LIST YOUR GOALS
How often have you gone to the grocery store without a list or worse went hungry? What happened, did you come home with only the essentials you went in for? Or did you come home with several items you know you did not need. If you are like me, you came home with a bag of Oreos, Tostitos chips and a Twix bar because… you deserved it. Well, this step is similar to that example. If you go into each day with a plan, you have much higher success keeping on task and achieving your overall movement. So, what if I told you that starting your journey to financial freedom is as easy as making a grocery list?
Listing your goals is an especially important step to understanding what truly gives you fulfillment in life. The intent behind this step is to keep you focused and spending most of your time and money on items that bring you fulfilment. Cut out the bullshi$# and stop wasting money on items that do not fit our goals. It is that simple!
Now, do not think of these GOALs as “save more money, save for a new house, or retiring early” that’s why you are here. These goals are personal drivers and things you want to spend time and money doing.
Start by grabbing a piece of paper. Make a list of the top 10 most important things in your life. Here is my list as an example:
Spending time with family
Spending time with my friends
Spending time with my dog
Staying fit / Working out
Cooking / Eating healthy
Photography
Art and creativity
Skiing
Golfing
My Career
I have done this exercise with several friends and family members. What is surprising is that almost always the first items are related to spending time with family, friends or some type of social activity. (Hint: these are all things we can do for FREE) Think hard about the items on your list; how much money did you spend on these areas this past year, month, week? When I first did this exercise, I was spending only 20% of my money toward these top 10 things. The other 80% was going toward things that did not truly bring me value and fulfilment. That is where you need to focus your time and energy eliminating. In the long run will help you save more money and live a happier more fulfilling life. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, it is… and it isn’t. You will hit bumps in the road and make mistakes but know that it is okay and part of the process. Stay focused and keep this list at the forefront of your thoughts each day, week, & month.
The key to success will be going into each day thinking “does this purchase fit into my top 10 goals?”. If it doesn’t, try not to spend money on it. Achievements will come from small wins, getting better every month, and staying positive/focused for a lifetime.
You got this!
-Travis