devotions)
- Resistance is normal—once it's on the calendar, it becomes real and your resistance increases
- This is a sign you need to actually do this step, not skip it
48:35 Weekly Planning Sheet
- Use workbook pages 18-19 to create your ideal weekly schedule
- Block out time for your goals using highlighters or visual markers
- Arrange other commitments and life around protected goal time
- This basic visualization helps you see if your plan is realistic and when you'll work on goals
Step 2: Track and Review Regularly
- 50:24 Track and review your goal progress regularly (not set-and-forget)
- Weekly review: Pick a day (Friday, Sunday, or Monday) to look back and plan ahead
- Review how much time you actually spent on your goal
- Adjust your plan for the week to come
- 51:19 Implementation intention: Define your habit clearly in writing
- Behavior: What exactly will you do? (e.g., "I will read the Bible and pray for 30 minutes")
- When: What time? (e.g., "7:30 a.m.")
- Where: What location? (e.g., "In my office/at the kitchen table")
- Forces you to crystallize what success looks like
- 52:01 Strokes tracker:
- Track every 30-minute chunk as one "stroke" (like swimming strokes)
- Add them up each week to see actual time invested
- Keeps you honest: "No wonder I didn't make progress—I only spent one hour on this goal all week"
- Or: "Wow, I spent 2.5 hours this week—that's why I made such a leap forward"
Different Goal Types Require Different Planning
- Habit-based goals (fitness, daily devotions): Show up and do similar action each day
- Project-based goals (writing a book, renovating kitchen):
- Create a task list of specific steps needed
- During goal time, pull 2-3 tasks from that list and tackle them
- Prevents "I don't know where to start" paralysis
52:59 Accountability: Do Not Do This Alone
- Don't try to do this by yourself—accountability dramatically increases success
- 53:08 Share goals with:
- Spouse, friend, mentor, or accountability partner
- Small group or church community
- Online community of believers
- When someone asks "How's that goal going?" it motivates consistency
- Top three reasons people fail at goals:
- Unclear vision (overcome by doing "get clear" phase)
- Lack of discipline/habit (overcome by scheduling and tracking)
- Lack of accountability (overcome by sharing with others)
- Christianity is communal—do this together with other believers, not alone
33:04 The Redeeming Productivity Academy
- Nine-week course covering all these concepts in greater depth
- Community features:
- Daily encouragement from other believers
- Accountability and goal-setting challenges throughout the year
- Additional workshops and support
- Book club where secular productivity books are discussed with biblical discernment
- Membership cost:
- $35/month or $300/year (equivalent to $25/month when paid annually)
- Special offer for live stream attendees (today, December 16):
- Free physical workbook (normally $30)
- Free spiral planner (normally $50)
- Total $80 value, more than covers first month
- Extended offer:
- Free physical workbook if joining by end of December (Dec 31)
- Digital versions always included with membership
- Couples: One spouse can join free (no additional cost); can have separate or shared accounts
Common Questions and Clarifications
18:44 Avoiding Shame and Legalism in Goal-Setting
- Shame-based approach: "I failed. I'm stupid. Why can't I ever do anything?" (legalistic)
- Gospel-based approach: You're standing before God on the basis of Christ's work alone, not your performance
- Failures are reminders you're under grace—confess and move forward
- Your motivation is love for God, not fear of His disapproval
- You're not fighting for His approval; you already have it in Christ
60:59 Handling Different Life Seasons
- Every season of life has a different stewardship and different capacity
- Young with energy = one stewardship
- New parenthood, new careers, health challenges = different stewardship
- Don't compare current capacity to past seasons—redefine faithfulness for this season
- You may temporarily need to pull back in some domains while focusing on others
- Use a commitment audit (available on redeemingproductivity.com) to identify what you can release
- Example: New father with new career—faithfulness might mean focusing on family and vocation while pulling back on fitness temporarily; reassess in 3 months
Managing Multiple Passions (Polymath's Dilemma)
- If you're interested in many things and struggle with executive dysfunction/analysis paralysis:
- Clarify your calling first (video: "What's My Calling?" on YouTube channel)
- One goal per quarter prevents trying to do everything at once
- Sequential focus beats simultaneous pursuit of everything
ADHD and Focus Challenges
- Give yourself significantly more grace than mainstream productivity suggests
- God's expectation of stewardship is different for each person based on capacity He's given you
- Be faithful with what you can manage, not what others manage
- "He who has been faithful over little will be put in charge of much"—be faithful with small things
- The parable of talents: master didn't expect same outcome from person with 5 talents vs. 2 talents
- Don't say "I have ADHD, so I'll do nothing"—say "I'll work on this one small thing and be faithful in it"
Couples and Shared Membership
- Couples can share one academy membership (no extra cost for spouse)
- Can request separate accounts for both spouses at no additional charge
- Dating couples welcome with same arrangement
- Encouraged to do this together so you're on the same page about goals and priorities
How Many Goals is Reasonable?
- Recommendation: One major goal per quarter (3 months) = 4 per year
- If you do more than one per quarter, clearly designate which is the priority with a star
- This prevents goals from competing with each other when life gets busier than expected
- Protects the priority goal even if other goals fall away
Integrating Goals with Task Management Systems
- Goals require dedicated "goal time" on your calendar (distinct from general task management)
- Task management handles the miscellaneous to-do list items
- Weekly schedule includes both:
- Goal time: Work toward your primary growth objective
- Grit time: Handle projects and tasks that have to get done
- Goals take priority in your weekly planning, but you also protect time for other necessary work
Self-Evaluation with Perfectionism/Self-Criticism
- Do this prayerfully—ask God for wisdom to give honest evaluation (not harsh judgment)
- Give credit where growth has occurred (don't downplay God's work in your life by being overly critical)
- Avoid both inflating accomplishments and unfairly harsh self-judgment
- Frame it as "progress in the right direction" rather than perfection
- Often this reveals areas God has blessed you in, which should fuel praise and thanksgiving
Motivation and Consistency When Discipline Fluctuates
- Accountability from others is key (covered in academy in detail)
- Regularly reviewing the "how does this glorify God?" component re-motivates when momentum fades
- Tracking actual time spent shows why you're or aren't making progress
- Community encouragement sustains you when individual motivation is low
Adapting for Shift Work and Schedule Variability
- Create Plan A, Plan B, Plan C for goal time
- Plan A: Ideal time (e.g., 7:30 AM for devotions)
- Plan B: Backup time (e.g., after lunch/during nap time)
- Plan C: Evening fallback
- Shift between plans based on work schedule that week
- Maintains flexibility while protecting goal time in some form
Pursuing Goals for God vs. Personal Success
- Hard reality: Our hearts are deceptive; this requires ongoing prayer and confession
- Ask God for a clean and pure heart; confess selfish motivation as sin
- When you notice you're chasing earthly success instead of glorifying God, repent
- Remember through Scripture that earthly achievements are passing away
- Christ Himself is the fountain—don't get distracted chasing the water (blessings)
- God cares about your heart motivation as much as your outcomes
For Retirees and Those in Volunteer Work
- Your vocation in retirement is a stewardship too
- Vocation = the main thing you do (doesn't have to be paid)
- Golden years are a stewardship—you may have more time but perhaps less energy
- Serving in church, volunteering, being a grandmother/grandfather are valid vocations
- Apply same goal-setting frameworks to steward this season well
Using Secular Productivity Books as a Christian
- There's value in secular methods (like Getting Things Done), but requires discernment
- Secular books often package worldview + methods together
- The methods may work (to-do list systems, etc.)
- But the underlying worldview is often self-focused ("make money," "maximize happiness")
- RPA approach: Extract helpful methods, rebuild them on biblical foundation
- Academy has a book club that reads secular productivity books and discusses:
- What's helpful and works practically?
- What contradicts biblical thinking?
Additional Resources
- Redeeming Productivity website (redeemingproductivity.com):
- Tools and worksheets (commitment audit, etc.)
- Articles on relevant topics ("myth of balanced life," calling discernment, etc.)
- Notion planner template available free with academy membership
- YouTube channel: Videos on weekly planning, morning routines, well done statements, calling discernment
- Book: Redeeming Productivity (2021) - discusses task management integration with goals
- Physical tools (available free with membership):
- 2026 Workbook: Step-by-step planning guide for yearly planning
- Spiral Planner: Quarterly goal-focused planning tool
- Weekly planning sheets: For scheduling and visualizing your week
Final Encouragement
- 05:24 Central theme: 2026 is a stewardship for the glory of God
- Even if you implement nothing else, embrace this mindset as the foundation
- This shifts everything about how you approach the year
- Growth happens gradually through consistent quarterly goals over months and years
- Small faithful actions compound into significant transformation
- You won't see it month-to-month, but looking back you'll be amazed at growth
- You're not fighting for God's approval—you already have it in Christ
- Your effort flows from love and desire to please your Father, not fear or shame
- This is the blessing of being under grace
- God knows your capacity and what's actually possible in your season of life
- Trust His leadership, hold plans loosely, and step forward in faith
- You can't do everything—you can do a few things faithfully
- As you return to this goal sheet throughout the year, you'll be reminded of why you're pursuing each thing
- When motivation fades, reviewing your "how does this glorify God?" component reignites your purpose
Plan Your 2026 for the Glory of God
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On this page
Description
Notes
00:00 Workshop Overview: Plan Your 2026 for the Glory of God
02:27 Christian Approach to Personal Productivity
05:15 Understanding Stewardship: 2026 is Not Your Year
06:59 The Stewardship Framework
11:42 Phase 1: Get Clear on Your Priorities
Understanding Domains of Stewardship
13:01 Self-Evaluation Exercise
22:22 Specific Examples of Self-Evaluation
Why This Exercise Helps
24:19 Phase 2: Get Organized with Goals
Understanding the "Faithfulness Gap"
25:02 How to Set Goals
26:33 Definition of Done: Write Goals as Completed
29:03 Adding God's Glory Component
31:35 Progressive Growth Through Quarterly Goals
42:55 Phase 3: Get Consistent with Habits and Time
The Core Principle
Step 1: Schedule "Time on Goal" (TOG)
48:35 Weekly Planning Sheet
Step 2: Track and Review Regularly
Different Goal Types Require Different Planning
52:59 Accountability: Do Not Do This Alone
33:04 The Redeeming Productivity Academy
Common Questions and Clarifications
18:44 Avoiding Shame and Legalism in Goal-Setting
60:59 Handling Different Life Seasons
Managing Multiple Passions (Polymath's Dilemma)
ADHD and Focus Challenges
Couples and Shared Membership
How Many Goals is Reasonable?
Integrating Goals with Task Management Systems
Self-Evaluation with Perfectionism/Self-Criticism
Motivation and Consistency When Discipline Fluctuates
Adapting for Shift Work and Schedule Variability
Pursuing Goals for God vs. Personal Success
For Retirees and Those in Volunteer Work
Using Secular Productivity Books as a Christian
Additional Resources
Final Encouragement