Setting Goals Like A Millionaire

Yesterday we discussed a few of the characteristics that make a person a Millionaire (and how it is those characteristics and not their net worth that make the difference). One of the most valuable pieces of the "Millionaire Puzzle" is how you handle your goals.

Think about the last time you set a goal for yourself. If you are having a hard time with this step, that may be one of your greatest obstacles.

Millionaires are goal setters.

They constantly evaluate where they are and where they are going. Notice I did not say where they want to be, but where they are going.

Let me ask you a question: the last goal you set for yourself, did you succeed or fail?

If you succeeded, that's great! Can you remember another goal you might have set where you failed? If the answer is yes, you are probably not a Millionaire (yet), because Millionaires don't fail.

I'm not saying Millionaires never make mistakes, and that every action they take is a successful one, I'm just saying they don't fail.

Millionaires don't view goals in terms of success and failure. Millionaires view goals in terms of success and "in progress."

If a Millionaire sets a goal and does not succeed, they do not view this as a failure. They view the goal as simply in progress, as in they are still working towards it.

That is why Millionaires don't evaluate where they are and compare it to where they want to be, they compare it to where they are going. Because once a Millionaire decides to achieve or attain something, they will achieve or attain it. They won't rest until they do.

The only reason a Millionaire's goal is ever left unsatisfied is if the situation changes and that goal is no longer in their best interest. Period.

Millionaires approach their goals this way because they recognize what people commonly refer to as failure for what it really is: a reason to give up. Millionaires are very driven people, not prone to giving up on things. When a person says they failed at something, what they are really saying is...

"It didn't work out as I intended, and I'm not going to find another way to make it happen. I give up."

This type of reasoning is completely alien to a Millionaire. When a Millionaire's goal is left unmet, they change tactics, shift focus and continue striving to meet the original goal. They learn from whatever obstacle has slowed them down and make sure that it doesn't happen again.

How do you personally perceive "failure?" Is it an ending? Or is it an opportunity?

When you set a goal, and it remains out of your reach, you are instantly faced with a choice. You can accept failure, and move on with your life, having gained nothing from the experience.

Or...

You can accept the opportunity to grow. This is the way of the Millionaire. Where most see failure, the Millionaire sees education. They recognize that the goal they set is harder to attain than they originally thought and immediately and decisively take new action to grow beyond whatever is in their path.

Think about that the next time you "fail" to achieve a personal or professional goal. Is your temporary lack of success really a failure? Or it is an excuse to throw up your hands and give up on your dreams?

One of the main reasons many (non Millionaires) feel that they fail at goals is because they don't set or approach their goals appropriately. Tomorrow, we will discuss the anatomy of a goal, what most people do wrong when setting goals and how to alter your goal setting techniques to all but guarantee your success.