Most of us have or are about to start planning our goals for 2023; unfortunately, statistics historically show that many of us won’t make it to February before falling back into old habits. Here are some SMART tips on how to set goals so you are more likely to achieve them:
Specific:
- Be specific about what you want to achieve; outline what you need to see in order to consider the goal accomplished.
- Ask for help if you are struggling to achieve a goal on your own, see who could help you maybe an industry professional.
Measurable:
- Break down the goal into daily, weekly, monthly targets and track your progress eg. write them down or have a spreadsheet.
- FAA have a vision board template you can use, download it here
- Buddy up with an accountability partner & book a monthly coffee catchup to discuss how your goals are tracking.
Attainable:
- Make them challenging but not extravagant; don’t overload yourself with an excessive list of goals, identify your key focuses.
- Hang a poster on the fridge or somewhere you will see it daily, set notifications on your phone/diary, so you can refer to your goals on a regular basis.
Relevant:
- Have goals that are important to you and write down why.
- Remember why you have set these goals, stay motivated with daily self-affirmation – remind yourself why you are aiming for this goal and that you WILL achieve it.
Time-based:
- Set deadlines with an actual date.
- Review and adjust your goals on a regular basis, they are likely to change slightly over time.
- Celebrate your wins and acknowledge the smaller achievements spurs motivation for the bigger picture
Need some goal inspiration? Other Australians are focusing on the following according to research from CBA*;
- 93% have a financial goal for the New Year
- 51% say their top financial goal is to reduce living costs and expenses
- 50% want to spend less on non-essential items
- 41% wish they were more disciplined to save more regularly
- 41% want to find ways to earn extra income
Make 2023 the year you achieve your financial goals and remember it is never too late to ask for help.
Talk to FAA today call 5451 0022 or make an online enquiry here. For more tips subscribe to our emailing list or follow us on facebook @Financial Advisers Australia.
* About the consumer research: Fieldwork was conducted by House of Brand Group between 3rd – 8th November 2022, amongst a sample of n=1,035 nationally representative respondents with quotas set on age, gender and location.
