Category Archives: wealth

Write Down Your Goals For 2012

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We are quickly approaching the end of the first week in 2012.  If you haven’t taken the time to write down your goals for the year, it may be time to do a bit of soul searching.  The fact is most people don’t drive their car without a destination in mind, and a plane doesn’t leave the terminal without a flight plan.  If a plan is required for the routine tasks that we perform on a daily basis, how much more important is it for us to have a plan for our lives?  So, if you haven’t taken the time to write down your goals, it’s time to eliminate excuses and get moving.  Included below are some of the common excuses along with the reasons why they are not valid:

Excuse # 1:  I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions.

While I agree with you that we shouldn’t wait until the New Year to change something in our lives for the better, the New Year is viewed as a fresh start for many.  When people use this excuse, it is often based in fear; the fear that they may not accomplish their goals.  If you have used this excuse when asked by others about your goals, I urge you to move in spite of the fear and make a commitment to try.

Excuse #2:  I haven’t written down my goals, but I’ve thought about them.

In the Bible, Habakkuk 2:2 states, And the Lord answered me and said, write the vision and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it.  That being said, a goal that isn’t written down is no goal at all.  If you’ve been so busy this week that you’ve not had time to write down your goals, what do you think will happen next week?  Make yourself a priority and take a moment to document at least one goal for the year.  If you’re having a difficult time getting started, consider the following categories:  spiritual, family and personal. 

Whatever you do, don’t waste time comparing yourself to others.  Many times people aren’t successful in achieving their goals because they are busy trying to achieve someone else’s goals.  Make it personal.  God made you authentic, and I don’t believe he’ll bless your attempt to be someone else.  He’s given each of us our own destiny.  The choice is ours.  Our goals are merely the stepping stones that are required to reach the divine destiny that God has placed before us.

Excuse #3:  I wrote down goals last year and didn’t achieve them.  I don’t want to be a failure.

One thing is certain – if you don’t try, you’ve already failed.  Additionally, how are you measuring success?  In last year’s post, A New Year, A New Beginning, I talk about the all or nothing approach we take when judging ourselves.  This approach leads to self-sabotage.  Many times, it is not the naysayers that keep us stuck, it’s the loud voice in our own minds that tells us we aren’t worthy.  If your perception is you failed at reaching your goals last year, take a moment to document the steps you took toward your goals.  For instance, if last year was the first year you had documented goals, that’s an achievement.  Above all, stop being your worst critic.  If you don’t love yourself that may very well need to be your goal this year.  This is merely my opinion, but if you have a negative perception of yourself, you will likely always struggle to achieve your goals.

Please make the decision to become excited about 2012.  Everything may not go your way this year, but you can choose to have a positive outlook and make the most of each day.  As you make your plans for the year, don’t forget to celebrate each success no matter how small because what we focus on expands.  Happy New Year!

Reflecting on 2011

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As we prepare to close the ‘book’ on 2011, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on some of the top news stories / events of the year.  Whether your year was fantastic or not so great, in a couple of days, 2011 will become a mere memory.  While memories are often great to have, we must keep in mind that there is nothing we can do to change them.  As a result, I urge you to ‘brush your shoulders off’ and look forward.

Although we should all make a conscious effort to live in the present, reflection is important and there are some valuable lessons that can be learned from past experiences.  Included below are some of the year’s top stories that not only affected Americans, but also had a huge impact from a global perspective.

Use of Social Media to Change the World – The first time we all had to take notice that social media was more than a mere way to connect family members and long lost friends was during the 2008 presidential campaign.  More recently, protesters in Egypt utilized Facebook and Twitter to spread the word about organized protests.  In an article published by fastcompany.com, the author communicated that social media played a role in three main dynamics:

  • Organizing protests and gathering supporters
  • Shaping the narrative and ensuring that the government could not shift the global dialogue
  • Putting pressure on Washington to take a stance.  Because of the amount of information that was being released through social media channels, Washington lost its ability to maintain its distance from the controversy

Because social media has become a major and acceptable method of communicating, we must all ensure that we’re aware of the ‘dos and don’ts’.  For more information on the effective use of social media, please review my post, Social Media:  The Rules of Engagement.

Death of Osama bin Laden – On a Sunday night in early May, President Obama announced to the American people, “Justice has been done.”  Almost ten years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, the mastermind behind them was killed by US Navy Seals and CIA paramilitary forces.  This was indeed a pivotal moment for our Country.  Although the death of bin Laden won’t bring back loved ones that lost their lives during the attacks, it does send a clear message that the American people won’t give up the fight for freedom and justice.  The war on terror reminds me of the story we all heard as children, The Tortoise and the Hare; slow and steady wins the race.  In our own lives, if we commit to a mission or goal and stay laser-focused, we will be victorious.

Death of Steve Jobs – In October, the world lost a brilliant mind.  For those that aren’t aware, Steve Jobs was Co-founder and CEO of Apple, Inc.  What I found most intriguing about his story was that he wasn’t born with a ‘silver spoon in his mouth,’ and he succeeded in spite of the odds.  In my post, Dream It, Achieve It, I highlight his commencement speech at Stanford University, and how we can apply some of his life’s lessons to our own lives.

Decrease in National Unemployment Rate – Earlier this month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the jobless rate fell by .4% between October and November to 8.6%, which is down from 9.8% in November 2010.  While the shift in the economy is happening a lot slower than we’d like, I believe that we all experienced a brief sigh of relief when hearing this news.  Although things are slowly improving for our Country, African Americans are still unemployed at higher rates than any other ethnicity group.  Historically speaking, this is the norm, but given the state of the economy and the housing market, this is a major drain on wealth creation in our community.  If you or someone you know is struggling to find work, my Aim to Win in this Economy series has some useful tips that may help you ‘get back in the ring’ and ready to fight again.

Many of the events of 2011 will definitely be written in tomorrow’s history books.  As we prepare to shift into a new year, my question to you is how will you leverage the experiences of the past year to live your best life in 2012?

 

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