Goal Setting for the New Year
January 8, 2019
The new year is here and people will be setting up their new year resolutions or goal setting. Hopefully this year you can meet and surpass all your goals. I am a firm believer of goal setting to help you get to where you want.
Most people see goal setting as a finish line of where you should end the year whether it is concerning your weight, blood sugar levels, relationship, finances or whatever you are trying to achieve. It is really more than the finish line, it is the journey to get there. Also, it is the new habits that you create or morph into on your road to get there.
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As your life changes in many ways you discover little bits about yourself and others around you. You might see things that you like and others that you really dislike. Hopefully you can overcome the bad things and focus on the good.
Goal setting is something that needs to be put into classes of long term and short term. If I want to lose 10 pounds I would think that goes on the short term list. If I say I want to have 10 rentals that I own by myself and 200 units with others, I think that is a longer term goal.
I try to only make long term goals. Goals that will not be achieved in a few months or even a few years. I jokingly say that I dont do goal setting for this year because I dont want to work this year. But seriously, when you think about it, goal setting for the long term is much harder.
Goal setting for the long term is goal setting that has much higher seriousness attached to it. Your journey along the way is key because it will guide you in your life towards or away from your goals in life.
Everyone wants to work hard, enjoy their life, be healthy, watch their kids grow into productive citizens, retire with a bunch of money in the bank. There is a quote that is usually attributed to Benjamin Franklin that says, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
There seems to be quite a bit of information on making men or women healthy, wealthy and wise. These days that seems to be the goal of everyone. And why not? What else is there in life than to be healthy, wealthy and wise.
This maxim, saying, or adage about getting to bed early, waking up early, being healthy, wealthy and wise kinda covers everything in life.
The whole reason I bring this up is that it seem like this should be everyone’s short term, medium term and long term goal. Of course not everyone wants to be healthy. All you have to do is look at people around you. Most people in the US carry thousands of dollars of consumer debt that ties them down. And lets face it, most people do not make the wise decisions about lots of things in their life.
So when you think about it, are people really working towards that goal of being healthy, wealthy and wise??
Well lets look at the parts of the saying:
Early to bed It says you need rest. Get some. It is healthy to get plenty of rest. Dont stay up late partying. That may have been your high school or college days. It is time to get serious. Go to bed early. With kids this gets more difficult. Soccer practice, cheerleading, projects, etc. Your body is tired. Get some much needed rest. You will be much healthier for it.
If you are not out until all hours, you will not be spending all kinds of money. I am not saying become a hermit. If you have seen any of the other posts you will see that my wife and I have been to Germany and a few other places in the last few years. But the more time you spend at home instead of out on the town will make you wealthier or at least keep your expenses down.
Going to bed early just makes sense, its a wise decision.
Early to rise There have been many books written about getting up early. Personally, I get up at about 530 or 6am every morning, even Sundays. I do a few exercises, check email, BiggerPockets, get some marketing done and maybe write a few words on my blog. After all of that it is 7 or 730. My wife is getting up and we talk and watch the news together. Breakfast happens before 8am every morning. Steel cut oats or eggs with potatoes or eggs with bacon or a rare sugary cereal to get the morning going.
Some people have 30 minutes to read the bible, do Yoga, meditate. Whatever you want to do in the morning before it gets chaotic, DO IT EARLY!!
When you get up early you have a more calm time to think and get things done. This time can be for you personally to get ready for the day. Or the time can be to start working before everyone one else. It is always a good choice to get started before everyone else.
There are countless books on the benefits of more sleep. There are probably more on the subject of getting up early to start your day before everyone else. The reason there is so much talk about it is that most people do not do it. This is all the more reason to do it.
As I mentioned before, most people WANT to be healthy, but they are not. Do what others are NOT doing. Most people WANT to invest their money, but they end up spending money eating out every day.
There are so many little points of frugality that can lead you to a point of investing. Saving time, money and effort to be able to invest is so important.
Get your goals for the year or years ahead in order. Make sure they are leading you to a place of being healthy wealthy and wise.
