What’s Important about Money - to You?
Money means something different to everyone. When you think about money; what’s important—to you? Is it security, freedom, taking care of your family? It’s important for you to take the time to think about this and make sure that your goals and lifestyle are in line with your values. Values are intangible…they are feelings…why we want something and why something is important to us.
Unless you win the lotto or receive an unexpected inheritance, it’s rather hard to have financial independence without a clearly defined plan and goals that are in line with your values. Let’s say that you tell your financial advisor or your spouse that you want to pay the house off in 15 years instead of 30 because you know it’s a smart thing to do and you have the cash to do it with each month. Unless this is a core value, it just won’t happen. Your values could be shopping, owning a bigger house, going out with friends or sending your children to private school. Whatever it is…it will take priority. So when you ask yourself what’s important…then ask yourself why…these are your values.
Have you written down your goals? Do you have them listed on a sheet of paper with time frames? Are they posted where you can read them each day? If not, why not? There is an old saying, “We get what we focus on.”
Years ago the graduating class of Harvard was polled to see how many people had written goals. What do you think the answer was? Now, remember this was Harvard…only three percent! That’s right, only 3%! And twenty years later when they again polled the surviving class members about how they were doing in life, what do you think they found out? Those individuals who represented only three percent of the class with written goals were not only more successful than their other classmates; they had more wealth than the other 97% combined. They also found that they seemed happier and healthier too!
Now, this is amazing! What does this tell us? Stephen Covey says, “Start with the end in mind”. I have a process I use that starts with the end in mind. You may want to try this yourself:
Write down your goals that you want to accomplish between now and year end. Put a heading on your sheet like: Life Goals …by December 2005.
Now list your goals. You could have five goals or you could have 25. Your goals should include personal, family, business, and spiritual goals. Examples could be:
- I will be debt free by the end of the year
- I will have completed 10 speaking engagements
- I will lose 20 pounds so my knees don’t hurt
Now go back to each goal and change it to present tense…and there is a reason for this. Remember your brain is a huge computer and it will believe whatever you tell it, so tell it that these goals are already a reality. You will also want to make these goals big and bold. For example, you may want to change the previous goals to:
- I am debt free and have a huge cash reserve!
- Speaking engagements flow to me in avalanches of abundance; I have completed 10 so far!
- I am healthy, the perfect weight and have no knee problems or pain!
Then do the same thing for three years from now. I wrote down:
- We have built our dream home at Garland on the Reflections 12 hole!
- I have several best selling books!
- I am focused and organized!
- My girls are happy and thriving in college!
Think how wonderful you will feel reading your goals every day. The other thing you will notice is that opportunities and people will start coming into your life and you will start to notice them now.
Don’t be afraid to try something new…do what you fear most.
What is the worst thing that could happen to you? You could fail and then you would have the opportunity for a wonderful lesson. This process really works. But remember only 3% of us write down our goals. Are you part of the 3 % who will have clearly defined written goals based on what you care about most?
Let’s summarize:
- Write down your goals.
- Write your goals in present tense.
- Make them BIG and BOLD.
- Place them where you can read them daily - you get what you FOCUS ON!
- Share your goals with others.
- Watch for opportunities and people to help support you.
Please comment below and let me know what happens as soon as you do this. I know there will be magic and many wonderful surprises!
