The Single Most Important Thing To Do In 2008
I like goals, and especially new years resolutions.
I went back and reviewed some of my 2007 new years resolutions. Some I had accomplished (buying my first investment property and making it cash flow) and some are still in progress (sale of a business). But in all honesty, the majority of them I had not accomplished, primarily because they are no longer goals. I guess my goals change often.
Nevertheless, I think its awfully worthwhile to write your goals down (and far more often than once a year!). Here are a few tips on your 2008 resolutions:
- Write them down
Goals in your head are no more than ideas. Writing them forces you to get all the details. (Yes, typing counts) - Make them measurable
Saying “I want to earn more” isn’t measurable. You can never know if you actually achieved it or not. Saying “I want to earn $76,500 in the year 2008″ is measurable. - Don’t forget the how
Careful what you wish for. Saying “I want to weight 146 lbs” doesn’t specify how. There are some unhealthy ways to accomplish that, and you want to be specific. - Keep it positive
Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. Instead of saying “I stop hating my boss”, try “I get a raise and promotion”. - Use the present tense
Saying “I’m going to…” or “I will try…” is weak. Write the goal as if it has already taken place. “I date Heidi Klum.” - Make them ambitious yet possible
Force yourself to reach, but if you make them too ambitious you’ll be disappointed. There should probably about a 50/50 chance of accomplishing it in your own mind. - Make them public
I don’t always recommend telling your goals to people who won’t be supportive, but making them public in a supportive place will help you stay on track. We’re more likely to follow through with peer pressure, which is why…
You have the opportunity to write your #1 goal to accomplish in 2008 below. Please leave a comment (sticking as best you can to the guidelines above, doesn’t have to be perfect). If you leave your email, I promise I’ll check up on you before the end of 2008 to see how things are going!
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Brian Armstrong said,
Wrote on December 16, 2007 @ 7:14 pm
I’ll start it off:
In 2008 I earn at least $2000 per month in passive income from my real estate investments.
This is my #1 top priority for 2008.
[Reply]
Eric said,
Wrote on December 16, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
Great guidelines Brian.
By December 31, 2008 my monthly passive income covers 25% of my monthly expenses. This is my number 1 2008 goal.
As Harvey Mackay said, “A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”
[Reply]
Brian Armstrong said,
Wrote on December 16, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
Good point Eric, thats one I forgot to add: it needs a deadline. In this case end of 2008 is a good deadline.
[Reply]
Mysty1O1 said,
Wrote on January 1, 2008 @ 6:01 pm
I may be pessimistic here, but by the end of 2008, I will make about 600$ a month, covering my 300$ rent, many cans of Chunky soup for diner and my 1000$ fully-loaded VISA card… this is real life people. Last year I made more or less 7000$, so 600$ per month is realistic.
[Reply]
Brian Armstrong said,
Wrote on January 1, 2008 @ 6:34 pm
Mysty101, that is great! Start wherever you can. You aren’t competing with anyone but yourself, so congrats for putting that down!
[Reply]
How The Rich Think Differently Than The Poor and Middle Class said,
Wrote on January 17, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
[...] they could go on forever at their current level of living without working again. Thats why I set a goal this year to get to at least $2,000 per month in passive income buying real [...]