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The Real Key to Acheiving Your Goals
By JLP | November 29, 2007
1. SET GOALS, NOT DREAMS
Dreams (also known as wishes) are often vague, even pie-in-the-sky desires; they need not be realistic, or specific. Common examples might inlcude “I want to retire rich” or “I wish I looked like Jessica Alba.”
Many dreams never become reality because they aren’t true desires. I might dream of winning the lottery on occassion, but that’s not a serious objective in my life. There’s nothing wrong with having dreams, but if your true desires never make the transition from dreams to goals then they can become frustrating regrets.
2. MAKE YOUR GOALS SMART
Goals are more Specific than dreams. To qualify as a SMART goal, your dream should also be measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Setting goals with all of these characteristics almost ensures you’ll reach them if you put your plan in action and stick to it.
Specific & Measurable: “I want to have $1,000,000 by the time I retire” and “I want to lose 20 pounds” are closer to goals than dreams because they are specific and measurable objectives.
Attainable & Timely: To really make them goals you have to outline specific steps that will enable you to attain them, and you should have a deadline. Our examples would become “I will accumulate $1,000,000 by the time I turn 65 by saving $1000 each month” and “I will lose 20 pounds in six months by jogging for 30 minutes 4 days a week.”
Realistic: Of course, if your goals aren’t realistic (because, say, you’re 63 with nothing saved and you earn $50,000 a year), then they aren’t really goals at all.
3. THE REAL KEY
It’s easy to turn your dreams into goals on paper. But the real key to acheiving those goals–and being satisfied when you do–is setting goals that reflect your true values. That may sound cheesy, but it’s especially true when it comes to financial goals.
If you pick some arbitrary net worth target or aim to accumulate expensive homes and cars based on someone else’s expectations, not only might you find it difficult to muster the motivation and discipline to get there, but you’re very unlikely to feel fulfilled when you arrive. Linking your financial goals to your values (education, family, independence, etc.) gives you the energy, encouragement, and motivation you need to work towards your goals. And you might even end up happy when you reach them.
More from Meg at The World of Wealth
Topics: Basics, Financial Planning, Getting Going |
