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?

I never finished college. I just didn’t like learning things that had nothing to do with what I wanted to do in life. Especially when I really didn’t know what I wanted to do in life. I chose the path of pretty much not going to college and I don’t regret it. I’m taking a gamble and I hope it pays off. I was lucky in that I didn’t have to take out any unsecured personal loans and end up getting nothing out of it.

Go to college

The story these days is that you go to college, get a degree, and then stay at your parents house because you can’t find a job. As the economy goes south, so does the risk of not getting a job after you graduate. What college gets you is a better chance at success in the corporate world. You have a chance to get more connections and you’ll have a degree that shows proof that you can finish what you start.

Life is easier with a degree, plain and simple. But that’s only if you use it to the full potential. What if you’re not good at socializing? What if you’re not that interested in getting a degree? Then college is probably a bigger risk of failure to you and maybe you should have foregone college and got a head start out of high school.

Don’t get me wrong, college is a great experience and you can get a lot of connections that will serve you well after you get out. But that’s if you make the effort to get those connections. That’s all part of the gamble.

Don’t go to college

If you make this choice the road is a lot harder. However, it can give you a head start.  About 50% of the people that go to college drop out. If you take that route, then you wasted time you could have had in the workforce or starting a business.

Once you get out of high school you have to make a choice of which path you want to choose for yourself. If the economy is down like it is you have a better chance of just joining the work force or even starting your own business. When the economy’s down the risk of going to college and not getting a job are about the same as starting a successful business that you control.

I could either go to college and risk not getting a job when I get out or not go to college and risk that I won’t be able to go up in the ranks at work because I don’t have a degree.

What I’m getting at is that you have to make a choice of whichever one you feel will give you the best chance of happiness. I chose what I feel will be a harder road but I think I need that challenge in life.

What road did you choose? Do you regret your choice?

I’ll start. While I wish I started out sooner, I will say I did learn a lot about myself by going through the college atmosphere. So, I don’t regret it because I don’t know where I would be today if I didn’t attempt college.

I just want to give you a quick tip today that will affect your health as well as your wallet. Quit smoking.  Yeah, I said it, quit smoking.  It can add up to quite a bit of costs now as well as in your future.  Think about all of the money you spend each week, month, and year on smoking.  It is a lot of money that you could use toward debt or even vacation.  That would be pretty nice wouldn’t it?

And in the future when you are in the hospital because you need help breathing, its not going to feel too hot then will it.  Also it will cost you a huge chunk of change just to live.  So stop.

Smoking also affects your loved ones because they don’t want to see you on your death bed.  It is going to hurt them a lot when they see you suffering because you wanted to smoke. Next time you take a puff, think about your future loved ones or your loved ones now that are going to suffer because you wanted to relax a little; it just isn’t worth it.

If you do want to continue smoking, let me know in the comments below why you are making that decision and maybe we can converse back and forth a little.  You may change my mind or maybe I’ll change yours; we’ll just have to see.  This week’s quick tip, stop smoking.