By: Darren Brown
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:4
I am often amazed when I overhear conversations involving people talking about the success of another and in return say; “bwoy him lucky eeh, mi wish mi coulda be so lucky. Mi don’t think I could ever reach dem heights deh.”
It has been shared in varying forums that the best way to achieve financial success, or any kind of success, is to learn how to set goals and remain consistent in doing so.
The very first thing is to change your goal structure: don’t set a deadline; set a schedule. For instance, set a goal to read X number of books by year end, and then set a schedule for when you will read.
According to James Clear, an author focused on behavioural psychology, “Productive and successful people practise the things that are important to them on a consistent basis”.
For example, you’ll read for 20 minutes each night before bed or for one hour every Saturday morning. You’ll find that by sticking to a schedule, you will meet your desired goal of reading more, and the likelihood of reading the number of books you originally set out to read will increase. A simple adjustment of more or less time to the schedule is easier to do once you’ve created the habit. Consistency is key.
It’s the same approach that is used towards savings. We must learn to live on less than we make each month so that we can intentionally put away some to save. So monthly, fortnightly, weekly, which ever, seek to put aside a small amount to achieve your desired goal. If you miss one month of savings, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed or that you should give up. Remain resolute and consistent.
The second idea to embrace is to change the way you think about your behaviour. A simple change in your mindset will not only position you for goal achievement but also allow you to enjoy the process. Adding up all the little successes all along the way can really help keep you on track and motivated.
Here is an example shared with me sometime ago. There was a man by the name of John. He lived paycheck to paycheck. He really wanted to save money but had been unsuccessful in doing so. One year, he decided to simply add a dollar sign with a blank space next to his calendar every Saturday. Each week, he then wrote in how much he had purposefully not spent and instead put into a savings account. He was now visually accountable to himself (and to that blank space on his calendar) to save.
Some weeks he only filled in $5; others he was able to save over $100. Eventually, John started writing down a goal amount he was going to save at the beginning of the week and spending only what he had left over. It was this key change that led him to a new paradigm. John now saw himself as a saver instead of a spender.
The power to set a schedule to achieve your goals and to see yourself in a new way is extremely empowering and exciting. Let’s be determined that no matter what your goals are this year, you are going to challenge yourself to find little ways to set yourself up for this kind of success.
“The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets” (Proverbs 21:20).
