Send us a text

Have you started thinking about your year-end planning? Don’t make the mistake of jumping into planning and goal-setting before you have prepared to plan. In Episode 138 of Just One Simple Thing, you’ll learn four things you should do before you start your annual planning.

It’s the time of year where we start planning for next year. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to reflect on the past year and to set goals for next year, but before you get started, there are some things you can do to prepare and make the process a lot easier for you.

So let’s create your planning plan!

First, start off in prayer. We know this, right? But as you enter this season, it’s so vital that you do it along with God.

• Pray that God will show you the truth.
• Pray that God will show you what is important.
• Pray that God sparks a blazing passion for your message and a deep desire to serve your audience.

Second, gather up your stats. This info will tell you where your efforts are paying off and where they aren’t.

Third, start making a list of investments you want to make in your ministry or business. Once you start planning, you’ll be able to tell which ones will most likely support your goals.

Lastly, get some feedback from your audience. You can do this with a survey, or simple polls in your Instagram Stories, or just ask some questions in your Facebook group or email newsletter.

Action Step

Set aside a specific time to do your year-end planning and goal setting. Some people like to do it during the quiet space between Christmas and New Year’s. Others prefer to wait until everyone is back in the swing of things in January. Whichever works for you, mark it on your calendar.

If you are listening to this in real time in early December, check the show notes for a link to the Looking Back to Move Forward Challenge. It’s a FREE five-day challenge that will help you close the door on 2024, leave behind what you no longer need, and start framing up 2025. I hope you’ll join us!

RESOURCES

How to Create a Reader Survey including a free download of sample questions.

Looking Back to Move Forward Challenge

Be sure to subscribe to the NewLetter to receive free resources and podcast updates in your email every Monday. Sign up here.

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

If you feel like you are in a season of waiting, maybe it is really a season of preparation. And that preparation is part of God’s plan. Listen in to Episode 137 of Just One Simple Thing to learn how to navigate the preparation so you can get to the other side.

We have the most amazing group of ladies who join us monthly for our Saturday morning Plan & Pray sessions. One of our most faithful members is a mom of 12 kids (yes, 12!!) who, with her husband, is building a ministry to support families with Bible study and parenting resources.

In one of our sessions several months ago, Emmie said she hadn’t done much in the past month to actively build their ministry, but she had spent a lot of time decluttering their home. They thought maybe God was calling them to go on the road in some way to serve people where they are.

They were waiting on direction from the Lord, but in the meantime, were preparing for what may come. As I’ve watched this unfold over the weeks since then, a couple of things have struck me about our conversation that day.

First, a season of waiting becomes productive when you see it as season of preparation.

Sometimes, we view a season of waiting as just sitting on our hands and doing nothing. But I think most times, the season of waiting includes some type of preparation, and it may not make any sense.

Second, preparation makes God's preposterous plans possible.

A family with 12 kids loading up in an RV to do ministry on the road sounds crazy!

But God knows exactly how it can be done, and only a season of preparation could make it possible. That’s not something you can just wake up one morning and do. It takes months of planning and preparing.

Maybe God has given you a huge dream... one you can’t even picture. It’s big and it’s overwhelming and you don’t know how you’ll ever get there.

I promise you that if God has given you that dream, he is also going to prepare you for it. You may not even realize that the hardships you are enduring and the pain you are processing are part of the preparation for His preposterous plan for you.

ACTION STEP

Look at the unexpected things happening in your life right now... especially the ones that may feel like distractions and interruptions that may be putting you in a season of waiting. How could God be using those to prepare you for what’s next?

Emmie’s family is getting a little closer each day to heading off in that RV. I’m excited to see what God does with all of the preparation they’ve been through. If you’d like to follow along on their journey, connect with them at their website.

And if you’d like to be part of our monthly Plan & Pray sessions, join my free Facebook group Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing. That’s where you’ll find all the info and the zoom link the last Saturday of each month.

RESOURCES

Plan & Pray Facebook Group

Jim & Emmie Manor Website

Be sure to subscribe to the NewLetter to receive free resources and podcast updates in your email every Monday.

+++++++++++++++

How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

Welcome back to another episode of Just One Simple Thing! I’m so excited to spend this time with you, especially if you’re listening from the road, a hotel room, or maybe even an airport terminal—because today, we’re diving into a topic that’s close to my heart: how to balance your dream work while traveling for your full-time job.

As I prepare this episode, I’m sitting in a hotel room on a Saturday more than 2000 miles from home in between two legs of a business trip. I don’t know about you, but travel can easily disrupt my routines.

But—just because you're traveling doesn't mean you have to lose momentum.

The first thing to do is recognize the season you're in. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." When you’re on the road for work, it may be a season to be realistic and adjust how much time you can dedicate to your ministry, and that’s okay.

Even in busy seasons, we can take small but powerful steps toward our dreams.

1. Plan Ahead to Work Efficiently

Before heading out on your trip, think about the type of work that is easiest to do in settings you’ll be in.

Pro Tip: Download necessary files or apps beforehand so you can work offline if you need to, then sync up when you are back online.

2. Maximize Your Downtime

Use these times to catch up on tasks that don’t require a full setup—listen to podcasts related to your business, sketch out ideas, or even pray and seek God’s guidance for your next steps. Turning downtime into productive time can keep you moving forward without feeling overwhelmed.

3. Leverage Technology

Technology is a lifesaver when you’re on the move. The key is to simplify your tasks and make them as mobile as you are.

4. Prioritize Rest and Reflection

Traveling can be draining, and it’s easy to burn out if you’re constantly pushing yourself to be productive. Be intentional about setting aside downtime.

Don’t feel guilty about unplugging for a bit. Rest is a form of worship, and it’s in those quiet moments that God can recharge your spirit.

Action Step

Look at your upcoming travels and identify what tasks can be done on the go, and what needs to be done ahead. Set yourself up for success on your next trip!

Thanks for joining me today. Let’s be praying for each other as we pursue our calling while honoring all the work God has given us to do.

Resources

-The Move Forward Scripture Writing Journal is an easy way to stay in God’s Word when you have a busy schedule.

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

Could you meet your goals this fall by doing something called a "focused sprint"?  It sounds intense, but don't worry — it’s really quite fun and fulfilling! In Episode 135 of Just One Simple Thing, you’ll learn when and how to use this strategy in your ministry or business. 

So grab your favorite pumpkin spice pick-me-up and let’s get started.

As I’m recording this episode, it is Labor Day weekend …. the unofficial that all things Fall have started.

Fall gives us a window to reassess and realign with our purpose. It’s the perfect opportunity to shake off any discouragement and lean into the rest of the year with intentionality and purpose.

A focused sprint is about dedicating a specific period — like several weeks — to give your all to one or two important goals.

But first, let’s agree on what a sprint is NOT.

A sprint is not about running yourself ragged or pushing beyond what’s healthy.

Proverbs 16:3 encourages us with these words: "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans."

Practical tips to help you make the most of your Fall sprint:
1.Set Clear, God-Centered Goals
2. Break It Down into Bite-Sized Pieces
3.Create a Focused, Time-Bound Plan
4.Find a Rhythm That Works for You
5.Create Results-Focused Accountability
6.Say "No" to Distractions
7.Celebrate Each Small Win
8.Rest, Recharge, and Reflect

A focused sprint works because it taps into that powerful ability God has given us to concentrate our energy and passion on a specific purpose.

ACTION STEP
I’ve created a Sprint Planner just for you.  Head over to my free Facebook group Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing to download your free copy.  And if you are listening in real time the first week of September, my membership group The Honor Circle will be working through our sprint plans during this fall session, and it’s not too late to join

Thanks so much for listening today. If this episode was helpful to you, share it with a friend who might want to sprint with you.

RESOURCES:
The Honor Circle   membership group

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

Making decisions that stick can often be difficult for creatives and other communicators. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with ALL the things that we do nothing. A Decision-Making Framework can be the difference between nothing and the one thing God has called you to do. Tune in to Episode 134 of Just One Simple Thing to learn how to create your own custom framework.

Welcome back, friends! I hope by now, you’ve gotten a chance to listen to Episode 133, where I share the three reasons why you need a decision-making framework.

1. It helps you make decisions at all.
2. To make better decisions.
3. To stop second guessing.

That adds up to your framework acting like a filter.

You set up a way to evaluate tasks and ideas according to what matters to you. And then only the things that fit and are valuable will make it through your filter.  

So how do you create a framework?

• Start by identifying the criteria you want to judge your ideas and tasks by.
• Choose four or five things that you value, or that support your goals.
• Next, list the ideas or tasks you have in front of you.
• Rate each one by how well it meets each of the criteria.
• Add up the scores and see where they land! You might be surprised which ones have the highest totals and which are near the bottom of the pack.

When you get to the end of your framework, you need to pray over the results. Always leave room for the Holy Spirit to direct and guide.

ACTION STEP

If you need to see an example, I’d love for you to join me at the Now, Next, Not Yet workshop. I’ll also show you what to do with all those ideas after you have ranked them...what’s for now, what’s next, and what’s not yet. It’s a free workshop that I’m hosting live on Aug. 22, 2024, or if you are listening after that, you can get the free recording. Just go to doanewthing.com/priority for all the details. And I promise, this is completely free with no sales pitch at the end.

Thanks for joining me today. I hope I see you at the workshop, and that you’ll bring a friend!

RESOURCES
Now, Next, Not Yet workshop - Sign up here!

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

The number one issue I hear from writers and other Christian communicators is they have too many ideas and never know for sure if they are working on the right things. If that sounds like you, listen in to Episode 133 of Just One Simple Thing as you’ll learn how a decision-making framework can help.

Hello, friends!  If you are listening in real time in late summer, 2024, you might know that I have been on my regular summer break.  I’m glad to be back. I didn’t do anything super exciting over the summer … busy at my full-time job and hanging out with my family and friends.   

Many of you went to one of the amazing writers' conferences that happen over months when school is out. Whether it was your first time, or you are a conference veteran, the days and weeks afterwards can be hard.  You are pumped up and excited about all the possibilities. But you are also overwhelmed by…. all the possibilities. 

Even if you didn’t go to a conference, I bet you still have a tornado of ideas swirling around in your head.

Over the years, I’ve developed some strategies to sort through all the ideas and decide what is for now, what is next, and what is not yet.

It all starts with a decision-making framework.  

What is a decision-making framework?  It’s a set of criteria and a systematic way of evaluating options, filtering the million ideas floating around in your head. 

Let’s look at some of reasons why you need a framework.

1. To make decisions at all. A decision-making framework can overcome that overwhelm … it helps you step back and gives you a basis for making sound plans.  
2. To make better decisions. When we are making decisions from a place of overwhelm and stress, we usually make bad decisions. The framework takes away some of that bias and emotion because it is an objective evaluation based on specific criteria.
3. To stop second guessing. When you’ve made an objective decision or prioritized your ideas based on a repeatable framework, you’ll be able to move forward with confidence, and close the door on that second guessing.

You invested a lot to go to that conference, and you don’t want that investment to go to waste.  In his second epistle, John gives us a warning: “Be careful that you don’t destroy what we’ve worked for, but that you receive your full reward.”  Don’t let decision paralysis destroy all of the great ideas the Lord has given you.

Action Step

Gather up some ideas that you have been considering - maybe it is a long list of things you learned at a conference, or that never-ending stream of brilliant ideas that overwhelm you. Then join me back here for the next episode when I’ll teach you how to create your own decision-making framework. 

If you went to a conference, be sure to send this episode to the friends you made there.  If you are overwhelmed, I bet they are too. 

RESOURCES

Now, Next, Not Yet:  A Framework for Setting Priorities that Stick – Join me for this free workshop where I’ll share my own framework and how I use it. 

Join our community in the free Facebook Group Plan & Play with Do A New Thing for support, encoura

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

I say all the time that my favorite thing to do in my weekly tasks is writing my email newsletter. There’s just something special about connecting directly with the Do ANew Thing Community. My friend Ruthie Gray agrees with me. She and I sat down recently and talked about ways you can nurture your audience through your email newsletter. Listen in to this fun conversation.

Hello, friends, and welcome to Episode 132 of Just One Simple Thing! If you are a frequent listener, you know that I almost never have interviews on the podcast. I just don’t have the bandwidth forthe extra work that comes with having a guest. 

BUT every once in a while, a fun opportunity comes along that I can’t pass up. Ruthie Gray and I recorded a two-part conversation .... Half is on her podcast, Authentic Online Marketing, and half is here. You can listen to them in either order, but this half has some specific ideas for what to put in your email newsletter. So listen in and then be sure to go listen to the other half of our conversation on Ruthie’s podcast.

Ideas For Your Newsletter:

• Personal reflections
• Specific tips or tasks to help people take action
• Ways to engage with your community
• Community member spotlight
• Recommended resources
• Book focus -suggested reading for your niche
• Flash Back
• Hot Topics
• What I Learned This Week

A Word about Quantity:

• People are busy and won’t read everything, even from their favorite sources
• Make sure it is sustainable
• Offer an opt-out during special promotions
• Re-send with caution

A Word about Unsubscribes

• Don’t take it personally ... if they unsubscribe, they aren’t your people
• Natural pruning of your list
• Bless and release!

ACTION STEP
Connect with Ruthie on her website, podcast, and Instagram.

Wasn’t that fun? Thanks for hanging out with me and Ruthie today. Be sure to head over to Ruthie’s podcast, Authentic Online Marketing, to catch Part 1 of this conversation in Episode 109.

RESOURCES
Authentic Online Marketing Podcast Episode 109 –Email Ideas (That Work) For Nurturing Your Audience

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

Are you frustrated by all the complicated marketing jargon and overwhelmed by sales pages, value propositions, and check-out carts? Well, I have good news for you! All marketing can be boiled down to just one simple thing. Want to know what it is? Dive in to Episode 131.

Recently, I was working with a new client on articulating her brand.

She’s in a completely different field than me or the people I normallyserve ... not a writer, speaker, podcaster. A totally different field.

I realized that her clients feel the same way as my clients. And what she offers her clients is the same thing I offer mine.

The content and the methods are completely different, but the basic motivations are the same. In a world overrun with complicated strategies and tactics, we’ve made marketing way too hard. The truth is, at its core, all marketing boils down to one simple thing –connecting your audience's deep-felt need with your ability to help solve their problem.

When you can keep that simple truth in mind, you’ll attract the people who need what you offer, even if you don’t have the snappiest conversion copy or slickest checkout cart.

Let’s talk about some practical ways you can do that.

1. The first point is to keep your marketing relatable to your market.

2. Another important aspect of effective marketing is using your audience's own words to describe their problems and emotions.

3. If the key to good marketing is to understand your clients’ need and how you can meet it, keep this attitude throughout the entire sales funnel.

ACTION STEP
Head over to my free Facebook group, Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing, and grab your Business Thesaurus worksheet. Keep those words in front of you to reference often.

Let's remember that marketing doesn't have to be scary or complicated. By connecting with your audience's deep-felt needs and showing how your offer can meet those needs, you can build connections and drive results. Thanks for tuning in today. I hope you meet me back here next time, and bring a friend.

RESOURCES
Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing –Facebook group where you can find the Business Thesaurus worksheet

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

Have you ever thought about the difference between goals and priorities? Did you even recognize that there IS a difference? Join me in Episode 130 of Just One Simple Thing as we dive into this idea. We’ll talk about the difference, what happens when they are aligned, and what to do when they can’t be aligned. Shall we?

Hello, friends! Today, I want to loop you into a conversation that’s been happening in my membership, The Honor Circle, AND in some real life circles where I have been hanging out. It’s this idea of the difference between goals and priorities, and, specifically, what to do when your goals and priorities are not aligned.

Goals are the targets we set for our ministries or businesses.  They drive us forward, giving us purpose and direction. They are born out of the passion the Lord has given us for our message.

Life's priorities are the realities we face.  They often dictate how much time and energy we can devote to our goals. 

Aligning goals with life's priorities becomes a frustrating tightrope walk. You're torn between pursuing your dreams .... The dreams that God has given you ....and fulfilling your responsibilities, which have also been given to you by God. It's a dilemma many of us face, isn't it?

We can all agree that life is so much easier when our goals align with our priorities. We have clarity, balance, and consistent progress. But what do we do when our goals and life's priorities don’t match up?

First, we can practice patience and give ourselves grace.  It's okay to reassess our goals and adjust our expectations as life unfolds.

Secondly, we can embrace flexibility and creativity in our approach. 

Pro tip .... Keep a 20-minute List handy ... a list of quick but productive things you can knock out whenever you find a few unexpected minutes. You’ll find more ideas about this way back in Episode 11. It’s also something we work on in our monthly free Plan & Pray sessions.

And finally, let's prioritize self-care and rest.  It may sound funny to say I’m working hard to rest, but I know you other go-getter Jesus girls totally get it.

You’ll never NOT feel a little guilty that you aren’t doing more for this dream that God gave you, because there will ALWAYS be more to do. But when God called you to this dream, He also knew your priorities. 

ACTION STEP
Put a circle around the last Saturday of every month. That’s when we have our monthly Plan & Pray or Quarterly Strategic Planning sessions. Keep an eye on my email newsletter or social media to get connected.

Thank you for joining me today on Just One Simple Thing. If you have a friend who is also struggling with the balance between goals and priorities, please share this episode with her. You’ll be glad you did, and so will she.

RESOURCES
Episode 11 How to Make 10 Minutes Matter
Plan & Pray Facebook Group
Build A Better Quarter Strategic Planning sessions

+++++++++++++++

How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.   

Send us a text

Have you created your plan for this month?  How do you know if it’s a good plan, or a frustrating one that will keep you from moving forward?  In Episode 129 of Just One Simple Thing, I’m sharing the four things I look for when I review plans for my clients.

As I am recording this, we are at the start of the 2nd quarter of 2024. I can’t believe the first quarter is over! 

 In this quarter of the Honor Circle, we are going back to the basics of creating solid plans to move our goals forward. I just finished reviewing everyone’s plans and giving personal feedback. I thought it might be helpful to share with you guys what I look for when I review plans, and some of the feedback I’ve given. So you can review your own plans for the month 

Take a look at your plans for the month and

• make sure your actions support your priorities 
• The plan is not unnecessarily complicated
• It can actually all get done, and predecide what will drop off if things go haywire
• And your plan fits into your life and is it good for your life?

 ACTION STEP

Head over to my free Facebook Group, Plan and Pray with Do A New Thing, and grab my Monthly Plan worksheet. 

If you are unsure about your plans and want a professional review, I’d love to do that for you. Click here to sign up!  I’ll get personal feedback to you within 48 hours. 

 RESOURCES:

 Personal Plan Review sign up

+++++++++++++++

How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you,  you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.