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The topic of goals doesn't sit well with some people. I've seen people physically
recoil at the mention of the word 'goal'. I recently caught up with an old school
friend who rubbished the whole idea of goal setting then over the next hour
spoke with excitement about a new home he was going to build and when he
planned to be in the home. He had set goals without even thinking about it. If it
is any help to you I like to think of a goal as a dream with a realistic timeframe.
It doesn't need to be much more complicated than that. It's a measurable picture
of the future that motivates you to act.
Some people can start with a blank page and write out their goals. Others
function best by looking at where they are now and identifying what they want to
change. Others do a mix of both. Goal setting is a massive topic on its own and
beyond the scope of this book; however, we are all capable of identifying positive
changes we wish to make and setting a realistic time frame for this to happen.
© Steve Chitty 2011
5
Delayed Gratification.
But goals are not enough! Unfortunately the only place "success" comes before
"work" is in the dictionary. Keeping more of the money we earn takes some effort.
We will need to make sacrifices…or another way of saying this is we will need to
delay our gratification. Delayed Gratification is a powerful concept and holds the
key to so many of life's successes.
Delayed gratification is the trade-off between sacrificing something now to
experience something better later. Without delayed gratification our long term
health and relationships would suffer immensely – it is the same with our
finances.
If we want long term financial success it may mean we live a little
differently to the world around us.
If we are serious about improving our financial situation we need to practice
delayed gratification. Knowing our goals and delaying our gratification may seem
like two different principles but they cannot be separated. They are like umbilical
twins that can never be separated. Delayed gratification is a key mechanism for
achieving any goal and your goals are the only sane reason for delaying
gratification
At times you will be required to walk against the flow of societal pressures, peer
pressure and your own feelings. For some delayed gratification may mean
holding off that expensive car purchase now and putting that money into an
investment that will pay for an even better car in the future. At times it may mean
we have to work while others are playing. Our current standards of living may
even need lower a little to get what we really want. However, when we have a
higher purpose to aspire to we become inspired and motivated beyond ourselves
and the fruit of our delayed gratification become very satisfying indeed.
© Steve Chitty 2011
6
So what about you? What are some of your financial aspirations? What area of
your finances would you like to improve? How would you measure the changes
you'd like to see? Are you looking to buy a new home? Purchase an investment
property? Retire early? Or give more to your favourite charity? Whatever your
goals are, do you know when would you like to have achieved them by?
When life's circumstances, our personal demons or other people start pulling us
back, we will need to maintain our grace and discipline and keep walking against
the travelator of life. Along the way we are going to have to constantly recheck
that we are heading towards our goal and make necessary adjustments. We
may need to ask for directions, learn new skills and we will make a few mistakes
– but we must keep going! We must keep our eye on the goal and delay our
gratification! If you know what you are trying to achieve you will find it easier to
resist short term temptation.
Keep your eye on your goal!
Summary - The Keys to Keeping Your Eye on the Goal
- Be clear about what you are trying to achieve.
- Expect challenges and hard work.
- Practice delayed gratification.
© Steve Chitty 2011
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2. Know the Score (Track Your Finances… Right Down to the Cent!)
You can't manage what you can't measure
Imagine a gymnast half way through her routine at a major competition. She
completes her elaborate summersaults, flips and well rehearsed manoeuvres but
at no point in her routine does she know exactly how well she is
Unformated preview of the document: '5 tips - secrets to help you bank more money': Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8