Category / Mind Over Money

Every year people make new resolutions that they hope to accomplish for the next year. Most probably won’t keep it. There are many reasons why but it’s usually for lack of actually wanted to complete it. Here are 3 steps to make a resolution and how to keep it.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.”

~William Hutchinson Murray

Stay in reality

“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”  ~Philip K. Dick

If the goal is to make a million dollars by the end of next year, it’s probably not going to happen unless you win the lottery. If you want that goal then by all means try it but make sure you complete the next step before you make it your final resolution.

It is good to push yourself so that you change but make it somewhat achievable. For instance you could say I want to make 20% more that I did this year or save 20% more. You could even say I want to make a budget and stick to it every month.

Make plans to succeed

“He who fails to plan, plans to fail”

~Proverb

How are you going to achieve your resolution? Saying what you want to accomplish is one thing, but planning how you’re going to do it is what will make or break your resolution. Break down your final goal into small monthly goals. That will help bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

For instance, If you want to make 20% more than you did last year, that could be $10,000. That equals $833 each month you would have to make extra. Then you brainstorm different things you could do for that amount. Perhaps a second job, or selling some items. Just come up with as many things, even unfeasible things, and then go through them and find what will work. That’s your plan and that will help you succeed.

Become accountable

“Accountability breeds response-ability.”

~Stephen R. Covey

You can do all that, but tell no one, so that way if you fail then no one will know. Yea that’s the easy way but that’s not going to change your life, tell someone what you’re going to do. Maybe they’ll even want to join you. But the point is to bring someone on that can hold you accountable for what you want for your life. A loved one or friend is preferable but if you don’t want to as them, then give me a try and sign up for my free monthly accountability emails, where’ I’ll keep you going month after month and we can motivate each other  to complete our resolutions.

The point of a resolution is to change something in your life because you’re not happy with what you’re currently doing in that area. Keep this resolution and you will have a new life you are happy with. It’s time to finally take a leap. JUMP!!

Are you going to take the leap this year?

We’ve all heard before “Money can’t buy happiness”. But why? Why can’t having everything you’ve ever wanted to buy make you happy?

Are you happy now? If not then nothing you ever buy is going to make you happy. Sure going on a shopping spree will make you feel happy in the short term but in the long run you’re just going to go back to your unhappiness once the high wears off.

What you need to do is look deep down inside and find out the root of your unhappiness and it’s not because you don’t have enough things.

I believe the best way to become happy, when you’re unhappy, is to think positive or to talk it out with someone who will tell you like it is.

Always looking at the bad side of things will make even the happiest person not happy. If you really always have to complain about something then you really need to do something else. Why are you doing something that makes you that unhappy. Instead of complaining about it, do something.

I was really unhappy with my old job and finally just got tired of complaining and looked for a new job and found it. Now I’m extremely happy and would never look back. Sure I gave up a possible promotion in the near future but I also gave up stress, which I would give up anytime.

Would you rather have modest money and be stress free or a billion dollars but would have to be stressed out everyday (and there are things money can’t stop from stressing you out so don’t let that affect your decision)? I would choose modest money all day and night. Stress is really not good for your life or your family’s life, so cut it out.

Happiness is an emotion that’s deep down inside of you. Money will make a fake happiness for a little bit but eventually the unhappiness deep down inside of you will come out.

If you’re always unhappy, try changing something that you feel is causing that unhappiness. There’s really nothing to lose because doing that will either make you happy or keep you unhappy. So you have a lot to gain and little to lose.

So take action and change your unhappiness!!

I changed jobs to become happier, what have you done to become happier in life?

photo credit: h.koppdelaney

There’s a deadly cycle when it comes to being poor. When you aren’t educated on how to be good with money, your children aren’t going to be educated on how to be good with money. If you are bad with money you need to get better for future generations. The only thing I ever learned growing up was about investing in stocks. I never learned about making a budget and it never occurred to me that I even needed to know because no one ever told me I needed to know. The only thing kids know about personal finance is that you need to work to pay bills. That’s it. You need to break the cycle.

Get An Education

If you don’t know about good money habits, how can you possibly have them? The only way to learn that way, is to make mistakes. That is the long hard road. Take the easier route and learn from other people’s mistakes. Read a book, read blogs online, just learn from people before you make those mistakes. When you learn something be sure to pass it onto your children so they have a lesser chance of making those mistakes as well.

Stop Wanting What Other People Have

“Ooooo my neighbor just got a new 52 inch Hi def  TV. It looks fantastic. I think I’m going to get one. I can get one at Rent-A-Center and make payments for a couple of years.” Don’t! Your neighbor has that because they can afford to buy one or are willing to put their future at risk to own something that looks cool. Don’t be that person that does the latter. You can’t define your life by what you own. If you really do define yourself by what you own, then earn more money so that you can buy what they have instead of ruining your future by paying for it with payments that end up costing you thousands of dollars in interest.

Don’t Spend All Of Your Money

This should be a given but how many people have a lot of money by spending it all? If you live paycheck to paycheck it means you spend it all. Stop doing that! Find places where you can cut back your spending. Find a cheaper place to live, stop eating out, stop spending money everyday. If you can’t do that then start earning more money so that you can put some away for a rainy day.

Having bad financial habits will most likely cause your children to have the same habits. Change your habits before it becomes too late and the cycle is started over again. On your journey to become financially independent bring your kids for the ride. Break the cycle of being financially poor.

Do you have any habits you don’t want your kids to have? Why do you have those habits if you don’t want your kids to have them?