Without Financial Goals, You Are Like A Football Field Without Goal Posts

Wikipedia defines a Financial goal as an objective which is expressed in or based upon money.

Businessdictionary.com defines Financial goal as The monetary objectives of an individual or organization that are often determined by their future requirements for funds.

A personal financial goal is a target you set in the future towards achieving financial freedom.

I always compare setting goals to the goal posts in the game of football/soccer. Imagine 22 players on a football field running about, chasing a round leather ball but with no goal posts to score. Their running around will be an exercise in futility as there will no way to measure success or know the better team.

So it is when you as a person think you can do without setting personal financial goals. You will not have a measure to gauge your financial success against. You will not be able to achieve your dreams and desires because of debt or a poor credit score. And since our finances affect other areas of our life, the quality of our life will be reduced.

Do you know that the success |(or otherwise) of your finances will eventually affect (the quality of) your relationships? If you are the type who is always in debt, begging family and friends for handouts perpetually, they will start running away from you. But if you are the kind of person who is in total control of his/her finances, you will naturally see people flock to you. And they will give you that look of 'We are proud of you'.

Do you want to be out of debt? Do you want to make N1 million by this time next year? Do you want to always have N1 million in your account no matter what? Do you want to save for your children's university education? Do you want to save towards your family's annual vacation or family trip? Do you want to invest in real estate?

Whatever you dreams are, you should set goal(s) towards achieving it. Don't live through life hoping for luck and leaving every thing to chance. Like a popular saying goes 'Whatever can go wrong will do, sooner or later'. You don't want life/things to happen to you, be the one making things happen. And like I always say,'Nothing just happens, we make them happen'. Make your dreams come alive by setting financial goals today, and write them down. Make sure they are SMART.

But do not overdo your list. Keep it simple.

See yourself 5 years, 10 years, and 20 years from now. Set goals to become what you see.

When you set goals, it will help you to be financially responsible, aware and committed to making a success of your life and personal relationships. Get financial knowledge.Never forget that your personal finance is linked to the success of the other areas of your life, so don't take it for granted.

Geroge Kinder advises that we set our financial goals along with our life values.

He advocates that you answer these three questions before you set them:

1.  Imagine you are financially secure, that you have enough money to take care of your needs, now and in the future. How would you live your life? Would you change anything? Let yourself go. Don’t hold back on your dreams. Describe a life that is complete and richly yours.

2.  Now imagine that you visit your doctor, who tells you that you have only 5-10 years to live. You won’t ever feel sick, but you will have no notice of the moment of your death. What will you do in the time you have remaining? Will you change your life and how will you do it? (Note that this question does not assume unlimited funds.)

3.  Finally, imagine that your doctor shocks you with the news that you only have 24 hours to live. Notice what feelings arise as you confront your very real mortality. Ask yourself: What did you miss? Who did you not get to be? What did you not get to do?

When you determine what's truly important to you, decide how much you need to have to do those things/be with those people. Set your financial goals along that line.

You have just one life to live, and you deserve to live it to the full. Make a plan now to do just that by setting your short term and long term financial goal(s). And you will be sure glad you did.