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View Full Version : The Keys To Achieving Your Goals in 2010


xxthat girlxx
12-29-2009, 02:43 PM
Whelp, it's that time of year. A couple of you know that I've been making a lot of changes in my life. Over all, they've been going well. Some happened pretty fast, others I'm still working on. I found this in HP's google chat away message, liked it and wanted to share. :)

Original Article (http://dr.daveramsey.com/etc/newsletters/company/122909.cfm?ectid=cnl0110_05#1)


Another year and another set of resolutions. If you're like most Americans, you'll probably forget your goals by mid-February. So how do you make your resolutions actually happen this year? First, keep in mind that goals are dreams; but don't stop at just dreaming. Turn your dreams into bite-sized pieces that will gradually create a big event in your life. If you're waiting on an outside variable to change your life, you have a long wait. You have to do something. It's your responsibility to fix your life, not someone else's. It's time to sit down, make some goals, and take control.
Goal setting is how you win. Once you've made your resolutions, they will drive you forward. The goals will motivate you to seek activities that will help you succeed. It's not always fun, but those exercises bring you closer to your goal and make you a winner.

If you want to actually achieve your goals this year, then consider the following:
Be specific.
When setting goals, be specific in what you want to achieve. Vagueness will only cause you to feel overwhelmed, and you will just give up.
Make your goals measureable.
In order to know if you achieved the goal, it must be measurable. For example, if you want to lose weight, don't simply write down "lose weight" as a goal. How much weight do you want to lose? Or don't just write "spend more time with family." How much time do you want to spend with your family every night?
Are they your goals?
Only you can set your own goals. If your spouse, co-worker or friend sets a goal for you, you're not going to achieve it. Taking ownership will give you more incentive to meet your goal.
Set a time limit.
Setting a time frame will help you set realistic goals. For example, if you want to save more money, list how much money a month you want to put into your savings account.
Put them in writing.
Putting your goals in writing will make you much more likely to achieve them. Write down your goals and review them often. This will give you motivation to make them a reality.
This is the process to succeed. Successful people reassess their lives and then start living intentionally, in writing, on paper, on purpose. Make your resolutions a reality in 2010

hqp921
12-29-2009, 04:09 PM
Stop stealing my stuff! :)

j/k.

So resolutions...? Anyone?

- HP

rick moranis fan
12-29-2009, 05:02 PM
YUP: do stuff

MoN
12-30-2009, 11:32 AM
What a coincidence, I was reading this same article a few weeks ago. It is very insightful. I know we all make resolutions for the year but once its time to do it you dont now where to start. by making small goals to get to your resolution, its easier to complete each one and to actually see you're progress. So good luck everyone!!

My resolution this year: SAVE MONEY!!!
This has been my resolution for like the past 3 years and I CANT!! Im such a spender, but with this technique if I make small actual obtainable goals (for ex. save so money much by this date... etc). Maybe it will be much more realistic. Lets see where it goes....

rick moranis fan
12-30-2009, 02:06 PM
What a coincidence, I was reading this same article a few weeks ago. It is very insightful. I know we all make resolutions for the year but once its time to do it you dont now where to start. by making small goals to get to your resolution, its easier to complete each one and to actually see you're progress. So good luck everyone!!

My resolution this year: SAVE MONEY!!!
This has been my resolution for like the past 3 years and I CANT!! Im such a spender, but with this technique if I make small actual obtainable goals (for ex. save so money much by this date... etc). Maybe it will be much more realistic. Lets see where it goes....

The best way to save money, in my opinion, is to make a spreadsheet of EVERYTHING you spend money on for one month. I'm talking everything. Soda from a vending machine, gas, McDonalds, prostitutes, anything at all! Just keep track of it for one month in a spreadsheet. At the end of the month go through the list just look at it. You'll realize what stupid things you spend money on that's "only a few bucks" here or there. That little stuff is what gets you, not the big stuff. :p

I did it last year and had a big "holy shit" moment lol. It was a good little exercise, and I have changed my spending habits because of it.

MoN
12-31-2009, 10:05 AM
The best way to save money, in my opinion, is to make a spreadsheet of EVERYTHING you spend money on for one month. I'm talking everything. Soda from a vending machine, gas, McDonalds, prostitutes, anything at all! Just keep track of it for one month in a spreadsheet. At the end of the month go through the list just look at it. You'll realize what stupid things you spend money on that's "only a few bucks" here or there. That little stuff is what gets you, not the big stuff. :p

I did it last year and had a big "holy shit" moment lol. It was a good little exercise, and I have changed my spending habits because of it.

Ya I have done many budgets but never seemed to be able to stick with it cuz I was not accounting for all the daily "small stuff" spending like you stated. But its so hard!! All the small stuff is what keeps me going lol. But Im definetly going to try this. I've never actually kept track of this type of spending. Im sure its going to be something ridiculous like $200 a month on freaking coffee and sunflower seeds alone lmao....

StripesRX
12-31-2009, 10:55 AM
Know a great way to keep yourself from spending too much on the "small stuff?"

Ditch using your credit card on the small things and give yourself a budget of cash for the week. Nothing got me spending less that an ever diminishing wad of cash(or lack of) in my wallet. With a credit or debit card its like *swipe* magic! dangerous!

My resolutions:

Lose 10-15 pounds by the beginning of May
Put half of each paycheck into a savings account and DON'T TOUCH IT
Get an A in all of my Spring semester classes
Do at least on Autocross and track event this year(c'mon not all resolutions have to be bad, right?) :)

Good luck everyone!!!

07SubieQT
12-31-2009, 10:17 PM
^Ooooh! Stripes, I just started doing this sort of saving therapy lol!! Im awful at spending on the small stuff!!! :o I do feel that I am more conservative on what I spend my small wad of cash on!! Its way too easy to swipe a credit card!! Almost like it didnt happen, until u look at ur bank account! :eek: Oh well...Monica, I would definitely try this tho!!

My resolutions are pretty similar...
~Loose some weight (Get back to my workout program :cool:)
~Save $$ (Put part of each paycheck into savings!!)