Less commonly-discussed though is how to effectively set your goals and how you can actually achieve them.
Most of us are hindered by the Big P - Procrastination.
Yes we know what we want but we think, "I guess that can wait till tomorrow". Which becomes "next week", "next month", "next year" and eventually... "never".
Many people also find themselves encumbered by fear, self-doubt or plain laziness and so put up all sorts of imaginary barriers like perceived impossibility of the dream becoming reality, lack of time or money, lack of ability, the absence of opportunities.
You know we can be very creative when it comes to finding excuses why we can't.
This is because although we do have goals, we don't have compelling reasons or motivations to make them happen. We're just now that excited about them.
Let's say one of your goals is to double your income or to cultivate a steady side income. Sure, you want more money, but why do you want it? Many people have very general or superficial reasons like "so I can buy more things" or "so I can be financially free".
You see, to make your goals exciting enough for you to actually manifest them, you've got to get down to the nitty-gritty and what's really important to you.
How exactly will the extra money improve your life? Perhaps it's so you can give your loved ones a better life - a nicer home, better insurance cover, treat them to an expensive holiday every year maybe.
Is it to invest in real estate or stocks so you can scale down your workload and still have a healthy income? Or perhaps you envision opening a small business you're passionate about that you can run in your later years?
Once your motivations are solid enough, you'll naturally want to take action to achieve your goals. But does the task seem too daunting? Well, start by finding out how exactly you're going to get to where you want to go. You've got to do the math, the research, get the practical know-how. If you've got an idea for that killer app that everyone will want to buy, then you've got to first learn how to actually create one.
Once you get into it, you'll find that it wasn't as complicated as you thought.
Like completing a marathon, if the length of the race already makes you weak at the knees, then break it down and just focus on the first few kilometers,
Get through them, then aim for the next leg.
Eugine Loh, 938Live, MediaCorp Pte Ltd
