How to Set 2023 Goals You Can Keep

On this episode of A Wiser Retirement Podcast, Casey Smith, and Brad Lyons, CFP®, discuss the new year and how to set 2023 goals you can keep.

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SUMMARY:

How to Set 2023 Goals You Can Keep

Around New Years is the time where everyone starts creating resolutions for themselves. People want to start working out more, walking more, and bettering themselves as a whole. A lot of people also have financial goals for the new year, which is good because financial success is something that is intentional. It is important to set 2023 goals for you and your finances, because financial success takes discipline and dedication.

Qualitative vs Quantitative Goals

There are two types of goals, qualitative and quantitative.  Qualitative would be something like setting boundaries, managing your mental health better, or putting yourself fist. They are goals that you cant quite measure, but you would still know if you achieved them. Quantitative would be something like saving 10% more or working out. They are more measurable and achievable goals.

Along with this, there is a 21 day theory that states if you do something for 21 days it will become a habit. This is because once you do something for 21 days, it becomes apart of your daily routine, and you would miss doing it if you stopped. Reaching a goal is all about behavior. You have to shape your current behavior around in order to reach the finish line.

SMART Goals

A popular way to set goals is by using the SMART outline. SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This helps you create a strategy around your goals and how you will achieve them. You want your goal to be specific so that you can really move towards it. If it is too vague, you won’t know what you’re working towards. It should also be measurable so that you can track your progress and see that you’re moving in the right direction. Along with this, it should also be achievable so that you won’t get discouraged. Your goal should be relevant in your life and help you grow, and it should be time-bound.

SMART goals are important because they gives you a solid plan. It makes your goal specific and gives you more confidence in achieving it. Another strategy would be to share your goals with a friend or family member. Doing this with someone will help keep you accountable and you’ll be more likely to achieve your goal.

Leading and Lagging Indicators

There is a book called, “The 4 Disciplines of Execution” by Chris McChesney, Jim Huling, and Sean Covey that talks a lot about goal setting. They also talk about leading and lagging indicators. Here at Wiser, we have a goal to get a 99% retention rate with our customers. We track this using leading and lagging indicators. Our lagging indicator is that percentage whereas our leading indicator to make sure we’re on track is client review meetings. We track our leading indicator by making sure 85% of our customers come in for annual review meetings. This helps us keep up with our retention rate and create a personal relationship with our customers.

Goals Translate

The reality of goals is that they help us better our lives. It allows us to take a deep look at what we’re doing in life and where we need to better ourselves. This is also why it is so important to set both measurable and achievable goals so that you can see if you are improving. You will also realize that it is okay to fail. Sometimes you might set a goal that is a little outside your reach. If you do everything you can to reach that goal, but end up falling short – it’s okay. It turned into a learning experience where you still took time to grow.

Goal setting isn’t just a one time thing. You should constantly be setting new goals in order to grow. Whenever you set one goal, you should have smaller ones in order to get you to the finish line. Doing this can be a big motivator and help you feel more accomplished.

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TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro

1:15 How to Set 2023 Goals You Can Keep

4:47 Qualitative vs Quantitative Goals

6:30 SMART Goals

11:38 Leading and Lagging Indicators

15:07 Goals Translate

LINKS:

Learn more about Casey Smith, Brad Lyons, CFP®, and Missie Beach CFP®, CDFA®

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Learn more about A Wiser Retirement podcast and access previous episodes.