Here is a great list of 5 things you can do, so that you WILL achieve your goals in 2014. Most people don’t seem to be able to keep resolutions beyond a few months, but if you do these things I know you will reach your goals.
- Commit to Not Quit: Whatever goals you set for the coming year, whether they be financial, weight loss, quitting smoking, or to be a better spouse parent or employee, the main thing is to commit to not quit. Yes you might fail, but that is part of achieving goals. Everyone fails, but the person who achieves goals, is the one that gets back up, dusts themselves off, and goes at it again is the achiever. Life is more a long walk, not a sprint, right-food left foot daily consistency.
- Cope with Failure: Yes you will fail at many of your attempts, so what. Many people think that if they fail, then that is the end, then they give up. Get over the thought of failure being bad, it is just a learning device, it is good and designed for intelligent people to determine why something didn’t work, and recalculate your path. The difference between failures and successes are those that take their lumps and keep going, just smarter each time.
- Set reasonable goals. If you need to save a bunch of money, or pay off a big debt, but it will take a few years, then pace yourself. The same applies to weight loss. Need to lose 100 pounds, shoot for 25, but give yourself as many months as your doctor tells you, probably a pound a week. After you reach that goal, then set a new one. It is kind of like when I go outside for a run; if my real goal is 3 miles (I’m a pretty weak runner), my brain and body freaks out and tells me that is impossible. However, if I just tell myself I have to run to the end of the block and I make it alive, then I will set out to run one more block, before I know it, I’ve run 3 or 4 miles. So set a few goals for health and finances for the coming year.
- Set overall big goals first. Know what is motivating you. If your goal is better finances, then find out why you want that. Is it to lower stress, and achieve something like a purchase? Those are big goals, write them down. Do you want to be healthier? Then what is your motivation? Feeling better overall, lower health care costs now and in the future, and just general comfort are your big goals- then write them down- now you know why you are doing the daily tasks. By the way, I’ve analyzed ObamaCare, individual and group coverage, and Medicare and Medicaid, so for the long-term your health insurance coverage isn’t going to be great. I’m not being political just realistic. You will have high deductibles, co-insurances, and a lot of out-of-pocket things that aren’t covered, so good health will help with good finances.
- Set measurable goals. If it is to spend less money, avoid debt, save for the future, then build a budget, and watch it closely. Stay within spending parameters you can easily measure that (like using www.Mint.com). If it is exercise, get out of bed 30 minutes early 5 days a week and go for a run, drive to a fitness facility, or do a video on your TV. If you want to eat less and the right food, sign up for a calorie counting app like loseit.com (there are many options), and when you go grocery shopping, if it is junk food, don’t buy it, except for a reward at the end of the week.
These things work for me, and I firmly believe that if you commit to not quit, not fear failure, set big goals first (know your main motivations), then set achievable and measurable goals, then 2014 you will do some key things to change your life for the better.
