Seek ye faith goals

I spent some time in the summer thinking about the next phase of my life. Work for me may start in exactly a week's time but life doesn't end here. Rather, it opens up a phase of financial freedom and greater personal responsibility that are best channeled to achieving specific 'faith goals'.

Setting faith goals is different from setting SMART goals. What are 'faith goals'?

"A faith goal is a goal set in hope and based on things unseen. It is setting a goal that is measurable and based on spiritual power. That is, the power to create and imagine what is not yet seen or made manifest." (Source)

For example, someone who sets a goal of becoming the most successful trainer in Singapore may not necessarily know how to achieve it or begin immediately. He (or she) does it out of faith, and the belief that God will show a path to achieving this goal.

As I continue to put some thought into my faith goals, here are some (admittedly ambitious) goals I've set for the next few years.

Traveling:

• Travel (preferably backpack) to 3 different countries a year. I will journal my travels based on themes specific to the countries. Who knows, I might even get to write a book on it! Thanks to Varun for this idea
  

Church:

• Join an open cell with the adult service. I've spoken to Pastor about this and I'm quite keen to hear his plans
• Serve with the church's PR wing, considering the rapidly-changing landscape that mega-churches find themselves operating in today. Credit to Josh and Jason for giving me this inspiration
  

Sports & fitness:

• Resume my first love: fencing - probably with my previous club, Z Fencing. Hope to see some familiar faces. Weekday nights will never be the same again.
  
• Get a beginner's diving license so I can finally experience the awesome diving sites in Southeast Asia
• Achieve silver for IPPT every year
• Run 2 half-marathons and a full-marathon per annum
• Take up golf. I've decided to do this when I learnt how cheap it was to take up a course and hit 100 balls at the range per game

Finances:

• Savings rate of 50-70% to be partially invested in time deposits, REITS and unit trusts (with medium-low to medium risk for a 10-yr horizon period at 10 to 15 percent growth per annum). I'm beginning to outgrow my Prudential and Great Eastern savings plans
  

Miscellaneous:

• Clear my Class 2 and 3 license. Since my travels to India and Vietnam, I've decided that the best (and fun) way to survive in many developing countries is to negotiate the maze of traffic by motorbike
  
• Finish a book every month
• Get a diploma in a third language (either Arabic or a SEAsian language)
  
• Purchase a DSLR and start snapping!

And straight from one of my favourite verses from the Bible - "Even youths grow tired and weak, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:30-31