It's 2007; Time for Some Goal Setting!

Every time this year we think about what we have accomplished over the last year, and then we think about the new year, looming ahead of us. We ask ourselves, "Do I want to repeat 2006 all over again, or do I want to do something different, or perhaps do something more with my life, my money, and so on?"

Often we get into a rut; we do the same things over and over again. Well, ruts can be destructive to the spirit. Just like our bodies, our spirits need some kind of "food and water" to grow and survive. I think about "changing things up" nearly every day when I wake up, and I try to look at it as a good thing (though I admit is can be scary at times). It may be something as simple as going out to see a movie after work (when I'd rather be home after working 10 hours), or waking up and taking a bath (with candles) before I head off to work. lately though, my thoughts turn to finding a better interest-earning bank, or about moving versus staying in my rather cramped home. I think about "things" a lot because that is my nature. I also recall a simple greeting card that a friend gave me many years back; it was a drawing of a brick wall. That's it - JUST a red brick wall, with gray mortar. Inside it read, "The next time you feel like talking to a man, beat your head against this until the feeling goes away." I laughed, she laughed...everyone laughed. For me however, the card has more meaning than what it implies. It reminds me that, "If I continue to do what I've always done, I'll keep on getting what I've always got." The analogy to the card is that if a man isn't listening to you, then you need a different approach to help him want to listen. Goal setting is something like this for me; if one approach doesn't work, I have to try another way until I succeed. I understood this principle when I accepted teaching this workshop. To be successful at managing money meant I HAD to learn to "like" managing it...or at least find some sort of amusement, or challenge. I knew I had to make it fun for me - somehow, someway.

Who sets goals? My answer is, "nearly every successful person you admire". Many write them down, though I work with someone who claims she hates the word "goal", much like I dislike the term "budgeting". You see, procrastinators NEED to write a goal down, and look at it often so they will act on it. The movers and the shakers, who arise at 5AM, often prefer to keep their goals in their heads. Well, this may work for them, but it isn't for everyone. For many of us, setting goals is a PROCESS, and this process has definite steps, the first of which is to write things down! Buy a journal or notebook, or use your computer if you have one. Just don't forget to print the pages off so you can see them, handle them, write and take notes on them. Tucking them away does us no good whatsoever. It's like the cattlemen I used to work with who religiously weighed and recorded calf weights, but who never did anything with the data - their time and efforts were nearly worthless. So, if you don't plan on working on your goals, you are better off going and cleaning your kitchen counter right now. Reading my blog won't help you, unless you truly want to learn to make better use of your time and money.

1: First of all, you need to know that a goal is different than a dream or a vision. The Dream = No financial worries. The Vision = I'm going to become a millionaire. The Goal = I'm going to pay off my debt, and here are the steps that are going to take me there. You need to stop dreaming that someone is going to come along and give you money so you can do what you dream of. If you are on probation and owe money to the courts or a victim, you need to stop getting upset about it, and organize yourself - let things take their course. You can't control everything - you can do only what you can do. You need to do something- not make excuses. Take a posititve step and own up to what you owe, and step up to everything in front of you.

2: You need a PLAN and the plan needs to be yours - not your mother's, or your wife's plan, but yours! What will make you happy and help you to look toward your future? How are you going to get there - baby step your plan of attack. You must also recognize that many things in your life need some goal setting. You should plan to improve both your spirit and your finances. If you are stuck at home, for whatever reason, you need an outlet. Maybe it's learning to paint using watercolors, or learning to read better. Maybe you can be a pen pal to a person in another country and learn about their life in third world country. Explore the library as an adult - they've changed a lot since we were children! Go to the dog park - even if you don't have a dog. Volunteer at the hospital, holding children whose parents are kept away while they work out of town. Find a reason to improve your own life, whatever that means FOR you.

3: Goals must be specific in order to work for you. I can't just say I want to buy a house. I need to understand what kind of house, what area it should be in, how large, what view it should have, and how much it should cost. I can't simply say "I want lose weight" and expect to lose it. How much, by when, how will I do it, what do I need in order to reach my goal...now the goal is becoming specific.

4: Goals need timelines: If I state that I want to buy a house before March 2007, I should plan on it happening by then. With that said, timelines require baby stepping and they too must be reasonable. When you set timelines, you are setting a goal in an of itself. For example: By January 15, 2007 I will call the mortgage lender and begin the pre-approval process. By January 20, 2007 I will call my agent and ask him to begin locating houses that fit my needs and wants. If I had simply stated that my goal was to find my dream house by the end of next week, then the chance I will find that house is pretty poor. My goal is doomed to fail. Be serious about goal setting and write down some good baby steps and make sure each step has a good timeline. To the procrastinators: Don't give yourself too much time, or you will lose steam. Set a moderate pace - not too slow and not too fast. This leads to success!

5: Now for the doozie---you should state your goal in past tense, so it sounds like you have already accomplished it. Example: "Today is March 15th: I have lost 10 pounds by thinking carefully about what I eat and by walking with Cindy twice a week. I love the feeling of being in control and I am really happy about achieving my goal." Some people call this a "mantra". Sales people are well known for getting up each day and saying their mantras outloud. Think of it this way: People who fail often are telling themselves, through their words and actions, that they are not good enough. They wake up, look in the mirror, and say, "Gosh, I look AWFUL today!" A grunt usually follows that sounds something like, "UGH." Well, do you really think the day gets much better when we do this to ourselves? Hello? Are you listening? We need positive re-enforcement, not negative. Try this simple test: Next time you feel sad, go to the grocery store - walk around pushing a cart and smile...at everyone you see. Smile at the old man who has missing teeth, smile at the lady with the screaming child and tell her she looks nice today, smile at the produce man who has been working 9 hours and wants to go home - tell him he does a great job at keeping things in order. When you go home, ask yourself if you don't feel better. I will bet you do, because when you smile it changes the brain and you actually do perk up! Put a goal in past tense and repeat is outloud.

6: Review your goals: Put your goals on paper, where you can see them occasionally, and then review them once in a while. If you are not moving ahead towards your goal then you aren't doing something right. Plan to make adjustments along the way and you will succeed.

When goal setting some people like to remember the acronym, SMART. Goals must be: Specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and timely.

I believe many of spend more time thinking about what shampoo we want to purchase than sitting down and thinking about what we really want in life. We dream, but we don't spend much time planning. Maybe we should all devote two hours a month to planning out our dreams so we can finally feel what it's like to live fully. Live your dream! Create and give a name your vision- close your eyes and feel what it will be like to reach your goal. Then write down what you need to do, set a timeline, and create the baby steps. When you falter, ask for help from someone you value. Successful people love to help other people succeed. Good luck!