Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa December - January 2014 | Page 74

LESSONS

BY ANGIE REDMOND

New Year
New You

I

t’s that time of the year again, when we ring
out the old and welcome in the new. If you’re
anything like me, then your old resolutions
are probably haunting you right about now? The
long list of actions you planned to make 2013
the best year ever. Well my advice to you is rip
that list up! Burn it, bury it or throw it away. The
reason most resolutions fail is that you simply
expect too much too quickly. This year try
something different.
Goals are great to have, but as circumstances
change, your plan needs to mirror this change.
For example, I am notoriously bad with
shopping. I love a good sale, who doesn’t right?
But the problem is that I never stick to my
financial plan and come June am bogged down
in debt again. So this year my plan is going to
change.
I am going to write down my financial goals, to
be debt free by June. Next I need to work out how

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much I owe in total, once I have that number I
am going to divide it by four, giving myself some
leeway. If I can stick to that payment plan three
out of the four months then even small slips
won’t destroy my plan completely. I also need
to dig deep and remember that I am human; I
am going to make a mistake, that doesn’t mean I
give up and go on a marathon credit card spree.
It means I wake up the next morning and tell
myself today I will do better. By giving myself
some wiggle room I am more likely to follow my
financial resolutions.
Whether your resolutions are financial or
personal, you need to have a step-by-step plan.
It’s all good and well to say, “I am going to lose
20kg and save R60 000,” how are you going to
do it? Create a plan you can follow, day-by-day,
week-by-week, and at the end of the month,
take stock. Where did your plan work, where
did you not do so well? Then adjust accordingly.
If fitness is your goal, monitor your eating, and

December January 2013/4 SA Real Estate Investor

I don’t mean buy a cal orie counter. When are
you most hungry/least hungry? The best way to
succeed is to know yourself. If you know you are
ravenous at 6pm, then eat a small meal at 4pm
and another small meal at 6pm. By continuously
analysing and adjusting your resolutions for
2014 you will make them a reality and not just
another list that ends up gathering dust in a
drawer.
The other part to creating a New Years
Resolution plan that works is to be selective.
We all want to look amazing, be rich and live
happily ever after. Can you accomplish all of
this? Yes, but the way to do it is one thing at
a time. A resolution list that is two pages long
will defeat you. Start with no more than two
or three key things you want to change and
focus on those. Once you have completed the
goals you have set out you can add more goals,
remember life is a marathon not a 500m dash.
Here’s to a New Year and a new you!

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