God calls each of us to put our talents and gifts to work. And when we’re feeling the pull, we start on the goal, project or other venture we feel called to. And then, things get hard or we get bored and the goals that we were once excited about become another project unfinished.

Why is it that 92% of goals never get finished? Jon Acuff has spent the last few years researching just that. Today on the podcast, Jon is breaking down why we start and then stop, the things we’re doing to hold ourselves back, and reminding us that achieving our goals isn’t just fun… it’s good stewardship.

Welcome to Episode 21 of the Think Orange Podcast.

Topic Timeline:

Jon Acuff on stewarding what God has given you (3:37)

When God blesses you, the response has to be gratitude (7:05)

Sometimes, your exposure gets bigger than your talent (8:05)

Failure teaches us things we wouldn’t willingly teach ourselves (10:15)

  • The reset of Saul
  • The reset of Simon Peter

Embrace failures and resets, they’re gifts from God (12:10)

Dave and Ashley’s conversation with Jon (12:35)

Jon’s gives an overview of his new book, Finish (14:00)

There’s an epidemic of people starting their goals, but not finishing (15:45)

What are the distractions that keep us from finishing? (17:19)

  • It will always be easier to start
  • Secret rules and fears
  • Self-sabotage

Is success sinful? (19:40)

Secret rules we each bring to our goals (21:05)

If you believe that what you’re creating can help people, not telling them isn’t kindness it’s cowardness (25:15)

When someone gives you the gift of a compliment and you reject it, you’re not being humble you’re just rejecting a gift (26:25)

What does research say about why we don’t achieve goals(28:15)

  • We don’t make our goals fun
  • We think we need to be miserable to matter
  • We measure achievement and satisfaction
  • It’s on us to make goals fun

Being reward-driven or fear-driven (32:00)

How do we select which goals we try to achieve (33:40)

We all like to feel productive, does that get in the way of us achieving goals? (37:05)

Getting past distractions and finding how you work best (38:40)

Dave and Ashley debrief on the wisdom Jon shared (45:05)