Write It Down and Make It Happen
My aunt Maureen and I, only five years apart, were travel partners and had planned our first trip to the Bahamas. I was only 23 at the time and had saved up enough money for a plane ticket and a cheap hotel. Our dream was to go to Atlantis, but all we could afford was the $149 per night motel located behind Atlantis on the non-beach side of the street. The good news was that they offered free breakfast.
Each day of our four-day vacation, we got up early and headed to the breakfast buffet to load up on the free cereal and fresh fruit. Then we packed bananas, as well as bagels and cream cheese wrapped in napkins, and stuffed them into our backpacks for lunch. We knew if we took advantage of the free breakfast, and also added free bagels for our lunch, we could afford to go out to a nicer place for dinner, sip a few tropical drinks, and still stay within our budget.
Each day as I tried to enjoy the sunshine and relaxation, I couldn’t help but wish that I could afford the better hotel, or savor fresh fish tacos for lunch instead of the stale bagel in my backpack. While we soaked up the sun on the very crowded public beach, I noticed that behind us, safely tucked inside their gated community, were the Atlantis guests enjoying their all-inclusive amenities like private pools, reserved cabanas, and a lazy river ride that went all around the property.
Now don’t get me wrong, I definitely enjoyed our trip. But on our cab ride back to the airport, I vowed to Maureen that I wasn’t returning to the Bahamas until we could afford to stay at Atlantis, in a room overlooking the ocean, and not have to bootleg breakfast bagels for lunch.
I even cut a picture of the resort out of the hotel brochure and pasted it onto my vision board where it hung behind my bedroom door. I vowed to someday make that trip happen.
We eventually saved up enough money to return to The Bahamas three years later for an upgraded, amazing vacation. And it was worth every extra penny: Our plush room, the fluffier sheets and towels, the view of the water from our balcony, the upgraded restaurants, and parasailing on our final day— all of these special details were very much appreciated by both of us.
Having experienced the Bahamas from across the street three years earlier, then to be allowed inside the gated Atlantis community looking out at the ocean, felt like a pretty awesome accomplishment.
Ever since then, I have been setting goals and creating a plan to make them happen. And in my work as a financial advisor, I get to help my clients do the same. It’s been so rewarding watching clients go on their own bucket list vacations, pay for their children’s college tuition without needing loans, and eventually retire with financial freedom and confidence.
It’s pretty cool what having a goal— and pairing it with a clear plan of action— can result in.
Have you ever made something seemingly unattainable come to fruition? Have you ever worked hard with a specific goal in mind, and because of your focus and determination, made that goal happen for yourself or someone you love?
If you answered yes, then you know that feeling of pride when it finally happens, right?
The opposite feeling is the one you get when you’re still wishfully thinking about a goal, but you’ve taken no definitive action to map out a plan to accomplish it.
My friend has wanted to put an in-ground pool into her backyard for years. Every spring, she has FOMO as her neighbors are opening their pools and getting ready for the season. At the end of the summer, she declares, “That’s it! Next year we are getting a pool.” But as the summer comes to an end, she doesn’t set up the appointment to have the pool sales guy come out and measure her yard or talk through options. She doesn’t have any idea what the project will cost. She hasn’t taken the action steps to get her project booked on their construction calendar for next spring.
Yet she complains every year that she still doesn’t have a pool.
Does this sound like you? Is there a project, a trip, or a perpetual goal you still have on your To Do List— but so far there’s no actionable plan set up to accomplish it?
And are you tired of hearing yourself complain about it?
What gets in your way? Are you overthinking it? Maybe you don’t know where to start?
I have a simple suggestion: Start by writing down the goal.
According to Michael Hyatt in his article 5 Reasons Why You Should Commit Your Goals to Writing, he states:
Most people don’t bother to write down their goals. Instead, they drift through life aimlessly, wondering why their life lacks purpose and significance. I am not saying that committing your goals to writing is the end game. It's not. But it is the beginning.
The secret to accomplishing what really matters to you is committing your goals to writing. This is important for at least five reasons.
Because it will force you to clarify what you want.
Because it will motivate you to take action.
Because it will provide a filter for other opportunities.
Because it will help you overcome resistance.
Because it will enable you to see—and celebrate—your progress.
Wish you could run a 5k? By when? Where? With whom? For any particular cause? Write it down.
Wish you could finally see the Eiffel Tower? By when? With whom? What will it cost to do this? Write it down. Capture as many details as you can about your ideal trip and exactly how it will play out. Once you envision it, then you can work on the details to make it happen.
We all have goals, wishes, desires— even things we regret not yet doing— but often we have no plan for how to get there.
Make today the day you choose one thing on your bucket list that you want to accomplish. Write it down. Include details. Ask a friend for some accountability. And if you need a financial plan to help get you there, our team can help you figure it out. We’d love to help you plan the vacation of your dreams, with an ocean-view room, complete with fresh fish tacos instead of a stale bagel.
This Week’s Resources
Ready for Adventure?
Thinking of going to Atlantis? Are you traveling with kids and want a family-friendly vacation? Or are you looking for a quiet, romantic destination? Atlantis has it all. From the bustling Aquaventure to the very exclusive Cove, there’s something for everyone at this gigantic destination!
Tired of Your Own Resistance?
Could you be the one who’s getting in your way of producing great work? Have you started a project but never finished? Would you like to do work that matters, but don't know where to start? Check out Do the Work, a manifesto by bestselling author Steven Pressfield. Do the Work is a weapon against Resistance – a tool that will help you take action and successfully gets your projects done!
Still Looking for More Proof About Writing Down Goals?
Writing down goals works. But don’t take my word for it. Click here and let Forbes explain the neuroscience behind the importance of writing goals down. Expert Mark Murphy tells it all here.
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