Category: Health and exercise

It’s all about making small changes now in order to achieve big results down the road.

In late August of 2011, a friend’s family invited me to join them for a day of boating on the Columbia River before we started our final year of college. I still remember it vividly as the first time I ever water-skied (even somewhat successfully!). After a hot summer day in the eastern Washington desert, as we drove home, my friend’s parents asked each of us, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” As we approach the actual 10-year mark this upcoming summer, it’s worth reflecting on.

At 9.5 years in, most of the hopes and dreams my friends and I discussed that night have become realities. We are all married, some with children, and we work jobs we are passionate about in meaningful careers. Many of us are homeowners. We are very blessed, but not because of “luck” or “privilege”. We were taught the summation of our small choices over time would shape who we became, and we knew we needed to take personal responsibility for our actions. The last 9.5 years have been filled with intentional work toward real, attainable goals.

But goals without a plan to see them through to completion are simply dreams, and dreams rarely become reality without action. In a culture that looks mainly to the next weekend for our hope and anticipation, we must look further. I once heard we overestimate what we can accomplish in a day or week, and we underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade. The crazy goals you can knock out in 10 years with even just a simple plan and diligent work is staggering.

Our outcomes were also heavily influenced by those we spent our time with, including each other. Have you heard “show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future”? According to speaker and author David Burkus, data demonstrates we are influenced positively or negatively by far more than the five people we spend the most time with; even indirectly by friends of friends. If you spend time with friends or even family who hinder you with their behavior or even tell you outright your goals and dreams are unattainable, I submit: it’s high time to surround yourself with different people.

Over the years, I have dreamed about being different, struggled to implement massive overhauls to my routines, then failed repeatedly because I was biting off more than I could chew. This is why people joke about gyms being extraordinarily busy in early January (pre-COVID, anyway), but not February! I got discouraged long ago with New Year’s resolutions, but as I get older, I’ve learned small changes over time are far, far more effective than large changes implemented simultaneously, and I strive to make small tweaks year-round.

Life would have been far easier in my earlier years had I used this “Swiss cheese method” of poking small “holes” in school assignments, tasks, and goals until they were done. Whole productivity systems have been developed to aid people in getting their tasks done. I have tried implementing many of them, and I believe it all boils down to this: Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Much of personal finance is behavioral, so this idea is very important, and it extends into almost every other avenue of our lives. Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of Habit,” writes, “A habit is a formula our brain automatically follows: When I see CUE, I will do ROUTINE in order to get a REWARD. To re-engineer that formula, we need to begin making choices again. And the easiest way to do this, according to study after study, is to have a plan. Within psychology, these plans are known as ‘implementation intentions.’” If we can isolate each item in that habit loop (cue, routine, reward) and make small changes, we can alter our habits from the inside out. For more reading on small habits and changes producing huge changes over time, check out one of my favorite reads, “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy.

Actions you can take today, right now: Dream a little. Where do you want to be 10 years from now? Maybe your finances need an overhaul, or maybe you’re on track and want to fine-tune things some. Maybe you strive to spend less than you make, knowing debt will only hinder your progress to financial freedom, but you don’t have a monthly budget. You’ve heard of a Roth IRA, but you don’t know how to create one or how to invest. Maybe you’re unsure you’ll have enough money in retirement. Maybe you lost a job and just need to find a way to put food on the table before thinking about career progression. Or perhaps you have a stable job, but it’s just “good” on the “good, better, best” spectrum. Maybe people have said that you can’t earn a good income doing what you love (not true!).

Let’s resist the urge to be discouraged by or complain about 2020. For many, it was a difficult year filled with setbacks, sickness, natural disasters, loss, and unrest. Yet, I believe the adversity and frustrations we endured can shape us like nothing else can. Our parents were right; nothing builds good character traits like overcoming struggles. I truly believe the future is bright and opportunity abounds, even now.

Surround yourself with people who are successful, are good influences, and who challenge you. Get curious and ask questions. Write things down. Learn what actions and habits made these people successful, then go do those things. You will be amazed what happens over time. Commit to doing even just one thing each day to that end. Make that phone call, ask that question, read that book or article, do that one pushup, create that budget, break down that goal.

My wife and I often ask ourselves “What are we doing today that, God-willing, will propel us toward where we dream of being in 10 years?” Dave Ramsey says, “Set written goals with a time limit. Break them down into weekly and daily activities. Read them every morning. Watch what happens.” A pilot I recently flew with told me he and his wife wrote down their long-term goals years ago, accomplished them, then wrote down more and accomplished those too! He jokingly remarked we need to be careful what goals we write down, put on the fridge, and constantly review, because they can become reality in almost a magical way. Give it a try!

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This article was written by Luke Miller, passionate about helping others succeed in their finances, careers, and lives. A fourth-generation aviator, he is a pilot for a Seattle-based major airline. Luke and his wife live locally in Enumclaw.

As “New Year” fever winds down and we head into the end of January, this is the time when committed goal seekers really nail down what they’re doing and how they’re going to achieve their dreams. When I meet with clients who have big  goals for a new year or a new quarter, I always ask a pivotal question that makes them pause: What will you give up?

During conversations about goal-setting, we tend to think about the upside, or the achievement that will be gained or added to our lives, but we rarely discuss what we must “subtract” to accomplish what we want. In truth, though, you have to create space in your life for the new opportunities and achievements. To gain the upside, you have to decide what you’re willing to let go of or stop doing to allow your most important goal to come to fruition.

For instance, I work with a client who has had the goal of buying a home for three years, but each year, he’d spend the money elsewhere instead of saving it for a down payment. He’d buy a new truck, off-road vehicle or trailer to join his friends on their outdoor adventures, which was a great way to spend his money on items and experiences that brought him joy and created special social outings. However, he felt held back financially from putting effort into his larger dream of buying a house. Several months ago, he looked around and realized the “toys” he accumulated were part of the problem. Enough was enough.

To refocus on the dream of buying a home, he decided to get rid of everything — the truck with the expensive car payment, the off-road vehicles, toy haulers and other gear — and save for a down payment. He sold it all in three months. Once he started in this direction, his progress exploded, and as each month passes, his momentum is building as he saves more and more since he no longer has those monthly bills.

When I tell others about his amazing and quick transformation, I point out three main pivots that helped him to move quickly:

• Once he admitted that he wasn’t where he wanted to be, although he was having fun with his friends, he realized that owning all the “stuff” wasn’t fulfilling. He decided that he could buy that “stuff” again later, if he really wanted it, once he bought the home of his dreams.

• He also realized the balance between owning “toys” that you like and being captive to your things, especially when you have high car payments or high-interest credit cards. When you’re working to pay for “stuff,” you’re not moving forward into your future. Instead, you’re carrying forward financial obligations from your past.

• Once the emotion behind obtaining his goal was high enough to make it happen, he immediately took action to get everything into order.

My favorite part of this story is that once my client sold his vehicles and gear within three months and began saving, his friends wanted it, too. One wanted to buy a house, and another wanted to climb out of the financial hardship of paying minimums on credit cards and living paycheck to paycheck. Once they saw him do it, they thought, “Hey, I can do it, too.” My client’s actions started a movement in his social group, and now several of them are ditching expensive “things” to get what they truly want.

As another brief example, I have a client who owns an investment property in California who has to work an extra day per week to afford the property. It costs her money nearly every month, and it detracts from her lifestyle. Although she dreaded coming into 2020 with this responsibility and liability hanging around her neck, we envisioned what her life could be like otherwise. Instead of hanging onto a property that others told her would be a good investment, she’s selling it, and we are working together to invest the proceeds into a passive investment with positive cash flow. Rather than work an extra day, she can work two fewer days per week and have flexibility. She’s not anchored by that mortgage payment.

How can you decide what to give up? I like to offer this advice:

• In my opinion, people inherently know what’s not good for them. You know what’s keeping you trapped, whether it’s an expense or an action that you’ve become comfortable with that no longer serves you in a positive way. Question whether certain actions and payments are worth the benefit you’re receiving. Search through your monthly expenses and ask if the new truck payment is worth it and whether you’re wasting time on social media or TV. The last time I deleted the social media apps on my phone, I laughed when I realized I wasn’t truly “busy” all the time.

• Next, create that space for your new goal. This could mean physical space or emotional energy. I find the “physical” to be helpful because we have stories about our belongings that we don’t even notice, and being able to let go of certain items may help us to start anew with other goals as well. If your physical environment is full, you may not feel spacious within yourself to grow.

• Finally, seek out support to take your next step. It’s easy to get into your own head and make the change seem harder than it is. We have self-doubt about why we can’t change or what we can’t do. However, a mentor or friend inherently has a different perspective than you do about yourself, and someone else can point out what’s possible and keep you motivated as obstacles appear.

Change is difficult. Once you realize what’s holding you back and decide what you can give up to make space for what you want to achieve, it’s possible to quickly take action and get your momentum back. As we approach February, consider it: What should you give up this year?

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This article was written by Ken Kladouris President of Platinum Wealth Group, a financial planning and wealth management firm that strives for balance and integrity.

Picture this: you set a well thought out goal. Whether, for the workplace or your personal life,  you’re excited about it.  As you begin working toward it, you pick up momentum and build related habits along the way, eventually gliding seemingly effortlessly to the finish line. We all set, (occasionally) achieve and pivot away from our goals, but some people seem to hit every goal they set for themselves with an ease most of us only dream of.

Good news: setting and achieving goals is not reserved for those more ambitious, wealthier, or better connected than you. With the right strategies, setting and seeing through a goal can be a fun (and totally achievable) personal challenge that anyone can take on.

The key here is to have a very simplified way of setting, focusing and executing your goals. We spoke to a handful of successful CEOs and founders to get a glimpse into how they set their own goals. These simple tricks are bound to take your goal-setting and habit-creating skills to the next level.

Schedule ‘Strategic Time’

“Busy CEOs will unanimously agree: time is the commodity they wish they had more of,” says Shawn Johal, Entrepreneur & Business Growth Coach. “As a current CEO and business growth coach to other CEOs, one of my key hacks for goal-setting is a habit: scheduling one uninterrupted hour every day for Strategic Time.”

Scheduling time to work your goals into your calendar and make them visible to whoever has access ensures everyone on your team understands this time is non-negotiable. No distractions, no interruptions — just pure focus.

“Strategy does not have to be left as a quarterly or annual topic; being purposeful about Strategic Time allows me to spend more time working on and refining big-picture ideas and vision. The first step for accomplishing goals is to be purposeful about setting goals – and that starts with making them a priority in your schedule!” says Johal.

Take time to reflect

“I don’t set any goals straight away,” explains Brett Helling, CEO of Ridester. “I take time to reflect on my progress over the previous year. Then assess whether I’ve spent enough time on what really matters and what I want to achieve in the next year.  I think more about the legacy and the impact I want to make.”

Helling suggests breaking down your goals into monthly and weekly achievements to shoot for, working toward those smaller, more achievable goals will help you stay motivated while eventually reaching your destination.

Reverse engineer your plan

“Include short term and long-term goals when you’re planning for the future,” adds Helling. “Break it down and think about what you need to accomplish in the first week, the first month and the first year. Also, envision your business in the next five years and work your way backwards to see how you need to get there.”

Consider a checklist

“Use a simple checklist to write the top three action items that will help you achieve your monthly goals,” suggests Globafly CEO Mariya Palanjian. “As you can see on this daily to-do list, you can write your monthly goals each day so you stay focused and think of all the resources/action items necessary to accomplish the goal.”

Don’t be afraid of a Plan B

“I hate to say it, but every career goal should include a Plan B,” says Helling. “You need to know what you are going to do when your original plan fails. Having a Plan B will assist you in making confident decisions and stay level-headed if things go astray.”

Stay balanced

“When strategizing goals and developing a framework for scaffolding the habits on which skyscrapers of success can be built, I remind CEOs of the importance of attending to growth in all spheres of their lives:  business, finance, leadership, family, social relationships, physical health, intellect, and spirituality,” explains Dr. Joy Lere, a psychologist who practices at the intersection of behavior and business. “Neglect of important facets of a person’s identity, functioning, and life when goal mapping can, in the long run, limit the outcome of the finest laid plans.”

Don’t bother with KPIs

“I’ve recently changed my goal setting to not include metrics based KPIs,” says Phil Strazzulla is the Founder and CEO of SelectSoftware, “This is based on advice from Jason Friedman, who runs Basecamp, and made me realize most metrics-driven KPIs will leave you feeling like you haven’t hit your goals.”

Instead of focusing on metrics and KPIs, simply focus on doing work to further work on the goal you’re chasing. This way, you’re able to see the small milestones as wins rather than being beholden to KPIs that tend to swing for reasons outside of your control.

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This article was written by Kaitlyn McInnis, an experienced writer, editor, and consultant based in Montreal, Canada with a demonstrated history of working in digital media.

With New Year’s Day fading in our rear-view mirror, there are many people grappling with the resolutions they made for self-improvement.

Of course, you don’t need to have a New Year’s resolution for self-improvement, but the calendar change provides the psychological timing to put a plan together and “get a fresh start.”

Research shows that every year, millions of people around the world begin self-improvement projects at the start of the New Year. Creating healthier personal habits leads the list of things that people want to change.  Surveys show that losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more, quitting smoking, and moderating alcohol consumption are the most common wishes.

These top health improvements are followed by wanting other lifestyle enhancements including traveling more, reading more, getting more sleep, getting a better job, becoming more organized, and saving money.  Then there are more personal goals like being nicer to others, having more fun, and trying to get out more.

People often poke fun at resolutions made at the beginning of the year because they have such a high chance of failure.  In reality, though, the rate of failure is not any greater than resolutions made at other times of the year because people often don’t plan properly to be successful. Making significant changes to long-standing habits is challenging at any time of year and requires proper goal setting and awareness of the specific action steps needed for success.

This is particularly true if the habits are pleasurable or involve immediate reinforcement.  Our brain is built to value immediacy over long-term benefits which may lead to addictive-like behavior around food, alcohol, use of chemicals and other quick and pleasurable rewards.  In other words, the human brain is innately programmed to prefer having one cupcake right now over feeling slimmer and healthier in a few months!

That is why proper planning is so important to help overcome this powerful human tendency.  Planning and goal setting serve to move the reward of the future-forward in time so that it is in the present and can compete more effectively with immediate pleasure.  A good plan breaks the ultimate objective down into smaller parts so that progress can be rewarded incrementally.

In selecting a goal, it is helpful if there is a strong emotional investment in the outcome.  It has been said that it takes “willpower” to resist behaviors that scuttle goals, but a more positive view is that it takes a strong “desire” to stay on track and reach a goal.

Really wanting something makes a great difference in creating success compared with doing something because you are supposed to or because it is healthy.  Motivated people are more likely to reach their goals, but it’s well-chosen goals that help to motivate people.

It is also important to specifically define what you want to accomplish and to make it tangible enough that it can be measured. Make sure to choose a goal that is realistic and achievable, otherwise, it will only cause frustration.  You are likely to be more successful if you define the specific actions or behaviors you need to achieve the goal.  In other words, ask yourself, “what do I actually need to do to accomplish this goal?”

There are some tricks that can help to move us towards our goal starting with writing the goal down along with the set of action steps needed to reach it.  Break the goal down into pieces or smaller goals and set rewards or reinforcement for completing each “mini-goal” as you go along.

An example might be someone who wants to lose at least 20 pounds of excess weight in three months may have action steps of eating lower carbohydrate foods and avoiding sugar each day.  Their smaller goal may be to lose at least two pounds per week which is verifiable by regular weigh-ins.  Every week that they meet this goal, they reward themselves by putting fifty dollars into a jar to save for a cruise at the end of three months if they are successful!

It can help to visualize what you and your life will be like when you complete your goal and letting other people know what you are trying to achieve.  Some studies have suggested that not only writing your goal down but saying it out loud and even drawing a picture of it can help program the brain to act accordingly.

Remember that “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and that fundamental changes in our behavior take time and repetition.  Finding ways to increase your desire for meeting a goal and getting help in organizing and monitoring progress can also help you be successful!

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This article was written by Scott E. Smith, Ph.D. who is a freelance contributor who writes the Psychology column, which appears every other Wednesday in The Capital. He is a licensed clinical psychologist with Spectrum Behavioral Health with offices in Arnold, Annapolis and Crofton.