Millionaire Series Part 1 – The Secret to Goal Setting
Why do you need a goal?
You need a goal for three reasons. So you know where you are currently, where you are going, and when you have arrived. It’s just like taking a trip. Let’s say I am in Atlanta, GA, and want to take a trip to Tokyo, Japan.
Without knowing where I am to start from, I could never figure out how to get to Tokyo, because I don’t even know which direction to go. I could randomly wander around asking people, “How do I get to Tokyo?” but would not have an easy time getting there.
The same thing is true if I know I am in Atlanta, but don’t know where I want to go. In my mind, I could hazily see Japanese food?and a large city. I could start driving north and see if I could find a large city with a Japanese food, but that wouldn’t be Tokyo. I wouldn’t even realize that my mode of transportation, my car, could NEVER get me to the place I imagined in my head.
Finally, the secret to goal setting! Let’s say you arrive in Tokyo. You start running around doing all the things you needed to do in Tokyo. Then you start going on your next trip to Ireland. If you never had a chance to stop, realize that “YOU HAVE ARRIVED?” and basked in the glory of your accomplishment then you will always be striving for the next big thing. We have become so busy it’s hard to look back and give ourselves credit for everything we have already accomplished. There is always something new and pressing coming next. A goal gives you not only the map to get there, but the recognition that we all need.
You are HERE – Point A.
Imagine you are a pilot to your own BOEING 747. Before you start on your flight, you need to know the coordinates of where you are now.
Are you in debt? Do you work 60+ hours a week? Do you hate waking up to go to your job every day? You need to be completely honest and forth coming with where you are now. Being honest means coming to terms with the wrong decisions you made in the past and recognizing that it will take work to get to the next level.
Destination – Point B.
As the pilot of your own flight, you need to know where you want to go. (If you don’t know where you want to go yet, stay tuned for a series on how I have found my destination.) If you have an idea of what you are looking to achieve, start to ask yourself a few questions. These questions quantify and make your goal more real.
Where do you want to be in your finances? Your business?
How long will it take you to get there? (Guess, and write the date down!)
How will this destination make your life better?
What will a typical day look like when you have reached your new destination?
This is the time to really brainstorm what it would be like to be at your destination. If you are writing down your answers, (which is a good idea) then take a look at this ehow article on how to write the goals.
If you are $30,000 in debt and dislike your job, and you want to be a millionaire that’s great! Don’t get discouraged by how far you might have to go. You will just have more of a story to tell once you’ve accomplished it. Dare to dream what that typical day in the life looks like, and be honest about how it will make your life better.
Write Down Your Goals
Write the goals down in a special spot. Don’t write them down on your computer and put it in a folder that you will never look in again. (I’ve tried that! It doesn’t work so well) I have my goals all written in a moleskin notebook next on the night stand. They are written on the very first page of the book and I tend to notice the book at night and take a quick peek to see how they are going. When the book was in the office I never seemed to look in it, so pick a place where it will serve as a visual reminder of your goals.
Action
Take some time today for your future. Write down your goals; actually sit down for 20 minutes and think about what you want for the future. My favorite thing is to talk to my friends and family about my goals because I can clarify what I want. Then I’ll take a few minutes at the end of the evening to write them down. You can always change them later, write them down today!
Stay tuned for Millionaire Series Part 1 – The Goal is Set – Now What?…
Tags: Goal Setting, Goals, Lifestyle, millionaire series, Planning
Categories: Debt Freedom, Finances, Goal Setting, Goals
Hi I’m Jaime. Each and every week I bring you the top business advice from the people who know best.
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7 responses
I could not agree more with the importance of setting goals and following through with them. There is an old saying, if you fail to plan you plan to fail and it is so true for most of us most of the time. This is a great post.
Thanks so much Daniel! That reminds me of the saying, If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, How Will You Know When You Arrive? 🙂
Jaime,
Yes, another way of saying the same thing I suppose. It seems trite but as you well know it is so true. I achieved some success without serious goal setting but achieved a great deal more once I understood the power of it. Again, thank you for spreading the word.
Thank you so much, l now know where I am and the coordinates of the place, and where I wanna go as well so I’m busy trying to figure out when and all what it costs to reach the destination.
Stay safe and blessed ?