I do a lot of things in my life that relate to starting with the end in mind.

In 2010 I said I wanted to run a 1/2 marathon.  I grew up very athletic, I like to run, I mostly run on a treadmill - not outdoors.  I'm a 5k kinda girl, not really into challenging myself to distances, but I thought if I just sign up for a 1/2 Marathon, I'll train and get in better shape.    Well - I did not train.  I probably ran 3 miles in the 5 months leading up to the dang race.  But you know what - I showed up anyway.  I asked my husband not to bring the kids out to support me as it would probably be a hideous mess.  It sort of was, but I finished, and I finished with a time of 2:59:59.  Yep, I beat 3 hours by one second.  I didn't have a time goal, just a goal to finish.  The closer I got and realized I might beat 3 hours... I stepped it up.

I'm a financial coach by day.  Many of my clients come to me looking for help with organizing their bills or a strategy to dig out of debt, or help to avoid a foreclosure.  One thing is true for all clients - there is a desire for something that will require a change, or some work. 

Writing down that goal is critical so that the work that it takes to get there has meaning or reason.  

Just like exercise sometimes sucks, you will do it if the goal is to fit in some skinny jeans or beat cancer or to show your daughters what a healthy woman looks like.  Keeping that goal in mind gets you through the hard work.

Just the same, you need that goal for your money.  My husband and I have set several goals now that we're out of debt.  We need to:

1. Dump a lot of money into Retirement savings.

2. Save up for a replacement vehicle.

3. Save up for a big family vacation.

However.... we both have a tendency to spend without thinking too much because we have the money to do it.  Inevitably, we end spending more than we planned to and NOT saving for the goals listed above.  Last night, I pulled the money out of our checking account to set aside for these three goals.  I told my husband, next time you want to go out to eat, you have to decide which of these 3 goals you want to take money away from to do that (because we've already hit our budget for dining out!).  

That's when s#!t got real.  He said "well that's a whole different perspective!".  And just like that there was a small shift.

Keeping those end goals front of mind will help you to make choices that support your goal!

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