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In a previous Financial Woman post, I wrote about identifying that one step that you can take next to move toward achieving your financial goals. Without execution, the best laid ideas hold little value. In today’s post, I want to write about what happens after you identify that important next focus area so you truly make proactive changes to your financial health beyond just thinking about it.
This method works for any area in your life that you just can’t seem to find time to improve. For financial matters, take out your wealth journal; write the money area that you want to improve first.
Write out the steps that you’ll need to take in order to make those improvements. I’ll use two scenarios for illustration in this article. For example, if you want to clarify your money goals, write “Make my list of money reasons”. If your next step is to improve your knowledge about investing your money, write “Take a financial course.”
Next, write out the amount of time the first step will take. For example, it will take about 10 minutes for you to define your money reasons, which is the first step in creating financial goals. This seems easily doable on any schedule. Although I’m partial to Financial Woman courses, I want you to find the course you need, so researching and finding the right financial course could take about an hour.
Then write out the remaining steps in the implementation, along with the amount of time each step will take. For example, for researching the amount of money you’ll want to accomplish your money reasons, plan on an hour or so. You’ll probably need to plan on four or five hours over several weeks or longer to complete a typical financial course, depending on how much you want to learn.
Next, write each of the steps in your planner. This is easier when you know how much time to allot. Block off the time that you have chosen. Consider this time investment one that you are making in yourself and your financial security.
Go ahead and schedule a treat for yourself upon completion of the process, such as a facial or dinner out with girlfriends.
The beauty of this method is that it allows you to see how you can fit those super important tasks into your life, thereby creating those dynamic changes that you so desire. Caring for and growing your money fit into that “super important” category since they are required for getting what you ultimately want in life that money can provide. And we know that’s not everything, but let’s face it, it’s an awful lot!