More good stuff from Mahaney

In Dec I posted about the good things I was getting from CJ Mahaney’s articles on productivity and goals. He has continued the series and I have kept reading them. The one from this week was really good and I want to share it with you. He’s talking about goals and how his goals flow from his relationships.

His goals fit two primary categories – to serve and to surprise the person. Then he gives ways to think about someone, things to know about them so you can then identify specific ways to create goals that serve and surprise. As I read this, I realized I would love to be known this well, and I would love to know others this well so that I can serve them. Often I don’t do something because I’m not sure what another person would really want. The answer to that is I should know them better.

Here are his two lists of things to know. These are for his spouse, you wouldn’t know these kinds of things about your friends and other family, but it’s a great place to start.

Do you know how to surprise and delight your wife in specific ways in each of these areas?

• clothing sizes, styles, and stores
• jewelry
• health
• exercise
• books and magazines
• movies
• the arts
• sports
• food
• music
• entertainment
• places to visit
• intellectual interests
• hobbies
• vacations/getaways
• and, of course, sex

Do you know how your wife is faring in each of these areas?

• theological knowledge
• practice of the spiritual disciplines
• growth in godliness
• spiritual gifts that can be used to serve others
• involvement in the local church
• relationships with children
• relationships with parents
• relationships with in-laws
• relationships with friends
• personal retreats
• fears
• hopes
• dreams
• disappointments
• temptations