GUSTI Over SMART by Dr. Vivien Lattibeaudiere [Summary] 

Main Summary: GUTSI over SMART by Dr. Vivien Lattibeaudiere challenges believers to trade predictable SMART goals for God-inspired, unattainable, transformative, solution-oriented, and imaginative goals. It offers a biblical framework and a 10 P implementation playbook to help you partner with God for supernatural results that impact the world and echo into eternity.

Lessons You’ll Learn From This Book

• Beyond SMART — Trading Predictability for God’s Power
• U — Unattainable — Trusting God to Accomplish the Impossible
• Prayer — Aligning with God’s Heart (P1)
• Planning — Charting Your Course with God’s Interruptions (P4)
• GUTSI Living — Embracing a Life of Significance

Also read Kingdom Parenting by Myles Munroe and David Burrows [Summary]

GUTSI goals stretch your faith, shape your soul, and synchronize your dreams with Heaven’s design.

Beyond SMART — Trading Predictability for God’s Power

● The author realized that SMART goals, while useful, often left her feeling uninspired and spiritually stagnant.
● She describes a moment when she presented a polished strategic plan but sensed the Holy Spirit telling her it lacked His presence.
● SMART goals focus on what is humanly possible, relying on logic, predictability, and control.
● Research shows that only 14% of employees believed their SMART goals would lead to truly great achievements.
● GUTSI goals replace human strategy with divine surrender, inviting God’s supernatural power into the process.
● The GUTSI acronym stands for God-Inspired, Unattainable without God, Transformative, Solution-Oriented, and Imaginative.
● Unlike SMART goals, GUTSI goals embrace holy agility, allowing God to redirect plans at any moment.
● The author shares how God multiplied a small business participation goal from under 2% to nearly 15%, worth over $100 million.
● Biblical figures like Moses, Esther, and Peter pursued goals that would never pass a SMART checklist but were saturated in obedience.
● Jesus Himself modeled the ultimate GUTSI goal: the redemption of humanity, which was impossible by human effort alone.
● The author encourages readers to stop playing small and start pursuing goals that require God’s miraculous intervention.
● She invites readers to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a GUTSI goal for their current season of life.

A God-inspired goal is revealed by God and remains constant despite distractions, doubts, or excuses.

G — God-Inspired — Aligning Your Goals with God’s Vision

● Every GUTSI goal begins with the “G” — God-Inspired — meaning it is a divine assignment aligned with God’s purpose for your life.
● God-inspired goals may start as bold ideas, but they carry eternal weight and require courage and obedience to pursue.
● The author shares how a Joyce Meyer radio message during her commute planted the seed for the God’s Secret Service Agents (GSSA) Foundation.
● Discovering your God-inspired purpose starts with prayer, reflection, and a willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit.
● Pay attention to what stirs your heart and keeps you up at night, because those burdens are often clues to your calling.
● Reflect on what comes easily to you, since God often calls you to activate the gifts He already placed in your hands.
● Consider what makes you different, because your personality, values, and spiritual gifts reflect God’s intentional craftsmanship.
● Your personal journey of pain and joy contains rich soil for discovering your calling, and God wastes nothing.
● Pay attention to the dreams that won’t go away, because they were planted by the Eternal One.
● The author outlines six criteria to determine if a goal is truly God-inspired.
● First, a God-inspired goal is revealed by God and remains constant despite distractions, doubts, or excuses.
● Second, it matches your passion, because God often inspires goals where your passion aligns with His purpose.
● Third, it is eternity-focused, intended to glorify God and bear spiritual fruit that endures.
● Fourth, it aligns with Scripture, which serves as your ultimate guide and anchor.
● Fifth, it focuses on God’s glory rather than personal recognition or achievement.
● Sixth, it carries inner peace, conviction, and confirmation from the Holy Spirit and wise counsel.
● Queen Esther’s mission to save the Jewish people exemplifies all six criteria of a God-inspired goal.
● The author encourages readers to test their goal against these criteria and refine it until it meets at least four of the six.
● A God-inspired goal flows from divine purpose, not personal ambition, and is birthed in prayer for eternal impact.

Also read Releasing Your Potential by Myles Munroe [Summary]

Unattainable goals make you say, ‘God, if You don’t show up, I can’t do this.’ And that’s exactly where God loves to work.

U — Unattainable — Trusting God to Accomplish the Impossible

● The “U” in GUTSI stands for Unattainable on purpose, because these goals demand divine help and exceed your capacity.
● The author recalls sharing a goal to raise small business participation from under 2% to over 10%, and someone said, “That’s impossible.”
● By the time she left that department, utilization had reached nearly 15%, valued at over $100 million — and she credits God alone.
● Unattainable goals make you say, “God, if You don’t show up, I can’t do this,” and that is exactly where God loves to work.
● Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).
● Fear of failure is a major barrier that keeps people from stepping out in faith to pursue GUTSI goals.
● Peter walked on water but began to sink when fear crept in, yet Jesus reached out and caught him.
● Not fully trusting God’s promises causes hesitation, just as the Israelites struggled at the edge of the Red Sea.
● The comfort zone is familiar and safe, but faith rarely grows in safety, as Abram discovered when God simply said, “Go.”
● Relying too heavily on logic can cause you to miss the miraculous, as when the disciples saw five loaves and two fish.
● Comparing yourself to others drains courage, but God chose Gideon, the least and weakest, to lead a vastly outnumbered army.
● Past disappointments can dim hope, but God asked Sarah, “Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27).
● Moving beyond barriers begins with surrendering to God’s will, letting His Word anchor your faith, and trading self-striving for divine strength.
● Don’t despise small beginnings, protect the vision God gave you, and surround yourself with people who build your faith.
● Shift your mindset from your weakness to God’s strength, because His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
● Don’t let past disappointments define your future, and remember past victories to fuel present courage.
● Stay focused on His glory, not recognition or results, and do the thing — let your faith be the momentum.
● The author outlines six criteria to determine if a goal is truly Unattainable without God’s help.
● First, the goal must be bigger than life, far beyond your current time, resources, skills, or connections.
● Second, it requires God’s help to achieve, needing divine intervention, miracles, or supernatural provision.
● Third, it requires you to walk by faith over time, without seeing the full path or outcome.
● Fourth, it requires a leap of obedience, a decisive step of action based on God’s prompting.
● Fifth, it challenges your fears and weaknesses, pushing you to trust God’s strength when you feel least capable.
● Sixth, it involves sacrificial commitment, requiring significant sacrifice of time, comfort, finances, or priorities.
● Hudson Taylor founded the China Inland Mission with no financial backing, relying entirely on God’s provision.
● The author shares her own journey of building a “Place of Hope” community center in Oloirien Village, Kenya, with no funding, team, or blueprint.
● She broke ground without full funding, faced fear and doubt, and held onto God’s promise that the center would be complete within a year.
● In February 2024, the builders confirmed the building was substantially completed, and over 700 people gathered for the grand opening in August 2024.
● Unattainable goals reveal God’s power and call you to trust Him beyond your limits.

What starts in prayer never ends in regret. It ends in fruit that lasts.

Prayer — Aligning with God’s Heart (P1)

● Prayer is the first “P” in the GUTSI Goal Implementation Playbook and the foundation where your vision is surrendered and realigned with God’s heart.
● Culture says hustle, but God says be still, and that is where GUTSI goals begin.
● King Jehoshaphat fasted and prayed before facing his biggest battle (2 Chronicles 20:3-12).
● Cornelius’s prayer led to his family becoming the first Gentile converts filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:2-6).
● Jesus Himself withdrew to pray before choosing His disciples (Luke 6:12).
● Prayer is more than a spiritual formality — it is the lifeline of every GUTSI goal.
● In prayer, you receive clarity, courage, and confirmation, and you are protected from pursuing the right goal at the wrong time.
● God delights in shaping your desires, refining your motives, and aligning your vision with His will.
● Divine downloads often come during prayer, while reading the Bible, while working out, or while driving.
● The author’s downloads most often come in the morning right before she gets out of bed, so she keeps a pen and paper handy.
● Prayer connects you to God’s heart and is more than conversation — it is communion.
● James 5:16 states, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
● Prayer is a vital part of a close relationship with God, not a forced task from a distant, demanding God.
● Prayer is a two-way conversation with your Creator, not a one-sided monologue filled with empty words.
● Prayer is simple, specific, and sincere, not ritualistic, repetitive, or mechanical.
● Prayer is a search for God’s will, not an attempt to convince God to do yours.
● Prayer is a continual dialogue throughout the day, not reserved only for Sundays or morning routines.
● Seek God’s wisdom with an open heart, because if you lack wisdom, you should ask God (James 1:5).
● Pray with bold expectation and faith, believing that God not only hears but responds in power (Mark 11:24).
● Ask for divine strategy and direction, because GUTSI goals require a map drawn from heaven (Proverbs 3:5-6).
● Combine prayer with fasting for clarity, because fasting deepens your spiritual sensitivity (Matthew 6:16-18).
● Surrender the outcome to God, saying, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
● Pray in the Spirit when words fail, because the Spirit Himself intercedes for us (Romans 8:26).
● Declare God’s promises over your GUTSI goals, because His Word will accomplish what He desires (Isaiah 55:11).
● Prayer establishes alignment with God’s will, strengthens your faith and confidence, and seeks divine provision and resources.
● Prayer also gains spiritual protection, cultivates humility and dependence on God, and creates partnership with the Holy Spirit.
● Nehemiah wept, fasted, and prayed before rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, and the wall was completed in only 52 days.
● Nehemiah’s reliance on prayer didn’t stop once the vision was clear — when enemies mocked and threatened, he prayed.
● George Washington Carver built his groundbreaking legacy on prayer, often saying, “I ask God to show me what to do, and He does.”
● Carver discovered over 300 uses for peanuts and 100 for sweet potatoes through prayer and divine insight.
● Prayer is your greatest strategy, not a spiritual obligation.

Biblical planning isn’t rigid; it’s responsive. It’s a holy collaboration between your diligence and God’s sovereignty.

Planning — Charting Your Course with God’s Interruptions (P4)

● Planning is the fourth “P” and the final step in the Planting phase, helping ensure your efforts align with God’s will.
● Habakkuk 2:2 instructs, “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”
● Effective planning begins with releasing control of the outcome and seeking God’s wisdom daily.
● Proverbs 16:9 states, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
● Planning with God means staying flexible, because His divine detours often lead to greater blessings.
● Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
● Planning with God is more than strategic — it is a sacred act of trust.
● James 4:13-15 reminds you that although your plans may be carefully charted, it is ultimately the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
● Thoughtful Spirit-focused planning provides structure for your boldest GUTSI visions while requiring surrender, faith, and wisdom.
● Commit your plans to the Lord, because Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
● Anticipate obstacles with wisdom, because every GUTSI goal will face resistance both externally and from within.
● Honor the assignment by treating it with care, intention, and faithful stewardship (1 Corinthians 4:2).
● Steward resources with purpose, because Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
● Plan with open hands, because Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
● Biblical planning isn’t rigid — it’s responsive, a holy collaboration between your diligence and God’s sovereignty.
● The GUTSI Goal Planning Framework is a Spirit-led tool designed to transform God-inspired vision into faithful action.
● It is not a rigid checklist but a prayerful process, bringing structure to your steps while remaining fully surrendered to God.
● The framework is surrounded by Divine Purpose, Prayer, Faith, and Supernatural Power.
● Step one is to identify foundational Scripture, anchoring your goal in the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).
● Step two is to illuminate purpose by writing a four-word “GUTSI Life Compass” as your spiritual north star (Proverbs 29:18).
● Step three is to define your GUTSI goal clearly, ensuring it reflects the spirit of GUTSI (Habakkuk 2:2).
● Step four is to devise a faith-based action plan, breaking your goal into manageable steps (Isaiah 28:10).
● Step five is to anticipate divine interruptions, building margin into your plan for God’s redirection (Proverbs 16:9).
● Step six is to establish flexible faith-driven timelines, trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal the proper pace (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
● Step seven is to determine necessary resources, including one or two radical faith-filled items that require God to show up (Philippians 4:19).
● Step eight is to create an accountability system with trusted voices who will challenge you and keep you on track.
● Step nine is to conduct progress reviews, evaluating your alignment with God’s direction and remaining open to course corrections.
● Step ten is to celebrate victories, recognizing every answered prayer, breakthrough, or lesson learned (Psalm 9:1).
● The chapter includes a GUTSI Goal Planning Worksheet with a real-life example of creating a Bible-based literacy program in South America.
● The author shares her own experience launching the “Kids in Kollege” program for low-income middle school students.
● Though she wasn’t walking closely with God at the time, she applied many core principles of GUTSI planning to the project.
● The program exceeded capacity in its first year and still runs every summer more than 30 years later.
● Planning with God is a holy act of surrender, wisdom, and trust that requires collaboration with the One who sees the end from the beginning.

God doesn’t want a portion of your life. He invites full, surrendered alignment.

GUTSI Living — Embracing a Life of Significance

● Living a GUTSI lifestyle means allowing God to shape every corner of your life with bold faith, surrendered purpose, and readiness to follow His leading.
● GUTSI goals are more than a checklist to complete — they are a way of life.
● When every part of your world — relationships, work, health, finances, hobbies, and spiritual walk — is shaped by bold, God-inspired intention, everything begins to shift.
● God doesn’t want a portion of your life; He invites full, surrendered alignment.
● The prophet Elisha modeled GUTSI living by fully aligning his spiritual calling with everyday obedience and purpose (1 Kings 19:19-21).
● Elisha trusted God for miracles that met real human needs, including multiplying oil for a widow, healing Naaman’s leprosy, and feeding the hungry.
● Elisha also addressed ordinary challenges, recovering a lost axe head and purifying poisoned stew.
● Through consistent obedience, Elisha showed that when you invite God into every part of life, He releases supernatural solutions and lasting impact.
● The author believed GUTSI applied to only one calling at first, but GUTSI living calls you to align more areas of your life with the Father’s leading.
● As she surrendered more deeply, God transformed her life one sphere at a time — priorities shifted, relationships deepened, and ordinary moments became sacred.
● Work became more than income — it became a ministry; health habits became more than discipline — they became worship.
● 1 Corinthians 15:58 reminds you, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
● Your GUTSI Life Compass is a simple, four-word phrase that captures the heart of your God-given calling.
● It acts as your spiritual GPS — a guiding statement to keep your goals, decisions, and activities aligned with God’s divine purpose.
● The GUTSI Life Compass is intentionally short, God-inspired, and memorable, designed to ground you in your divine identity.
● The formula for developing your GUTSI Life Compass is simply: Pray. Prioritize. Phrase. Proclaim.
● First, pray and invite God into the process, asking, “Lord, what kind of life do You want me to live?”
● Second, prioritize by choosing two verbs and two focus areas that resonate with you in prayer.
● Third, phrase your words together into a four-word GUTSI Life Compass phrase or motto.
● Examples include “Love God. Serve Others,” “Pray Boldly. Live GUTSI,” and “Trust God. Inspire Hope.”
● The author’s personal GUTSI Life Compass is: “Love God. Love Others.”
● Fourth, proclaim it by living it out daily — write it, speak it, pray it, and post it.
● The GUTSI framework is not only reserved for people in ministry or leadership — it’s a way of life for every believer.
● Spiritual growth goals lead you to pursue God with hunger through prayer, fasting, and His Word (Jeremiah 33:3).
● Family goals invite you to lead with love and spiritual intentionality, building a Christ-centered household (Joshua 24:15).
● Health goals go beyond fitness — they nurture wholeness, seeing well-being as stewardship of the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).
● Church goals push you to grow, serve, and disciple others, strengthening the body of Christ (1 Peter 4:10).
● Work goals help you bring integrity and compassion into every task, displaying Kingdom excellence (Colossians 3:23).
● Education goals remind you that learning is stewardship, equipping you to serve others with wisdom and skill (Proverbs 1:5).
● Financial goals help you view resources as God’s and yourself as His steward, turning fear into faith and scarcity into generosity (Proverbs 3:9).
● Hobby goals invite you to view and repurpose your talents as worship, enjoying God through play and creativity (Ecclesiastes 3:13).
● Ministry goals happen wherever you follow God’s prompting, turning simple obedience into sacred acts of kindness (John 5:30).
● Business goals help you align success with service, creating enterprises that reflect God’s justice and compassion (Proverbs 31:8).
● Living a GUTSI lifestyle doesn’t happen by accident — it’s the fruit of intentional steps anchored in faith, obedience, and deep reliance on God’s power.
● The author grew up in deep poverty in a rural Jamaican village without electricity or running water, yet sensed God calling her to more.
● At thirteen, she immigrated to the United States believing God had a purpose for her life (Jeremiah 29:11).
● God transformed many of her major life spheres, including faith, family, education, leadership, and generosity.
● She graduated at the top of her class, completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees within five years, and earned a Ph.D. ahead of schedule with a 4.0 GPA.
● Her story exists to bear witness to God’s faithfulness — if He could transform her life from poverty to purpose, He can do the same for you.
● Your GUTSI Life Affirmation is a sacred checkpoint to declare your identity, surrender, and bold commitment to live GUTSI for His glory.
● 2 Corinthians 4:13 declares, “Since we have the same spirit of faith … we also believe and therefore speak.”
● Speak your GUTSI Life Affirmation out loud, confidently, and let your words rise in faith and agreement with Heaven.
● Make it visible — print it, tape it to your mirror, journal, or refrigerator, and declare it aloud every day until it becomes part of your mindset and behavior.
● You are a GUTSI World Changer who walks boldly with God in every area of life for eternal impact.
● This is not the end — let it be your beginning or your reset.
● Living the GUTSI life means choosing courageous faith daily, especially when the path is unclear.
● The time is now — the world is waiting for your courage, your “yes,” and your next step of faith.
● Your GUTSI life is calling — what’s your next GUTSI move?

A Note to Our Readers

● We’ve only scratched the surface of GUTSI over SMART by Dr. Vivien Lattibeaudiere.

● This book contains 17 chapters in total, plus an Introduction, an Epilogue, and a powerful Foreword by Shae Bynes.

● The chapters are organized into three transformative parts: Part I — The GUTSI Code, Part II — The 10 P GUTSI Goal Implementation Playbook, and Part III — From Goals to Lifestyle.

● We’ve summarized just a handful of chapters so far, but there is so much more waiting for you inside.

● Here are some captivating chapter titles we haven’t covered yet that will stir your faith and ignite your next bold move:

● Chapter 4 — T: Transformative — Embracing Growth That Changes You and the World.

● Chapter 5 — S: Solution-Oriented — Harnessing Divine Wisdom to Solve Knotty Problems.

● Chapter 6 — I: Imaginative — Innovating Boldly in Partnership with the Creator.

● Chapter 8 — Preparation — Readying Your Mind and Spirit.

● Chapter 9 — Partnerships — Strength in Unity.

● Chapter 11 — Power — Tapping Into Divine Supernatural Capacity.

● Chapter 12 — Performing — Putting Faith Into Action.

● Chapter 13 — Perseverance — Pressing on Through Trials.

● Chapter 14 — Patience — Trusting God’s Perfect Timing.

● Chapter 15 — Prevailing — Reaping the Harvest and Celebrating the Victory.

● Chapter 16 — Praise — Glorifying God and Looking Ahead to Heaven’s Next Move.

● Each chapter is packed with biblical examples, real-world stories, personal testimonies, reflection questions, and practical application tools.

● This is not just a book about goal-setting — it is an invitation to a Spirit-led, purpose-driven, GUTSI life.

● Don’t stop at the summary. Get the full book and discover every principle, every prayer, and every promise for yourself.

● Your GUTSI journey is waiting. Grab your copy today and step into the life God created you to live.