Checking in on Goals
I’ve been slacking a bit with checking in on my goals lately, since I missed doing my quarterly update on them last month. But, at least I’ve still continued to work on them regularly. Maybe that means that they’re just becoming automatic. If so, that could be a good thing.
What about you? How are you coming on your goals for the year? Do you check in on them at regular intervals?
Here’s how I’ve done on my goals so far this year:
- Finish funding my 2009 Roth IRA – DONE
- Fully fund my 2010 IRA – On track so far
- Pay a minimum of $35 extra per month toward mortgage, and send additional as well – Making good progress here.
- Increase my income by at least 100% – Still working on this one.
- Reduce minimum regular expenses to $1800 or less – DONE. Although, my actual expenses are a lot more than that due to things like paying extra on the house and buying a new computer for my business.
- Practice moderation – I still have no idea how to measure this. Anyone have suggestions?
- Try something different every month this year – This has kind of fallen by the wayside.
- Build up to exercising 2-3 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time – Not even coming close on this one.
Thanks for this. I really need to check in on my goals and do some evaluation.
Oh, and if you get that moderation thing figured out, let me know. I’m not so good at that one!
You do the same! (Why is moderation so hard? I have no problems with overindulging or being overly restrictive, but hitting that middle? Not so much.) At this point I’d be happy if I could just figure out a way to measure progress or lack thereof.
2010 Goals
1. Eat out no more than 3 times a week. – SO FAR. I have come close to breaking this one twice, but I stayed at 3. :-)
2. Visit my remaining high school friends as I promised. – CHECK
3. Lose 20 pounds by our annual vacation. – NOPE. Our vacation was June 27-July 4th and I was the same weight as I was last December. I started a blog that I wasn’t planning on though. :-)
4. Learn a song well enough for karaoke. – NOPE. Both songs I know well enough weren’t available. :-(
5. Max-out two Roth IRA’s instead of just one. – WORKING ON IT. This may not happen since we replaced that goal with “pay off car by the end of the year”, which we did last week! If we really avoid splurging and no big emergencies pop up, we may still be able to fund a 2nd Roth IRA for 2010, but it will probably be between January-April of 2011.
Long-Term Goals
1. Start taking two vacations a year or more to make some extra fun memories as soon as I get 15 days of vacation (2011). – MAYBE. We’ll see. :-)
2. Make long-lasting close friends (other than hubby). That sounds silly, but close friends are hard to come by…finding a great friend fit seems way harder than meeting and marrying my husband! – WOOT I have a few friends that I met in 2008…so far, so good!
3. Retire by age 52. WORKING ON IT. So far, so good. :-)
Oh I like your goals! And you’re doing so good on most of them too.
It is a good idea to keep a journal of your goals and update it on how you are doing with them. Changing goals along the way is all part of the process, because sometimes goals need to be readjusted if they are set to high or to short. It is essential to revisit your goals like this though, otherwise what’s the point in making them?
That’s true, and sometimes goals need to be changed because we discover that we just don’t want to do them any longer. Writing them down and revisiting them regularly really does make a huge difference.
I like your list of goals! This is the first time I’ve caught your update on them, I like how they’re a combination of financial fitness goals and life style/ happiness goals. Seeing another person make those seemingly small adjustments ($35 extra dollars a month on the mortgage goes a long way over time!) helps us (me :-D) to continue on in the movement (struggle) towards being more frugal.
Have you tried different types of exercise? I love yoga, and I know it’s expensive (actually I just wrote about this in a post :-p) but in addition to that suggestion you could try and get a friend or friends together and pop in a yoga dvd from the library and do it together at least once a week. Have you tried yoga before? (It’s pretty awesome) Have you found that exercising more often makes you feel more energetic? (The next day it makes me more awake, but right after I exercise I’m usually Exhausted)
Anyhow, keep up the good work and keep inspiring people :-D
Thanks Julie :)
I have tried yoga, and did really enjoy it. (Although wow is it hard work!) I do feel more energetic afterward. Maybe I should get back into that a little, at least with my DVD to start.
Great stuff as usual.
Don’t let the exercise thing go though. Remember, sound body equals sound mind.
I always find that a good workout freshens my mind and allows me to work even more productively
You’re right. I know it helps as well, and it’s important for so many reasons.