As we begin our journey this New Year, many of us think about having new goals, new dreams, and basically how do we get about achieving them. I’ve thought about these things myself. Mine in particular is about increasing my net worth to a particular amount and this involves budgeting all of my money and assets well. This thought has been ringing in my mind since late last year, especially after Typhoon Rai hit us and I knew in my gut that I should make this financial goal my number 1 priority. 

So, to help me dissect the process of how I’m going to achieve this particular financial goal of mine this year, I listened to a podcast by Marie Forleo discussing the topic “How to Get Anything You Want?” This can actually apply to getting anything you want this year — whether it be getting your life back together, having the kind of relationship you want, traveling to a particular place, getting the job or career you want, setting up your own business, winning a nobel prize — you name it and the strategies here will help you make it happen.

I’ll share with you below the notes I took so that you too, can have some ideas on how to achieve your goals for 2022, especially if it’s a financial goal like mine. 

How to get anything you want?

Each one of us is a one-time event in the universe and we were born with an innate power to create change in the world, be it big or small. Perhaps, many of you reading this, later on, will say “But Jen, I know this already!” Even if that’s true, a change in mindset will prove to be a more beneficial option for you. Instead of saying “I know this already”, say “What can I learn from this?” Thinking about it this way will open your mind to more ideas, more opportunities for growth and learning, thereby helping you achieve your particular goal. 

Another thing we can adapt is to focus our time and energy on things that we can actually control. How other people think, behave, or see us are out of our control. We can’t do anything about them anymore so better not waste our time and energy on those things. Instead, work on things that you have control over like your own thoughts and your own behavior.

If your goal is anything like mine —— increasing your net worth, or saving a particular amount of money by the end of the year, and you start reading the 3 strategies I’m going to share with you below, instead of dismissing those tips thinking you know them already, think instead:  “What can I learn from this?”… “What else can I do to make it happen?”

Okay, let’s proceed. 

3 Strategies to Help Cultivate Your Dreams On Your Own Terms:

1. Decide what you want.

Ask yourself, “What is that one thing that I really, really want?” Once you know, you must fully commit to it. You have to be brave enough to commit to it long before you even have evidence that it will happen.

Remember: All progress begins with a brave decision.  Believe it before you see it. 

Do you know the story of J.K. Rowling? She was a single mom suffering from the passing away of her own mother. She was broke, depressed, but had this idea for a book. Eventually, she was able to write a draft but got rejected by hundreds of publishers when she sent them a copy. Until finally, one publisher agreed to publish her book with the condition that she has to get a job because they believed her book won’t sell much and she will need a job to support herself and her child. And you know what happened, right? The Harry Potter series was a big hit! Now, she’s the first-ever author to have reached billionaire status! It wasn’t luck! It entailed an undying belief in her book idea and a LOT of hard work!

How about you? What is it that you really, really want? Start believing that it’s going to happen no matter what.  Do you know why? Because the moment one definitely commits one’s self to something, providence happens. As Saint Antione de Exupery says “the whole universe will conspire for me to get it”. You wouldn’t have the dream unless you already have it within you to do it. 

One thing that can help you is this —> Be really, really specific about what you want! The more specific your goal is, the faster you will be able to achieve it. So make your goal a SMART one — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. 

Once you already have your SMART goal, write down exactly WHY YOU WANT IT. 

As for me, just to give you a general idea, my goal is to have a particular amount of money in my bank account by the end of 2022 (I’ll just keep that particular amount to myself, okay?) I want to achieve this goal because aside from the fact that I want to be more self-sufficient, and more financially free, I will also use it as seed money for another greater goal I am targeting for 2023. 

As for you, be as specific as you can. Write it down including your specific reason/s for it. 

2. Eliminate Excuses

Know what your usual excuses are. List them down. Once you shine a light on those excuses, they lose their power over you. 

One thing to note is the use of the word “can’t” vs. “won’t” – Can’t is actually a euphemism for won’t because with “can’t”, it’s like you have no power over it… For example, you want to lose weight. Usual excuses are:

“I can’t get up an hour earlier to exercise because I have no extra energy”; “I can’t eat healthier food options because they’re more expensive and I have no budget”; I can’t work out every day because I have too much work and too much responsibilities at home”; etc., etc.,  

When you say these “can’t” phrases, what you really mean is you “won’t”. So try replacing “can’t” with “won’t”.:

“I won’t get up an hour earlier to exercise because I have no extra energy”; “I won’t eat healthier food options because they’re more expensive and I have no budget”; I won’t workout every day because I have too much work and too much responsibilities at home”; etc., etc.

This way, you are taking the responsibility for not achieving your goal. Is that what you want? 

Do you know the quote ”Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it”? This quote is actually a part of a much longer quote by Chuck Swindle which says:

“Attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, money, circumstances, than failures and success, than what other people think, say, or do. It is more important than appearance, ability, or skill. It’ll make or break a business, a home, a friendship, an organization. The remarkable thing is, I have a choice every day of what my attitude will be. I cannot change my past. I cannot change the actions of others. I cannot change the inevitable. The only thing I can change is attitude. Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”

When you change your perspective that way, it’s amazing, isn’t it? You always have more power than you think. At some point in your life, when you really, really want something, didn’t you make a way to make it happen? Take me for instance. For most of my life, I didn’t want a baby. Then I met Mahal in my 30’s and at 37, I decided I wanted to have a baby after all. I wasn’t even sure if I can. Before him, I’ve been married for 12 years to someone else and I’ve never conceived. I could be barren for all I know considering that I’m polycystic. But lo and behold! I decided I wanted to be a mother, I did everything I can to achieve it – got fit, got healthier, took meds, did all the sex positions possible, and voila! I got pregnant! God gifted us with the most wonderful son, Tuz!  Our son is now 6 years old, super smart for his age, so kind, friendly, and generous, so handsome (everyone says so), and just simply the most wonderful kid on the planet! Even the hotel guests here at our mini resort, Oslob New Village, are so fond of him! And he wants to be a billionaire scientist when he grows up so he can save the world! He also believes he’s the reincarnation of Steve Jobs. Lol! But really, our miracle child is just the best gift a person like me can ever receive in my lifetime and I made it happen! Mahal and I made it happen! Thank you, God! Thank you, Universe! 

If there’s a will, there really is a way! If it’s important enough for you, you’ll make the time. If not, you’ll make an excuse. 

So here’s an activity for you… Take a look at what you want to achieve and make a list of Top 10 Excuses you will likely use to sabotage yourself. Go ahead, stop reading this blog post for a little while and write down your list of 10 excuses. 

Done? 

Now, debunk them. Write down 2 things about each excuse:

• Why this excuse is total BS. 
• What am I willing to do instead to bring my dream or goal to life? 

For example: 

Excuse #1: I have no time. 

• >>> This is BS because we all have 24 hours a day. If others were able to maximize their time and earn more, then I can do it too. It’s just a matter of prioritizing where I spend my time. 
• >>> This is what I’ll do to make more time: Cut off the time I spend scrolling social media feeds and reading gossip celebrity news; Cut off my time doing unproductive things like gossiping and watching movies I’ve already watched before; Hire an assistant or helper to do routinary tasks that take up so much of my time.  

Okay, now do it! Do the list!

3. Action is Magic. 

Just like the title of Marie Forleo’s book that I love to re-read: Everything is figureoutable!

We are living at a time that everything we need is available to us for us to use. You can find out and figure out everything there is to know with the help of Google! We now have no excuse at all to not be able to figure out any obstacle that is hindering us from reaching our dreams. 

So here comes “The Magic 20”. 

On a blank page, write down that one thing you most want, and underneath that is you list 20 different ways that can help you achieve what you want. What could you do or what are you willing to do to make this dream a reality? List 20 ideas or action steps.

When excuses crop up in your mind, just say “NEXT!” and continue writing. Even when you think you can’t think of any more ideas, keep thinking. The best and most creative solutions and ideas usually crop up when you think you can’t think anymore. 

Okay, do it! 

Do you now have your list of The Magic 20? 

Please take note that you don’t need to know how to complete the steps. Just write down any type of solution you can think of to achieve your goal. The HOW will just reveal itself when you’re ready. But you have to start now.

Remember: Clarity comes through engagement and action. The path ahead of you is in front of you right now. 

So, do not skip any step in your magic 20 list. 

The F word and why it’s essential to create a life you truly love — FAITH. 

“We need to be brave and have faith that even if things don’t go in the way we want, you can still make your dream happen. It is during your darkest hours that it’s crucial to flex your faith muscles. Tap into the strength or power of something that is in you (you can call it God or the universe or divine consciousness, etc.) There is a greater and benevolent force working in our lives. This unseen force is intrinsically and unquestionably designed to work on our behalf.” – Marie Forleo

Here’s a prayer we can all use: “I’m the faucet and God’s the water. I’m the container through which all of this creativity flows.” 

Let us not forget our faith when times are tough. There is always a higher power and a greater spiritual truth that is always at work. Like any muscle, our faith gets stronger the more we use it. So let’s always use it, now more than ever. 

MY TAKEAWAY

Life is a gift and we are all here to live it, enjoy it, and make the most of it. Even when we think that the time is not the most ideal with the lingering pandemic and all the stress it entails, with just a little change in perspective, and constant faith, we can make the impossible possible. We can make our new dreams come true! Everything is figureoutable and anything is possible! And at the end of the day, no matter what happens, we always get to choose how we’ll think about it.  Life is good!

So I wish us all good luck as we start the process of achieving our goals! I can’t wait to see how 2022 will unfold for us all!

Up next is a blog post about how we can all budget our money better this 2022.

Til then!