I still remember the first time I made New Year’s Resolutions. I was in 3rd grade. Each student was given a piece of paper shaped like a baby and the baby’s belly was lined like a journal. I only remember one of the resolutions I wrote down that day: make straight A’s.
As an adult, making resolutions look a little different. I’ve graduated from paper babies and have been known to fill many pages instead of a few lines. I often take an entire weekend alone in an AirBNB to reflect on the year before, then pray and set intentions for the year to come. I write out a vision for multiple areas of my life: family, finances, giving, fun, career, etc.
One exercise I’ve enjoyed using for the past two years is the Seven Layers Deep exercise! I’ve found that when making goals/resolutions, especially when they pertain to career and finances, I experience guilt stemming from a fear that I’m selfish in my desires. Seven Layers Deep reveals the root motivation behind each of my goals and never once has that motivation been a selfish one.
How does it work? Write down one goal for yourself. That’s your Level 1. Then ask yourself the question: Why is that important to me? Write down the answer and that’s your Level 2. Ask again, Why is that important to me? Your answer is Level 3. Continue until you reach Level 7. This level is your deepest motivation for your initial goal!
Let’s try it together……
Goal and Level 1: I will double my income in 2022.
Why is that important to me?
Level 2: I want to increase our giving amount and travel budget.
Why is that important to me?
Level 3: I want the kids to be more involved in giving plus I want to give them some fun experiences after the stress of the last couple of years.
Why is that important to me?
Level 4: It’s important to me that the kids fully experience the beauty of our world instead of simply reading about it in books.
Why is that important to me?
Level 5: I want them to stay curious and never lose their sense of wonder.
Why is that important to me?
Level 6: If they know how to seek out answers for themselves, they will not be as easily swayed by ignorance and/or manipulation.
Why is that important to me?
Level 7: In our current cultural climate, my children will need to be firm in their convictions and brave enough to stand for them.
Well, that got intense fast! And that’s the beauty of this exercise. I started with a goal that could be seen as egotistical but what I found is that my goal is driven by a legacy vision.
Now it’s your turn! What insights did you uncover?