How I Reached a 12-Month Goal in Only 12 Weeks

We are still in the opening phase of a year that’s filled with possibilities.

In my last email, I introduced you to the concept of reaching yearly goals by compressing them into 12-week segments.

This method can change how you focus.

It can help you get better results.

And today, I want to give you a real-life example of how I achieved an “impossible goal” in only 12 weeks by incorporating spiritual tools.

A Summer Challenge

In the summer of 1981, I was a Bible School student between semesters. I had bills to pay and needed money for my pending wedding. II had to make a lot of money, and I had to do it in a short amount of time.

Thankfully, my contacts produced a contract position with a petroleum company that needed someone to secure leases for certain mineral rights in a Mississippi county.

In late May, I sat down with the company’s regional director in his Memphis office. He showed me the territory I’d be working and the company’s goal for the number of acres they wanted to lease by the end of the year.

The company had made no progress toward that goal.
I’d be the fourth representative they sent into that territory.
Most landowners had been contacted at least twice (sometime three times) and had turned down the company’s offers.

He set before me what many would call an "impossible goal" when framed as a yearly quota. To make matters even more daunting, I decided (on my own) to hit that target during the 13 weeks of my summer break.

Let me paint the picture for you.

I was facing:

A target set as a yearly goal—not a quarterly one.
Landowners who had heard the pitch multiple times and had firmly declined.
A tight timeline, giving me no room for trial-and-error strategies.

On paper, the odds were stacked against me. This seemed like a guaranteed failure. But something within me wanted to take on the challenge and learn something in the process.

1. Set Your Goal

The first step was clarity. I’d set a goal—acquiring the year’s quota in 13 weeks.

This is the same principle I encourage you to apply.

What do you want to achieve by the end of the year?

Is it starting a new business, improving a relationship, or growing closer to God?

Be very clear about what you want to happen. Make it measurable.

Write down the vision And inscribe it clearly on tablets, So that one who reads it may run.
— Habakkuk 2:2 NAS

Clarity of vision is the key to achieving your objectives.
— Tom Steyer

The more clear you are about exactly what you want, the more likely you are to achieve it.
— Billy Cox

A lack of clarity could put the brakes on any journey to success.
— Steve Maraboli

After reaching clarity, submit it to the Holy Spirit in prayer.

2. Pray into Your Goal

Setting a clear goal was just the first step.

I spent the first week familiarizing myself with the territory and doing research in the county courthouse. As I drove through the area, I prayed in tongues, asking for a solution.

The challenge felt too big. I knew I couldn’t rely on my own strength or ideas. I turned to the Holy Spirit, asking Him to show me how to approach the goal.

I first submitted the 13-week plan to the Holy Spirit to find out how to do it.

After several sessions of praying in tongues, I suddenly saw how I could break that annual goal into 12 equal weekly goals.

This process alone gave me a sense of focus and direction.

By breaking that daunting 12-month goal into 12 equal weekly targets, I gained both clarity and confidence to tackle each step systematically.

I then submitted each weekly goal to the Holy Spirit and asked Him to help me "pray it through."

Each week, I asked the Holy Spirit to help me “pray the perfect will of God” so I could reach that week’s goal.

I then began to pray in tongues and contact the landowners.

Some weeks, this process felt effortless. The Spirit seemed to clear the way before me, and landowners were unexpectedly receptive.

Other weeks, it felt like hitting a wall. It was hard to talk to people, and the resistance was clear. During those times, prayer became an act of spiritual work—like plowing through hard ground. My prayers in tongues shifted in intensity, reflecting the spiritual effort needed to push through unseen barriers.

It was about partnering with the Holy Spirit to address unseen barriers and open doors that only He could open. The key was perseverance in prayer, especially when it felt like nothing was happening.

Breakthrough Moments

One week, I remember the prayers as I drove my car from appointment to appointment. I was pressing through the resistance. The prayer was intense and seemed unending. Finally, my prayer broke into rejoicing. At that point I KNEW I would meet my goal that week.

It looked bleak in the physical realm. But a few minutes before I had to submit my weekly progress report, everything shifted. A landowner who had previously hesitated signed her lease, and I surpassed that week’s goal.

By the end of the 13 weeks, I had achieved phenomenal results. These outcomes were a testament to the power of persistence, prayer, and strategic action.

While I fell slightly short of the yearly target, I came incredibly close—far closer than anyone thought possible.

This was more than just working hard and putting in the physical action to contact landowners.

Remember, these landowners had already said, "No" two and three times.

Success required the power of specific prayer combined with action focused on clear goals.

What I Learned

Persistent Prayer Opens Doors: Through the Holy Spirit, we overcome obstacles beyond our sight or understanding. Without prayer, I wouldn’t have achieved even half of what I did.
Consistency Beats Resistance: The weeks I got tired of pressing forward cost me results. The weeks I pressed through yielded breakthroughs.
Faith Requires Action: Move forward with faith, trusting the Holy Spirit will remove resistance and guide your steps.

Now Let’s Bring This Home

What is your “Impossible Goal?”

Is there something in your life that feels out of reach?

Maybe it’s a financial breakthrough, healing, or a restored relationship. Whatever it is, I want to encourage you to take these steps:

Determine Your Goal: Be specific. Write it down. Then find a way to condense it (or part of it) into the next 12 weeks.
Submit It to the Holy Spirit: Spend time in prayer. Ask Him to help you pray the solution, trusting that He knows how to get you from point A to point B.
Commit to Consistency: Make a daily habit of praying into your goal. Even when it feels like nothing is happening, keep going. The breakthrough often comes when you least expect it.

If you haven’t set an “impossible goal,” what are you waiting for? What are you afraid of?

What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Romans 8:31 BSB

Partnering with the Holy Spirit

When you invite the Holy Spirit into your plans, you’re no longer striving in your own strength. The Holy Spirit helps you tap into God's wisdom and power.

And this partnership isn’t just about achieving goals; it’s about transforming your relationship with the Holy Spirit. He's not just a distant figure. You're learning to make Him an active participant in your life—someone who cares deeply about your dreams and is invested in your success.

A Challenge for You

This week, I challenge you to put these principles into action. Here’s how:

Write down one “impossible goal” you want to achieve in the next 12 weeks. Be bold! Don’t limit yourself to what seems realistic.
Submit that goal to the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to help you pray the perfect will of God for that situation.
Do one thing every day to move closer to your goal. Even small actions, combined with faith and prayer, can lead to extraordinary results.

A Word of Encouragement

Remember, this process isn’t about perfection.

There will be weeks when you feel discouraged, when progress seems slow, or when resistance feels overwhelming. That’s okay. The key is to keep going.

Every prayer, every step, every action is building momentum, even when you can’t see it.

As the Apostle Paul reminds us:

And this is the confidence we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
— 1 John 5:14 BSB

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
— Romans 8:26 NLT

Lean into that truth. The Holy Spirit is interceding on your behalf, aligning your prayers with God’s perfect will.