Create a Valuable New Year’s Resolution by @JulieMoneyCoach

by Julie Feuerborn, CFP© | Featured Contributor 

The New Year has begun and it’s the time of year when we set new goals and make our new year’s resolutions.  Have you ever had the best intentions of keeping your resolution only to find a few weeks later that you have stopped going to gym or you haven’t saved a dime?  Over the years I have found that when goals, specifically financial goals are aligned with personal values there is a higher success rate.

My son, Sam is twenty-four years old and he lives in a van. Yes, you read that correctly.  He lives in a van!  You may be asking why and the answer has to do with his values.  His goal is to live in the outdoors and rock climb and ski as much as possible.  Let’s look at strategies he has used to reach his goal and strategies to make your resolution happen.

• Tie your goal to your passion. When a goal is tied to what is important to us, we are far more likely to succeed because it calls to our inner self.  Values held close to the heart will keep the motivation coming.  Sam discovered his passion and he knows what motivates him to get up in the morning.  He loves to rock climb and to ski so he has made that a priority in his life.

• Set a specific time frame. A defined period of time will keep you on track.  Sam set a date for when his new lifestyle would begin.  That became the time frame for him to save enough money to buy his van and move in. 

• Make your goal realistic.  Can you achieve your goal and what will it take to make it happen?  Sam’s goal is possible because he is willing to make the choices necessary for it to happen.  He is willing to give up creature comforts because living in a van aligns with his goals. Is there something you are willing to change to make your resolution a reality?

• Practicalities: Set in place the system to make it happen.  Sam understood how much it costs for him to live in a van.  Living in a van still has expenses associated with it so he set in place ways for him to earn income to cover his costs.   He works seasonally in the spring and summer allowing him to spend his spring and autumn in the desert climbing.

Sam’s goals are unique and they are aligned with his values and that is why it works for him.

Create a New Year’s resolution tied to your passion.   What is really important to you?  This is your unique vision for you and your life?

Define when in 2015 you want to achieve your goal.  Write it down.  Share it with your friends and family.  It can happen!

Set a resolution that is possible for you.  This is your goal; your passion.  Define what you can do to make it happen.  Anything is possible when it is truly connected to who you are.

Address the practicalities to make it happen.  Does it require time or money?  Find a place in your schedule and make it a priority or set an automatic savings plan in place.

I’ve got a feeling that 2015 is going to be a fantastic year. By following these 4 simple strategies you can ensure that you stick to your New Year’s resolution and achieve your dreams for the year…and beyond!

(To read more about Sam and his adventures:   click here )

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Julie Feuerborn, CFP© is Julie The Money Coach which is the business she founded to empower others to take control of their financial destiny.

Clarifying the financial world for her clients is her passion.  She eliminates the fear around making financial decisions by educating and mentoring (and sometimes hand holding) which creates financial confidence.  She loves when a client understands the role money plays in her life because it creates peace of mind and because it adds a whole new level of possibilities for her clients to live the life they deserve.

Julie has followed her dream and since 1994 Julie has divided her time between Colorado and the UK with her husband and the youngest of their four children.  She currently lives in rural England where she enjoys going for long walks and watching the sheep in the fields.  Her other passions include international travel, reading, yoga, meditation, hiking and camping.

To read more about what Julie has to say go to:  Julie The Money Coach blog

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Julie Feuerborn