Blog | Personal Finance

A New Rich Woman…A New Rich Year!

A look at goals for financial freedom, health, fitness, and more

OK. We are one month into the New Year. Time is already flying by.

My first question to you is – Have you declared your one or more goals that you want to accomplish this year? Are they crystal clear in your mind?

Have you written them down? If so, fantastic! If not, now is the time.

OUR NEW YEAR ROUTINE

Every New Year’s Day, as I’ve talked about before, Robert and I climb to the top of a mountain peak in Phoenix and we discuss three things:

1. Our wins from the previous year.
   
   Once you get started, the wins become easier and easier to spot. We both agreed that the biggest win for us in 2012 was our Rich Dad team. Thanks to Shane, President of Rich Dad, and Mike, CEO of Rich Dad, we have a team of people at our company who are aligned, highly talented, working seamlessly together, synergetic, and producing outstanding results. This is not an easy feat to accomplish.
   
   If you are a business owner, you can relate to this. If you have ever worked on a dysfunctional team, you can relate to this. If you’ve ever worked on a team where magic happens because all players are working together towards the same clear goals and mission, you can relate to this.
   
   I’ve said it before, “Business would be easy if it wasn’t for people.” I’ve come to realize this year that yes, it is the individuals of the team coming together that create the magic, but as important, if not more, is who is leading that team. I know that I am not a good people manager. It’s not my strength. Nor is it Robert’s forte. Yet it is definitely a talent of Shane’s.
   
   If you’ve ever read the book “Good To Great” by Jim Collins, I highly recommend it. If you haven’t read it, he talks about two keys when it comes to managing people – 1) Get the right people on the bus, and 2) Make sure you have those right people in the right seats. In other words, seek out the talents and qualities you want in people, and then make sure you put them in positions where their traits and talents will really flourish.
2. What are we grateful for?
   
   This is a great process to do at any time. Too often, we run so fast we forget to stop and smell the roses. There are so many things we tend to take for granted so it can by very uplifting to spend a few moments reflecting upon those things in life we are truly grateful for. So Robert and I sat on our mountain peak and went through the many, many people, lessons, material things, opportunities, and individual traits we both appreciate and are grateful for.
   
   Last week I was in Hawaii looking out on the water, and I was simply listing in my mind the ten things I was grateful for that day. As I was going through my top ten, I noticed a spout of water come out of the ocean. Then, a mother and baby whale broke the surface of the water about 200 yards in front of me and just played for about ten minutes. That was definitely one of the top ten things I was grateful for that day. Sometimes it’s just in the moment.
3. Our goals for the New Year.
   
   We have four primary categories of goals we set each year. We have our fitness and health goals, our business goals, our “what are we going to do for fun” goals, and of course, our asset column goals – how many assets will we add to our asset column this year?
   
   This year’s asset column goal was a bit different than previous years. We talked about adding more apartment buildings, oil and gas investments, and maybe investing in a start-up company, but nothing we discussed was lighting a fire under either of us. Then, almost simultaneously, we said, “This year the asset we’re going to focus on and build beyond all limits is Rich Dad!” We knew we were right on with this goal because we both started talking louder and faster.
   
   The Rich Dad Company is our greatest asset. This year, we launch the new Rich Dad Company. We are unveiling four new and totally unique initiatives that will truly transform our company. And, if we do it well, will, more importantly, transform the way people are educated about money and investing. And it’s fun! The way education should be.
   
   Yes, we will continue with our real estate, oil and gas and other investments, but in order for a goal to really be a goal, it has got to challenge you. If you’re not a little (or a lot) nervous when you verbally state your goal, then it may not be a goal that will create growth or true change in your life. If you already know you can do it, then set your sights higher.

An Additional Goal For Me

There was one other goal I set for myself this year. It’s fun, it’s creative and it keeps me moving forward. My goal is to simply do something different every day. By “different” I mean an action – and it must be an action – that I have never done before or that I normally don’t do.

For example, one day, I did a Skype presentation to an organization I’ve never spoken to before. Another day, I attended an incredible talk by an inspirational survivor from the WWII era. Another day, I wrote a physical thank-you-note instead of sending an e-mail.

Today I’m meeting with a businesswoman I have not seen for three years. The purpose of doing something different every day is that it pushes me to step out of the day-to-day things in my life. I find I’m saying, “Yes” more to invitations and opportunities I might have turned down in the past. I’m 30 days in, and all is very well with this goal.

What About You?

Have you set your asset column goal for 2013? What assets do you want to buy, create or trade up to in your asset column? Where are you today in your asset column and where do you want to be by the end of 2013?

I actually hesitate to use the word “goal” because it tends to depict that there is an end. That once I get my goal then I’m done. And there is no end. You’re never done. The word “milestone” makes more sense to me because we reach milestones along the way of our journey.

So what are the milestones or goals of financial freedom do you want to reach this year? What will stretch you a bit and challenge you to push up against your comfort zone? It is in those breakthrough moments when growth occurs.

The real purpose of a goal or a milestone is to keep you focused on what you want. As you are probably well aware, what you focus on expands. If you focus on what you want, then what you want will grow and increase. Focus on what you don’t want, and guess what?

You will get exactly what you don’t want.

So set your milestones for 2013 just a bit beyond your reach so you’ll have to stretch to accomplish them. Yet, don’t set them so high that they become unrealistic and unattainable. If we attain milestones that challenge us, that cause us to expand beyond our comfort zones, then that in itself is one fantastic milestone accomplished for the year.

May your dreams, your goals and your milestones be realized this year!

Do you need help setting your goals for financial freedom and the New Year? Please check out our free, financial education community here.