KrantCents

Making Sense of Money

If Not Now, Then When?

If Not Now, Then When?

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What are you waiting for?  This is not giving you permission to go out and spend until you drop!  I am talking about all the things you say you want to do, but put it off for various reasons!  You know what I am talking about, it is the weight you want to lose, the exercise you put off, the class you want to take, but put off. The business you want to start, or the habit you want to break!

Let’s be honest, anything worthwhile is difficult, because if it were easy everyone would do it.  What have you been putting off?  For me, it is cleaning out the garage, but I am not talking about chores.  At this time of year the New Year’s Resolutions are forgotten.  In other words, it required an effort and you gave up.  What was your New Year’s Resolution?  Was it to lose weight?  Were you going to join a gym?  Forget the excuses and start!  I lost 35 pounds over 30 years ago and kept it off!  Each day, I made sure that I only ate X calories.  I substituted low calorie foods for what I was eating and learned to like and eat more fruits and vegetables.  I lost the weight in 10-12 weeks.

If it seems that I am simplifying the process, I am.  Do you want to look in the mirror some day and see an old man or woman and say where did my life go?  When I look in the mirror, I see an old man, but I have done everything I ever wanted to do in my life!  So what have you been putting off?  Ask yourself what you need to do today to start to accomplish it.  About thirty three years ago, I realized I wanted to be financial independent!  I put together a plan to accomplish that goal by age forty.  I took my goal and broke it down to daily tasks.  I monitored my progress weekly, adjusted my efforts to meet my goals and I accomplished my financial independence at age 38!

You have to take responsibility for your life!  Stop making excuses and start now to go for what you want.  If you don’t have the skills, get them!  If you don’t have the training, get it!  Get whatever you need to meet the challenge.  What do you need to do to lose weight?  What do you need to be financially independent?  What do you need to do to get out of debt?  Remember success is the accomplishment of the goal.  Lay out your plan and execute it.  Your plan must work for you, so personalize it.  When I was trying to lose weight, the vending machines at work could undo my efforts so I never carried money.  That worked for me!

Stop waiting and lay out your plans now!  Break it down to daily tasks and monitor your results.  Hold yourself accountable and reward the successes.  If you have been following my progress with my blog, this is an example of adhering to my list of daily tasks.  As you know one of my goals is to be in the WISEBREAD Top100 Financial Blogs by the end of the year.  In order to meet this goal, I try to write interesting worthwhile articles twice a week and comment on as many blogs as I can every day.  I monitor my progress along with you and adjust my effort to reach my weekly and monthly goals to keep me on track to accomplish my goal by the end of the year.

What are you doing to meet your goals?  What are you doing today to meet your goals?  What excuse is keeping you from your goal?  Successful people don’t make excuses, they take action.  The difference between an excuse and a reason is clear.  An excuse is an explanation of why something failed blaming someone or something.  A reason is an explanation where everyone takes accountability.  For example, I want to lose weight, but I do not have time to go to the gym.  Stop making excuses and start on your dreams.  Let’s start a trend, better yet a movement toward accomplishing your goals, dreams or fantasies!  What do you think?

Photo by:  Ariff Tajuddin

Comments

  1. Very motivating! We do use a lot of excuses in our lives. I know it sooo well. I don’t have time so I delete the blog. I don’t have time so I don’t go to the gym. I don’t have money, so I don’t save. Laziness and irresponsibility – that’s what it is!

  2. People make time for the things that are important to them. I learned that when I saw our CEO jogging every day for an hour at 11am. He’s got the most responsibility in our company and yet, he makes the time to go to the gym.

    No one is ever too busy…they just prefer sleep, or video games or tv to the alternative (working hard towards a goal).

  3. That’s very admirable Krantcents. With your track record, it seems like you can do anything. I’m sure you will achieve top 100 Wisebread listing with your effort. I really hope your students are inspired by you, but I bet kids are a pretty tough audience.

    • Thanks, teaching is difficult because you never know if you are getting through to kids! I don’t know if I can do anything, I do know determination and persistence trump everything else!

  4. The way you say it, it does seem quite simple. But really, most things in life really are governed by simple principles. Burn more calories than you eat, make more money than you spend, etc.

    For me, what gets in the way of my goals is life circumstances. I have not mastered keeping all my goals in line when life throws me a curve ball. When things are going smooth, I can accomplish all my goals. However, so far 2011 hasn’t been very smooth. I think I need to make a new plan.

  5. Press delete on your excuses! I was taught there was only three (3) acceptable answers, yes, sir, no sir and no excuse sir! No excuses means you take responsibility for your actions.

      • It is good you know yourself! Don’t let your excuses keep you from the things you are striving for! If you do, it is a cop out. You didn’t really want it badly enough!

  6. It used to be that you gave the task to the busiest person because they knew how to get things done. I used to go running at 5:30 Am before work because I made time. This is still true.

  7. I agree but in the end if someone doesn’t have the motivation it won’t work. I liked your comment about finding people more successful than yourself, and I think that helps to provide that additional motivation and push to get there.

    • I like to surround myself with smart successful people for a variety of reasons. One is it stimulates me to stretch and accomplish things. I am okay if I am the dumbest person in the room, I will learn by listening. I am always learning!

  8. I think that your message is great! Too often we take the easy way out and almost look for reasons to fail, and go sit on the couch and watch Jersey Shore (no I don’t watch it).

    Congratulations on being financial independent! I’m still climbing the hit toward it…

    • Thanks, the climb is many ways more fun! I think that is one of the reasons I keep adding new goals to my life. Keep trekking, it is worth it!

  10. Great goal! I used to be on the Wisebread Top 100, then they introduced this different ranking system and I gave up lol. Good luck with your goal, I will try and help you with it.

    Thanks for the motivation and pep talk. I’m going to make sure I go out and accomplish some goals. I think it helps when you write down some small goals to achieve your bigger goal. Being able to cross off the small goals gives you a sense of accomplishment to go forward and achieve a little more.

  11. Loved your motivational pep talk! 🙂 Accomplishing goals and chasing dreams are great, but I think a time line is critical as well. You could be spinning your wheels or going down the wrong path forever if left unchecked. Excuses need to be dropped, but also as deadly is “I’ll get there someday.”

  12. Your smaller goals should be part of your overall goals. Smaller goals to me are tasks (daily, weekly or monthly). If you do your tasks, you will accomplish your goals!

  13. The definition of a goal (SMART Goals) is reasonable. You are the best person to know if it is reasonable and recognize if you made your best effort. Yes, there are times to apply your efforts elsewhere, but only if you made your best efforts.

  15. I make it simple because I have been doing it so long! It is second nature, a habit. I am extremely goal oriented, almost methodical, some may say anal about it. I become single minded, if the goal is important to me. Life is a curve, so you must remain flexible and focused! I know that sounds like a contradiction, but your goals are your goals! Make them happen!

  16. I have always liked the saying that “Life is not a dress rehearsal”.

    No sense in wasting time planning, pondering, etc. Just go for it, and do it responsibly.

    • So true! A little planning is worthwhile, but taking action is what it’s about.

  17. Krantcents- Are you in my mind? You espoused my philosophy to a tee. I even have the same weight loss story. I got my MBA when I was older, started a blog when I was older and use fear as an indicator that I’m doing something productive and challenging!!

    • What is the saying, “Great minds think alike”. Confidence inspires me to plan new goals even as I get old(er). My new motto is “Impossible is just an opinion”.

  18. Hey Krantcents,
    Thanks for the boost.
    We’re all going out one way or another. We might as well go out strong. We might as well go out fighting. Die empty, having left it all on the court.
    We musn’t be caught hanging on to Whittiers’ words, “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: “What might have been!”

    Live it LOUD!

    • Come to my class and I can do it daily! Seriously, take your goals and break them down to daily tasks. Do a daily check off list and monitor them weekly or monthly and you’ll be surprised what you can accomplish.

  20. I really like your writing style. This was a very inspiring post! Procrastination and excuses are such an anchor on people’s success in life. I think that people say things like “I don’t have time for the gym” to cover up the real reason that they would rather stay home. Lets face it, everyone is busy with their life, but you still see people going to gyms. Are we supposed to believe that they are all unemployed and have nothing else to do? I gained some weight after having my son, but I worked out every day and trimmed down. Sure I was busy, but it was important to me so I made the time. I also run my business on top of that as well. Again, I think your post is so inspiring. It’s a really good kick in the pants that some people need!! Thanks.

    • Your statement of “Sure I was busy, but it was important to me so I made the time..” says it all! Thank you for stopping by, I hope you find other article equally interesting.