Setting Goals

Everyone has dreams and goals and the start of a new year is a good time to take steps to make them happen.

Maybe yours is to remodel your home, or take a long vacation, or go back to school.  Maybe your goal is that your child care business will provide you with enough income to start a retirement fund.

Maybe you are just making ends meet and would like a little more money left over each month.

Whatever your dreams, paying more attention to managing your money and planning your financial future will help you to reach your goals.

The best way to reach any goal is to write them down.  Where do you want to be at the end of the year?  Where do you want to be in two years?  How about ten years?  Start thinking and jotting down your ideas.

Make a list of your goals and indicate which one is most important to you.  Then determine which is the second most import goal.  This will make it easier for you to develop a plan to reach the most important goals that you have set for yourself.

Writing down your goals and creating a list is important for a couple of reasons. 

First, this process makes you stop and think about what your big goals really are.  We are often bogged down in daily life and have little time to think more long term. Thinking about your goals doesn’t make them come true, but you first must identify what you want before you can plan for the reality.

Secondly, writing down your goals helps motivate you to stay on track to reach them.  As with any dream – it might take a while to reach.   A written list of goals will help remind you of your goals and help you stay on track so that you are not distracted along the way.

Lastly, a list will help you to assess your goals.  As the saying goes, “Life happens when you are making other plans. “ Maybe something in your life will change.  When this happens your goals may need to change.  With a written list, you will be able to change or adjust your goals more easily.

Once you have your written goal list, decide what you want to achieve in 2014 or 2015. It could be a relatively simple matter (start a new craft project) or more complicated (start an emergency fund). If your goal involves saving money, set up a plan on how you will achieve it. It could be setting aside a monthly amount in a separate account, or deciding to put your income tax refund towards your goal. Every six months review your written goal list to see how you are doing.

If the idea of putting down goals in writing seems too hokey to you, consider this: Those who put their goals in writing are much more likely to reach their goals than those who do not. It’s up to you.

Tom Copeland - www.tomcopelandblog.com

Image credit: https://clipartmag.com/goals-clipart

For more information about orgainzing your business, see my book Family Child Care Business Planning Guide.