Financial Goals - LESSON - 4
In Lesson 1, I had mentioned that it was necessary to set your goals. I deliberately made it look like a casual remark. But, it is the most important step of all. Had I mentioned so in the first lesson itself, you wouldn’t have bothered to read further. Leading a life without goals is like boarding a bus and asking the conductor to give a ticket to “anyplace.” You cannot achieve any worthwhile goal if you do not write it down. The reason for this is more spiritual than physical and so if I try to explain it in detail here, it’ll put you off. More of that, either in a subsequent lesson or Module.
Now the time has come to write down your goals.
Take a notebook and a pen. Allot a few pages for each of the following:
Short term goals (upto 1 year)
Medium term goals ( > 1 year and < 3 years)
Long term goals (above 3 years)
Do you plan to buy a new mobile next month? Write it down under “Short term goals.” Planning a vacation sometime next year? Include it under “Medium term goals.” Want to save for your daughter’s wedding, which may take place about four years from today? Include this under “Long term goals.”
It is statistically found that only about three percent of the global population write down their goals and achieve them. It is also found that the total net worth of this 3% people exceeds 10 times the total net worth of the remaining 97% of the population. Where do you want to be? In the 3% group or in the 97% group? Having come this far, I am sure, you want to be under the 3% group.
The very first requirement to cross over to the 3% group is self-discipline. It is not for me to define what self-discipline is. You would have been taught about that in your childhood days. Moreover, there are any number of books written on this subject, some of them by international experts. You can write to me for a list of such books.
In order to improve your self-discipline, allow me to mention two fundamental steps here. (At this juncture, however, stop guessing how these steps lead to self-discipline).
Get up from your bed at the same time everyday.
Go to bed at the same time everyday.
After a few days, get up earlier by, say, 15 minutes and go to bed earlier by the same time span. Then, after you are comfortable with this 15 minute adjustment, increase it by another 15 minutes. (Do you remember the saying “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise? You’ll find out for yourself that this saying is true! )
Now comes the question: “What do I do with this 30 minute slot in the morning ?” Unless you have, beforehand, a constructive plan to fill this gap, you’ll find it difficult to stick to this new time-table.
As soon as you get up, write down your “things to do” list for the day. Go through it and try to remember the tasks. Now, sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. Imagine how you’d like to see the first item in your list executed. Be as vivid as possible. If you have any doubt as to how you’re going to accomplish this task, for the time being, ignore the doubt. On your mental screen see that the task is completed. Feel the joy you’d feel when the task is actually completed.
Then go to the next item on your list and repeat the process. The entire exercise should not take you more than 5 or 6 minutes. After it is over, continue to sit for a few moments in silence and then “come out”.
Now, read some inspirational quotes. Copy down such quotes form magazines, newspapers etc. into a notebook. There are many websites run by authors, coaches and speakers where you can freely subscribe to daily inspirations. One of my favorite speakers is Bob Proctor.