Why Write Down Goals?

How many times have New Year Resolutions failed within days or weeks of starting them? How easy is it to modify habitual behaviour? The two issues are closely linked – let’s deal with the first issue:

Clarify what you want to achieve.

You probably have a good idea what you want to achieve – but you have gone straight to the ‘Fix it’ stage too early. Write down what you want to achieve, by when and most importantly WHY. Then write down the consequences of achieving your goal and the consequences of not achieving it. As a final test – hand your work to someone you trust for feedback.

Many will think ‘I know all that – why waste time writing it down?’

The magic is in setting ‘mile stones’ on your journey. Think about setting off to a destination you have never been to. Would you just start driving and hope to pass a signpost to direct you on your way? Of course not! You would set your destination, compare it to where you are starting from and possibly use a map or a sat nav to plot the most effective course.

Setting your goal involves describing the end result accurately with a time scale. The map reading bit is research, help from friends, reading and experience that you refine the journey by. On a journey you might plan a break after a given distance – do the same with your goal – include a number of successes that can be rewarded.

You will be motivated to take action, being able to articulate  your goal is one thing – you have to actually take action. Writing this down and reviewing regularly can provoke the next action.

 A filter for other opportunities

The more successful you are – the more you will be treated to opportunities. These opportunities can become distractions – taking you away from the planned route. This is where the power of a written list of goals will help bring you back in line and evaluate these opportunities.

Overcome Resistance

From the time you set a goal – you will feel resistance to it from having to change a habit to the awkwardness of working in another way that is unfamiliar to you. Do not focus on the resistance – focus on the written down goal – the thing you want most.

 See your progress

It is hard to get motivated if you cannot see any progress, you feel as if the plan is not working. However, written goals are like mile markers on the journey, they allow you to measure how far you have come already and celebrate success.

Writing down goals does not take long – don’t over complicate the process, just get something down now and refine it as you go along. Eventually the finished article will shine – but it probably needs a bit of polishing on the way. The benefits are well worth the effort and will probably save you money and time in the process.

All of this can be a big help when the objective is financially slanted, for example paying off the mortgage by age xx, retiring at age xx, saving enough to buy xx by [date], paying for a child’s university fees. I can help develop the goal(s) and assist with the successful achieving of them.