Goal Setting

We all know that goal*-setting is important. Besides having something to aim for, it helps improve your focus and performance because it guides how you organise your resources so that you can make the most of your life. (*It is important to also consider intangible matters e.g. experiences, feelings, perceptions etc. as goals to achieve.)

• • Firstly, know what you want or at the very least, know what you do not want, for yourself. 
  • Secondly, identify the WHY that inspires you to dedicate your time and energy to achieve your goals. 
  • Thirdly, line this up to your values, purpose, priorities and strengths. 

• • 1. Planning SMART - make your tasks Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. 
    2. Being accountable in executing your plans. 

This approach applies in a shared-goal environment as well i.e. couple, team, organisation. However, all parties will need to be aligned and signed up to the same vision of the goal.

When my husband and I were contemplating purchasing our first property in the UK, it wasn’t because we wanted to own a property, it was because we didn’t want to pay someone else’s mortgage in rent. This clearly isn’t justification enough to commit a huge chunk of our funds to. 

After a lengthy flipchart-involved discussion, we agreed that what we were really after is to feel in control of our finances where we want our monthly outgoings to sustain us in the now as well as in the future. Exploring our options by aligning them to our shared values, purpose, priorities and strengths, we concluded that owning a property was our best choice to command our current and prospective financial needs. 

In planning SMART, the answers to ‘What is our budget? What type of dwelling should we get? Where will we find it? When will we move? What hiccups do we need to anticipate?’ helped with drafting the relevant criteria for the property and mortgage deals we were looking for as well as made us single-minded and more efficient during the property-hunting process. Also, knowing this helped with prioritising, planning and achieving goals in the other areas of our life.