It’s only appropriate to start off the new site with a post about financial goal setting. Nietzsche, a 19th century philosopher, said it best when he wrote:

“Forgetting our objectives. During the journey we commonly forget its goal. Almost every profession is chosen and commenced as a means to an end but continued as an end in itself. Forgetting our objectives is the most frequent of all acts of stupidity.”

Have you ever found yourself so wound up in your routine or work that you forgot why you were doing it? If you answered “No”, you can probably turn invisible too. I say that because everyone is bound to have a profession or hobby that involves their passion, or at the very least consumes our attention. Our minds have a natural tendency to wander. In fact, as I am writing this, all I can think about is having pomegranate frozen yogurt from a local “FROYO” joint called Tuttimelon. Add a few fresh blueberries, one lychee, and a green spoon to top off that delectable delicacy worthy of Gods. Wait, I digress.

According to Nietzsche, he finds this going off on a tangent as an attribute of human stupidity. I am human, therefore I am stupid. And I digress again. What Nietzsche finds stupid is that we usually don’t think ahead, and as a result we tend to not keep our eye on the end goal, but purely just how to get there. You are probably thinking, “So Zen, as long as we are working and moving towards our financial goals, we’ll eventually accomplish it anyways. So what’s the point?” The point is that goal setting simply is not enough. It’s those natural tendencies to wander by not having a plan of action that postpone our financial objectives. When you live outside your means, pay unnecessary fees, eat out excessively, keep up with the Joneses, constantly lose battles against your addictions, and the list goes on, you are wandering.

“Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”

- Tom Landry

People who succeed in building strong personal finances are not necessarily those with high income, but those who have targeted their habits and their resources toward achieving those goals. We’re all very capable; it just requires a little focus.

Are you like me, constantly battling distractions that throw you off course?  What are your secrets to staying on track?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Adios!

Photo: Osvaldo Zoom

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1. Reach Your Goals in Half the Time