Sometimes it can be hard to get going. Have you ever found yourself at a standstill and feel like you are not making the progress that you had hoped for? A few simple actions may help and get you on the Open Road of life.
We all have lists of things we need to do, and it can be hard to get those things checked off the list. Some things we have on mental lists, others we have written down – and maybe even stuck on the refrigerator. Congratulations if you have written down your goals – we all know this helps. It may even increase your odds of meeting your goals by as much as 50%.
Hold yourself accountable
But what else can be done to get us on the road to getting things done? Some believe that telling others who will hold you accountable can greatly help.
The key is telling those who will hold you accountable, not just anyone. This works great with my kids. I have them share their goals with me on a regular basis. Then when they get distracted or completely off-track, I ask them a few simple questions about their progress. This usually helps with (re)focus.
I also do this with clients. We all know that goal-setting is integral to the financial planning process. Writing down goals and discussing them with your financial planner is basic to a successful relationship with your financial planner. And who better to keep you on track to meet your life goals than your financial planner?
Get motivated
We have all probably all tried writing down goals and telling others. Some with great success and some with limited or no success. So is there yet another way to inculcate motive? Stay with me here, but why not use outside influence and go digital?
We go digital for things like communications, entertainment, and the list goes on and on. So why not go digital for motivation too? It’s simple! You have likely watched YouTube videos on a wide array of topics, so why not motivational videos? All you have to do is search YouTube by typing in motivation. You will likely find some videos that you can relate to and that will get you going.
Your favorite motivational videos may be about sports, business, relationships, or something else. Even if you are not crazy about sports, you have to admit that sports superstars are highly motivated, and some do a great job of motivating others like teammates and fans. So why not listen in and get your game on?
As we all know, to meet any goal, we must take action and get started. If you want to get your financial house in order, have your estate documents drafted, plan for retirement, review your investments, or work on any other goal? Try listening to a few motivational videos. You might be surprised at the results.
See you on the Open Road!
Todd Minear, CFP®
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