I start at the same place in every initial meeting I have with my clients. We discuss their goals. Often times, this is the first time they have actually taken the time to really think about their goals. They may have a general idea but haven’t explored many specifics. You don’t have to wait for someone to ask about your goals, you can start defining them now.
I think we all can agree that setting goals is important. However, most people never take their goals beyond just an idea in their head. It’s one thing to say, I want to retire but retirement looks different for everyone. Be specific about your goals. Sure some of those little details will fall into place as your goal gets closer, but the more specific you can be as you are setting your goal the better you’ll be able to plan for them.
You may even need to do a little research. Almost all goals, big and small will require some research in order to give you an idea of the costs involved. If one of your goals is to remodel your kitchen start looking at designs, start pricing out materials, start talking to friends and family about ideas. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t going to do it for another five years or more. Focusing on your goals will help better clarify what you really want. It will also help you determine what’s realistic and what isn’t.
Earlier this spring my husband and I had our hearts set on building a pond one day. We started researching. I found some great plans for a swimming pond that uses natural filtration. I contacted a contractor to discuss the site, building costs, etc. Our plans came to halt when we realized the site we had chosen is prone to flooding. Who knows someday we may still dig a pond but it won’t necessarily be for swimming. Instead, we’re now looking at pools. It’s nothing we plan on acting on in the very near future but doing the research now helps us better understand what we really want and we can better plan.
So go ahead, grab a piece of paper or bring up a blank word document and start writing down your goals. Then start getting detailed with them. Go ahead and dream; get inspired. Once you have your goals written down we can move on to the next steps of prioritizing and giving those goals a reality check.
