Just imagine… you are driving from California to Maryland with your spouse, your four kids, a poodle and a hamster… can you imagine taking that trip without any stops? While it would be possible, it’s highly probable that your family may lose some of its sanity along the way. You are going to need to break your trip into smaller steps.
You would probably check the map and figure out how many days you can drive for eight hours. You’d plan enough time for meals and extra stops, and you’d have a rough estimate of how long the trip will take and how much it may cost. These projections guide you directly to your target.
Fast forward to your financial goals: You want to save $20,000 for a down payment on a house or condo. Break that big sum into more manageable “mini-goals” and calculate what you can realistically put away each week or each month. Determine how long it will take to set aside that amount. By going from A to B and C to D, you will “go the distance” from A to Z with more assurance.
Each time you reach your weekly goal, the balance gets higher. I have had clients that got so excited; they devised ingenious ways to save more money once they saw the benefits of working their plan. It’s exciting to help others build upon each success and see them reach their goals.
Winning the small battles makes it easier to win the big ones. Winning is a habit that everyone can master. The dynamic nature of our mental strength flips a dream into a new reality. As you determine a new financial target, think about where you are right now. Here are a few exercises for you to explore your perceptions about money.
A) Listen to yourself speak about money this next week. Write down what you said. Is it true? Is it time to make some changes?
B) Identify where you are financially right now.
C) What are your core beliefs about money – and do those still work for you?
There’s no need to be perfect, and we all have to make adjustments along the way – that will always be part the journey. Let me know if any of this resonates with you. I would love to hear your story.
Hope that helps!
Bob
