Think Ahead: 7 Decisions You Can Make Today for the God-Honoring Life You Want Tomorrow

by Craig Groeschel

Why do we keep making choices we later regret--sometimes even the same bad choices over and over? Drawing on Scripture, story, and cutting-edge research into human behavior, pastor Craig Groeschel reveals the key to making the choices we want to make and experiencing the joy and freedom God has for us. We all want to make great decisions. So what happens between our good intentions and the choices we actually make in the moment? If only we could make decisions ahead of time rather than when we're under stress, overwhelmed, or swayed by fear or emotion. In Think Ahead , we learn how to do just that. Pastor Craig Groeschel knows from personal experience and as a counselor to others what being trapped in a cycle of poor decision-making is like. In Think Ahead , he shares what he has discovered about the power of "pre-deciding." With thought-provoking exercises and questions for reflection, this interactive book teaches us that the quality of our decisions determines the quality of our lives. Think Ahead will help Becoming the person you want to be starts before you even make a decision. In Think Ahead , you'll discover the power of making decisions today to help you live the life you want to have tomorrow.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Leadership, Faith, Personal Development, Christianity, Self Help

288 pages, Hardcover

Published February 20, 2024

About the author

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, a multisite church with locations throughout the United States and globally at Life.Church Online.

Craig and his wife Amy started Life.Church in a two-car garage in Edmond, Oklahoma in January 1996. While Life.Church has grown over the years, its mission remains the same: to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Today, the church is known for its innovative use of technology to spread the Gospel, launching the first fully digital church experience in 2006 and the most downloaded Bible app in history, YouVersion, in 2008.

As a widely respected leader in the Church, Craig speaks frequently at leadership events and conferences worldwide. He is a New York Times best-selling author with books about topics like dating and marriage, social media, purpose, direction, church leadership, and more. He also hosts the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, a practical tool to spark new ideas and prompt innovative thinking in leaders at every level within any organization.

Craig and Amy married in 1991 and have six children. They live in Oklahoma where Life.Church began.

Visit www.craiggroeschel.com to be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, books, leadership events, and more.

Reviews

[Briah Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best practical Christian books I’ve ever read. Each chapter I was inspired and implemented change.

[Emily Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The key to making good decisions is pre-decision.”

Potentially the best practical Christian book I have ever read.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE 2nd read: This one made my reread list. I'm not sure I liked it as much this time around, but I'm not going to tamper with my original rating.

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I loved this one. I needed a good preaching and this one fit the bill.

I liked his positivity. Even when saying hard things, he managed to encourage and help, and not condemn or judge. I think the use of scripture stories helped with that.

This author is new to me and I was happy to see that my library has more of his books. I'll get to them soon. 5 stars for this one. I'd read it again and again.

[Aby Nikkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is full of super practical ideas that will influence the decisions you make greatly. In our world today, there are SO many decisions to be made. But what if you already made up your mind about how you will honor God in choices, so that when the time comes, you’re already prepared with what to do? That’s what Pastor Craig suggests with his seven pre-decisions. It’s so applicable and understandable. He really spells in out for you, so that there’s no room for excuses! You have everything you need to make the right choices and honor the Father with your life.

[Cassidy Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

really liked this one!! really appreciated how he gave super practical and helpful tips in each part that made it easy to apply!! it provided great discussion in our book club, too, so definitely recommend :)

[Jaci Kimble · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4⭐️] Great content about being disciplined especially when it comes to your walk with Christ! I think some of the points would’ve stuck with me more if I had physically read it instead of just audiobooked it

[Peter Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book great thoughts and insights worth the read

[Álvaro Couto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is my biggest takeaway: “You are successful when you do what you need to do today.”

God, I will be consistent by remembering why, allowing myself to fail and falling in love with the process. Amen.

[Anthony Hessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is difficult to put into words how impactful and empowering this book is. Covering the seven key decisions to make in order to lead a God-honoring life - be ready, be devoted, be faithful, be an influencer, be generous, be consistent, and be a finisher - Craig does a masterful job of methodically covering each area with scientific and biblical truths, leading to a rock-solid game plan for anyone looking to make sincere and lasting change in their life through the power of deciding who they want to become as a person and a child of God. I love the way in which the book covers and gives practical insight for how to effectively and routinely think ahead and pre-decide in each of the key areas, tying in examples of myriad people who have succeeded throughout history - most importantly God’s own son, Jesus Christ, and how He made the same pre-decisions for us. This truth helps me want to make these same life-changing and defining decisions for Him as I am equipped and ready to choose who I will become as a true child of God.

[Utah Kershner · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading “Winning the War in Your Mind” by Craig Groeschel, I knew that I had to read this one as soon as I could. it did not disappoint. Pastor Craig outlines seven principles or decisions that we can make ahead of time to drastically improve the way we live. He teaches the art of pre-decision - making decisions now about how we live and operate that we will continue to follow going forward. through this, he helps us to see how we can radically cut down the 35,000 daily decisions that the average person makes in order to make our lives more efficient, more successful, and more God-honoring. I highly recommend reading this book if you get a chance.

[Tara | Mercyandgracereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think Ahead by Craig Groeschel

I listened to the audiobook of this Christian nonfiction. I truly enjoyed the straightforward, approachable writing style. The concept of pre-deciding is so interesting. I also enjoyed how this book was sectioned out in short accessible points rather than full chapters.
My favorite quote is
“The devil doesn’t need to destroy you if he can distract you.” The entire section on devotion to God was my favorite, but each of the seven points build on one another. I highly recommend this book for adults and even older teenagers.

[Karolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Great listen. Used some impactful truths to lead my kids. Especially when they are facing anxiety or roadblocks by making plans to overcome obstacles by thinking ahead.
“The devil can’t destroy you- but he can distract you. And if he can distract you, you will destroy yourself.” Such a powerful statement.

[Kade Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refresh Book Club 2025

Going through this book with some students in my youth group was very great and I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with decisions and needs help on taking control of their life.

[Erica Jimenez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is full of great reminders and served as a reset, but I think Craig’s other books are slightly better.

[Lena Nel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for Bible study. “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” Jos. 24:15

[Beth Salas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is practical but I would’ve loved to hear from his wife, Amy. He mentions her quite a bit.

[Andi Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former staff member and current attender of Life.Church, I have so much respect for Craig as a pastor and leader. He lives the most disciplined life I have ever witnessed and is the resident Subject Matter Expert on planning for success and putting actionable steps in place to achieve goals.

Think Ahead outlines practical steps to overcoming your biggest challenges - regardless of what those are. Craig shares advice that translates across to helping break a wide range of bad habits and hang ups.

In addition to the practical advice, Craig shared his own journey with temptation and several funny stories to bring points home.

It’s an easy read and the audio book is narrated so well!

[Ashley Provencher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing Pastor Craig book!

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book from a book club that were fans of Craig Groeschel. This group has read his former books, both “Winning the War in Your Mind” and “The Power of Change." Given one dealt with “the past (repairing the mind)” the other with “focusing on the present (mindset)” – I expected this book to cover the future (planning ahead). I enjoyed how Craig keeps things well organized and to the point (his presentation, the main ideas, the structure, explanations, and the chapter summaries are nice!). He does well keeping straight to the point and avoiding overcomplicating things.

In “Think Ahead,” each chapter focuses on one of seven “pre-decisions” someone can make to live a Christian life. This was not a favorite topic for me but I was curious at first. I would not have been able to make it through this book if it weren’t for wanting to be a part of the book club's weekly discussion. There were points and reasonings shared I didn’t quite resonate or relation. However, this book helped me practice to listen more to others, improve connection with differing views, and communicating better in a group setting.

THE SEVEN PRE-DECISIONS “SELF CONTRACTS” ONE CAN MAKE TO GET MORE IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH:
I am ready
I am devoted
I am faithful
I am influential
I am generous
I am consistent
(when I commit, I don’t quit) I am a finisher

WHAT I ENJOYED THE MOST FROM EACH SECTION:

INTRODUCTION: THE POWER OF PRE-DECIDING
The quality of our decisions determines the quality of our lives.

The 3 enemies of excellent choices:
1. Overwhelm
2. Fear (Indecision is a decision and often the enemy of progress.)
3. Emotion

In their book Decisive, Chip Heath and Dan Heath show through their extensive research that we are biologically hardwired to act foolishly and behave irrationally. We let emotion overrule logic.

To make excellent choices we need to think ahead, to ask…
“What are the consequences of this choice?”
“What path does this decision put me on?”

C. S. Lewis, a brilliant Christian thinker and author, wrote about this in his book Mere Christianity: “Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.”

PART 1: PRE-DECIDE TO BE READY
“Move the Line.” Few people plan to wreck their lives. But even fewer people plan not to. Instead of being unwise, unaware, and unalert, we are making up our minds to be ready for the moment of temptation.
We are pre-deciding to move the line (set yourself limits because…)

After I have established a goal and a why … in order to make that a habit, I will need to plan ahead to sacrifice (or cut time) in a different area that does not build into that new priority. (for instance, cutting social media or online shopping).
Two important reminders:
1.) Your willpower will wane and wear out.
2.) Self-control is a limited resource. The more we use, the less we have.

When we pre-decide what’s more important to us and the reason. We can pre-decide to move the line by setting limits on our doom scrolling and limiting our recreational online presence that has no contribution to our mission.

PART 2: PRE-DECIDE TO BE DEVOTED (In my own words…)
Connect with peace and regularly make it a habit to grow in that peace and release control.

PART 3: PRE-DECIDE TO BE FAITHFUL
Top one-word goal people used to describe their life were Successful, Influential, & Happy.
Craig Groeschel said no one-word goal is better than “Faithful”
(how you treat people, how you steward resources, and how you respond to God).

A person who is generous (a faithful steward of their time & money) lives selflessly.

The natural way people think is about themselves.
Pre-decide to value others (show grace, meet needs, forgive, build-up, bless, serve, and speak words of life)
Being "faithful" is to “trust in God more than yourself.”

God wants us to form a strong bond with him through that dependence. But if we play it safe, we don’t really need God.

PART 4: PRE-DECIDE TO BE AN INFLUENCER (In my own words…)
Pre-decide to have compassion for others.

PART 5: PRE-DECIDE TO BE GENEROUS
We are all selfish, but no one thinks they’re selfish. We’re hardwired not to detect selfishness in ourselves

Impulsive behavior or negative emotions can fuel us to consume, but the endorphin rush quickly fades.
Generosity creates a lasting effect that feels good every time you think about it.

PART 6: PRE-DECIDE TO BE CONSISTENT
I am constantly reminded that these areas of mindset, attitude, and decisions are some of our greatest challenges in life and faith.

Consistency is the quality that is most important to the trajectory of the rest of your life, to your spiritual strength, ministry impact, physical health, relational intimacy, work success, and financial potential.

Start with Why …
For instance, I work-out at the gym to stay busy and mindful so I can be present for others. It is important for me to keep a positive mindset. It is important to not ruminate on the past. It is important for me not to worry about the future. It is important for me to be experience successes and never compare myself to anyone. It is important to naturally release dopamine and endorphins in my head that make me happier.

Remember when your willpower wanes or wears out – switch to why-power.

Focusing on results is the downfall of people who want to be consistent - instead we are going to fall in love with the process

PART 7: PRE-DECIDE TO BE A FINISHER
Pre-decided that when I commit, you do not quit.

That decision to persevere is so much bigger than the job or obligation. It was about character. It was about mindset. It was about commitment. In every area of life, be a person who finishes what they start.
Perseverance is the path to greatness.
Grit is a strength of character that refuses to quit.
Grit is perseverance even in the face of adversity.

Angela Duckworth is a brilliant scholar—she went to Harvard and Oxford—and has spent years studying why successful people succeed. She explains that people who are successful set a goal and are willing to give up lesser goals. Every morning, they get up, point themselves in the direction of their goal, and take a step toward it. They don’t hope to accomplish it. They don’t daydream about it. They focus their reality on achieving the goal.

Successful people succeed because of grit.

That’s really good news for you and me. It means…
• it’s okay if you’re not the most talented,
• it’s not a problem if you don’t know the right people,
• it’s not the end of the world if you’re not especially educated.

Grit is what separates average from amazing. So, why do so many give up?

Why People Quit...
a. People quit is because they give themselves the option of quitting.
• To be clear, I’m not saying you should never quit. There are times you should strategically quit something.
• You might want to quit one job to take one with better hours so you can spend more time with your kids.
• You might quit your major in school to pursue something more meaningful to you.
• Perhaps you are in a dead-end dating relationship that is distracting you from pursuing Jesus. You’d probably be wise to quit that relationship and trust God for something better.
• Couples who don’t consider divorce an option fight through the difficulties and figure out how to make their marriages work. Couples who consider it an option are more likely to bail when the difficulties seem unbearable.

b. “Seeing through the Fog” We quit because we can’t see the future.
• We have a goal, but so often it doesn’t seem within reach. But that’s okay b/c:
• We embrace boring. We consider it a win every day we show up.
• We move forward with why-power. Remember, we start with why and keep our why fixed before us. We know what we’re fighting for.
• We know reward is coming. “At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Gal. 6:9 NLT). People who persevere look forward to the rewards of greatness. They see what cannot be seen.

c. People quit because it’s hard.
• It’s always hard, but it’s always hard for everyone. You’re not alone. And those who persevere stop feeling sorry for themselves and learn to embrace the difficulties.
• In his book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell shares those statistics, and stories of multitudes of people who chose to overcome … Gladwell suggests that those who have overcome disability or disadvantage succeed not in spite of their circumstances but because of them.

You take another step because you are not running for yourself. You’re running for God.

CONCLUSION: PRE-CHOOSE THIS DAY
Kobe Bryant was amazeballs at basketball. Why was Kobe so crazy good? Kobe Bryant said it was the power of pre-decision. … He committed to growing his game, skill by skill, over the long haul. Each year he would pre-decide one improvement to focus on. He emphasized the need to work consistently, being patient as he gradually caught up to and then surpassed the other players. He said his plan looked like this: Monday—get better. Tuesday—get better. Wednesday—get better. Do that over three, four, five, ten years and “you will get where you need to go.” Kobe Bryant said that “the results don’t really matter” because it was all about falling in love with the process.

When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Kobe said, “To think of me as a person that’s overachieved, that would mean a lot to me. I would say pre-decisions made Kobe, Kobe. But Kobe called them “contracts.” Each year he made a contract with himself for what he would do to take his game to the next level.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
I could really enjoy the general psychology behind this book. I could relate with the importance of not being selfish, developing why statements to your goals, the importance of consistency and falling in love with the process, and the importance of perseverance and grit. People who are successful don’t hope or daydream about accomplishing it – they make contracts with themselves and commit each day with a strong why to take a step towards it. It was also good to be reminded of the wellness that comes with servitude and humility (mainly, continuing to practice thinking about others). By “pre-deciding” ahead - the typical 35,000 choices you make every day no longer seem overwhelming. By defining a solid “why” you more easily stay on path and maintain consistency. By falling in love with the process you can avoid worrying about the future and each day move ahead.

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A local church is going through this book as a church, so I thought I would look into it and just see what this church is promoting and encouraging people to read.

I think the fact that I could read it in one setting says a lot about a book. I know I’m a fast reader, but the resistance my brain received while pouring through the copious stories of different examples to validate the seven steps was nonexistent.

I find a book that is promoted to people who are Christians should acknowledge the importance of our relationship with God before page 69. I think it should be also focused on in every single chapter not just one.

Once he started reminding people that ultimately we grow in all areas of our life by growing in our relationship with God, I thought the book could turn a page that I wasn’t expecting. But that quickly faded into a distant memory and it was back to a self-help book with Christian terminology splattered throughout.

I think we’ve lost the ability to challenge people and encourage them to do hard things. We know that following Jesus is not easy. It’s hard and goes against every part of our culture When we make things so easy, we keep in the extravagant grace bestow upon us through his active sacrifice on the cross.. people like this author and many who are selling Christian books these days follow his formula to a T. We follow simple steps and boom, it all comes together like it’s supposed to. But what that creates is a culture of people who hide the struggle, who hide their pain and suffering because it didn’t work like the self-help book told him. They don’t wanna look like the failures that most people feel like after reading and falling books like these. It didn’t work as easy as the pastor told him it would, so they must be the exception to the rule.

God is not a formula. In fact, C. S. Lewis says in his book The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, “Is he safe? No he is not safe, but he is good.” We minimize the awesomeness of God by reducing the life of a disciple to several steps.

This book will set more people up to fail than succeeded. No amount of thinking ahead will ever prepare people if they’re not well girded in a deep relationship with God that comes through knowing his character. All the steps that were mentioned in this book are good enough in and of themselves. But the reason why we can do those steps is because we know the character and heart of God. I don’t recall that ever being mentioned nor focused on in this book.

If you want to understand how to live a meaningful life, this book will not offer that. If you want to strive and keep yourself busy, doing things that make you feel good producing little eternal fruit, this is your book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just as much about changing the way you think as it is about learning to think ahead. Much of our thinking habits are routine, and most of them we'd like to change. That's one of the main premises behind this book: that we can choose how we are going to think or respond to particular situations ahead of time.

The author invites the reader to make seven decisions regarding the way they will think and act. He goes into great detail explaining the power of these seven decisions and gives compelling examples as proof of the benefit of thinking ahead.

This book interested me because I just finished a year of reading about the brain, and the way the brain functions. I felt that this book was a great follow-up from the technical read into practical steps to train the brain to be more in line with the way we want to live.

Here are a couple of my favorite thoughts from the Book:

"To make great decisions we need to think ahead, to ask, What are the consequences of this choice? What path does this decision put me on? (Groeschel, Craig. Think Ahead (p. 6). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.)

"Your decisions determine your direction, and your direction determines your destiny." (Groeschel, Craig. Think Ahead (p. 8). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.)

"But we learn here that to Jesus the opposite of faithful is lazy." (Groeschel, Craig. Think Ahead (p. 92). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.)

"Obedience is our responsibility. The outcome is God’s. We want to be faithful, and that means pre-deciding that we will obey every prompting. Sometimes you’ll see the reason for the prompting, but other times you won’t." (Groeschel, Craig. Think Ahead (p. 96). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.)

I recommend this book for those who are striving to keep their minds in the right place and for those who are trying to master their thinking. Seven decisions can put our minds in the proper place and set us up for success.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Self-help books are a dime a dozen now. Everyone has a way of making your life more meaningful, of how to get motivated to make changes that are good for us.

Some can be really good but in order to make the best, longest lasting changes we need God and that is where books like this come in. I know some people really hate the idea of self-help Christian books but God is not just offering us salvation, he is offering us ways to live better and to make ourselves better so we can serve Him better. Books like this motivate me to do that.

I want to honour God with my life. This gives me practical things I can incorporate to do that. It is a good reminder that every decision I make is important to what my tomorrow and years ahead will look like.

One thing that struck me hard was that the opposite of faithful is lazy. Too many times I have been a lazy Christian. This was a perfect book to start my New Year off with.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if the decisions we make today lead to the opportunities of tomorrow? Everyday we make so many decisions and each having a different degree of importance. If we are wanting to invest into our future, what would be the most important decisions we should make today? Craig Groeschel walks his audience through Seven important decisions that will have a godly impact on our future. Overall, this is a great, practical book. The reasons for 5 stars is due to familiarity with Craig. Often when you read certain authors continually, you will hear stories, saying, points that you have already previously heard. However, we all can be that way - sharing familiar personal stories over and over. Despite this, Pastor Craig does a great job; this is convicting yet practical.

[Thomas Landt · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are all faced with so many decisions to make everyday, especially as Christians trying to live a life that glorifies God and obeys his commands. In Think Ahead, Craig Groeschel provides 7 guidelines to make decisions that glorify God by thinking ahead and planning well. With a refreshing mix of humor and practical advice for real problems, this book was a great read and offered some very helpful insights. Would recommend to anyone who knows what they want/need to do in their walk with God, but needs help in putting those thoughts into action through pre-deciding.

[Todd Buegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like Craig Groschel. I don't agree with everything he says from a theological perspective. But I respect what he has done, I respect his character and I respect his leadership (and his teaching on leadership.)

This book was good. Not great. But good. I appreciated the focus on thinking ahead...something I've been working on in my own life. I don't know that the 7 pre-decisions he suggests are the same as I'd pick...but I like the concept.

It was helpful.

[Scott McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are surrounded by 35,000 decisions every day. It is overwhelming to consider the amount of decisions we are led to make, yet often, the anxiety and overwhelming nature of these decisions leave us unable to make a decision. Craig Groeschel presents the need to pre-decide. Pre-decide to be ready, devoted, faithful, an influencer, generous, consistent, and a finisher. These seven pre-decisions allow us to change our lives and be who God has called us to be.

[Ginny Burge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Temptation lulls us.

When we look back on our life and wonder how we got here? It’s because we moved the line

Pre-decide to magnify the cost.

But you’re not fully devoted to the one who is to you.

What are signs of devotion?
- Where does your mind go?
- Where does your money go?
- How you make decisions
- How you spend your time
- What breaks your heart?

A weak why is a problem, a weak what is a deal killer

Perfectionism is a roadblock to great decision-making

[Jane Riordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent work from Craig Groeschel, who puts forward sound advice for establishing a god-honouring life, recognising our weaknesses and taking steps to take steps to avoid giving in to them.

A good read with plenty of questions to think about at the end of each chapter, plus a very useful summary of key points at the end of the book.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book merged Spiritual Rythems that impact your life to grow closer to Christ, others, and calling on your life. I found myself reading it like a devotional at times and highlighting concepts that I will apply to my leadership. I will look back on this book regularly to keep growing as a person.

[Brenten Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

RATING 3.13 STARS

The premise of this book is really cool - and great advice. Decide your response to things before they happen. Then, when you are faced with a challenge or crisis, your actions are already determined.

It's a good book overall with plenty of nice asides and anecdotes and it's grounded pretty well. There were a few points that gave me pause, but I'm glad I read it.