Lots of people have a to do list. It might encompass large bucket list goals or simply little admin items you need to sort out tomorrow.
Now add another list to your world. The To Be list is one which will help you work on bigger goals and personal goals.
Poossibilities here include, to be kinder, to be a great wife every day, to be a Neuro surgeon or to be on time or early for everything. Try it.
There is always something on the to-do list. It might be work or pleasure, rest or play, but there will be something on the list. You will usually be able to think of something that needs to be done, either for you, your kids, parents or friends.
Remember, even when you stop, drop and lay in the ground, there will be things to be done. They’ll either be unnecessary items or someone else will pick up the task and put it on their to-do list.
I usually find these lists quite exciting and interesting. Someone has gone out and done all the research for you and they’ve provided a ranking and review to make your large choice much easier.
The one that struck me today was a list for the best salt & vinegar chips in the UK. It’s very easy to think the top ranked crisps are ‘the best’. Yet, they are only the best for that one person providing the ranking and reviews.
Their top choice might be light on the salt yet heavy on the vinegar with a significant apple flavoured element. That may not be how you like your crisps. And they may prefer ruffles to baked or thick cut not wafer thin.
There are often lots of other elements than just what is reviewed but regardless, make sure you’re clear on all the reasons and details that went into the list-makers decision. It’s nice to have a list but not so much when it’s opposite to how you would have ranked them.
Get a few small items off your list each day. And be sure to get 1-3 bigger items moved forward too.
So you think you have a plan for 2023. What you probably have is a wish list, or simply an idea.
An idea has no emotion and little, if any, detail. It’s more of a statement. Lose 42 pounds. Get a new job. Land people on Mars.
You can then personalise it and add some emotion like excitement, concern, giddiness, fear or trepidation. As the idea moves from an abstract thought to something that may be part of your future, you begin to internalise it and different emotions will start to bubble up to the surface. For example, I would like to lose 42 pounds, get a new job and be part of the team that lands people on Mars.
To improve your chances of success though, you are best to write these ideas down. Make them personal with “I am” type statements and then add some clear, detailed steps and milestones that you’ll need to go through to reach your desired goal.
Making a plan requires more commitment and detail. It takes a bit of time to make. If you don’t have the will to commit to making the plan, it’s unlikely you’ll have the will to overcome the challenges that you’ll find on the path you have chosen to take.
If you do commit, you’ll need dates and times that you’ll actively progress your plan. You can add milestones too. You’ll also need a system to review your progress, including daily tracking of key activities and metrics. Without tracking against a plan, you are likely to drift and then give up.
But that needn’t be your story. Be the top 5% of people. Use your discipline. Feel how good it will be to have reached your goal. Hold that thought.
Now go turn your 2023 ideas into wishes and then make a plan around the most important ones.
Tag me in so we can celebrate together!!!
Remember the car you wanted? How about that vacation that didn’t happen? Make a financial wish list so you can focus on the things that bring you joy.
Like Marie Kondo says, when tidying, get all the same items in one spot. So if you are doing clothes, get all of the clothes from around the house and put them in one spot. This way you can see everything at the same time. This makes it easier to compare, so the selection process may be easier. You also get a true sense of the magnitude of the items.
Do the same for a financial wish list. Think of it as a bucket list that you want to achieve before you buy the farm. Put everything on this list that you could imagine wanting at some point. Put a minimum cost on each item. The idea is to get everything out in the open and see what you would really like. Some will be must haves and some will be nice to haves. Put them all down. Get a real sense of what is ahead of you. What would bring you joy?
For example, one of my items is to pay for each child’s university education. Another is to cover an amount for a wedding. Now maybe they won’t go to university or get married. But at least the funds are there in case they do. And they can always be redirected to a start-up business fund, round the world holiday or other matter after a certain age.
Make a financial wish list. Make it for fun. It will tidy your mind.
There is always a list we want to get on. It could be Santa’s list or the shortlist for a sports team or promotion. There is always a list to strive for.
On that note, I found a list which I found interesting. It made me think, of all the lists you could be on, this would be a good one. Particularly if you were speaking in terms of wealth and influence.
The list was of the “Greatest philanthropists by amount of USD”. Now you may argue over the term “Greatest” so perhaps the people would be better described as the “Highest donating”.
Anyway, rather than the Sunday Times Rich List or the Forbes Billionaire list, perhaps more attention should be brought to the philanthropist list. We could even use the metric, ’donation as a percentage of assets or income’ to put the whole thing in context and allow less wealthy people to get on it.
Someone with a £200,000 net worth that donates £100,000 (50%) should be valued for their relative donation. This should take nothing away from people that donate several billion USD as those sums are hugely beneficial. Although, few people will amass that level of wealth. However, they may wish to give a disproportionate amount of what they have.
That might be a list to strive for.
