HOW PLANNING WILL HELP YOU SUCCEED

Often people ask my advice about how to be successful so I ask them what are their goals?
In many cases I get answers such as “I want a lot of money”.” I want enough money in retirement”, “I want to do the things that I enjoy” so on and so forth. Most people know that they want more but have no understanding as to what that really is.
Often when I speak at seminars, I ask if anyone in the room will not be able to buy food that night. So far no one has. In Australia most of us can feed and clothe ourselves. So in most cases the question is what do we really want from our lives rather than how much money can I make.

Most people in life do not feel successful because they really do not know what they want. This often leads to low self-esteem and sense of failure. Why is that do you think? Well most people who are self-employed need to work out a careful business plan. Many do not and in my opinion, this is the reason that many small businesses go broke.
So when looking at your own lives the question should be, what is our most important business?
The answer of course is our lives.
Therefore why do we not spend more time planning our lives? Perhaps it’s because most people do not know how and many people get caught up in life and forget to look at what is really important. When was the last time you said to yourself “What happened to 2011”
When you plan it gives you more control and it helps you to focus.
Before you do anything you need to sit down and construct a life plan. The plan should include your financial goals and your personal objectives. Before you can sort out a financial plan you need to work out what your overall direction is to be.
So sit down and start writing down some goals, it could be planning your next holiday, your first investment, your 20th investment, a new partner. It does not matter what it is. It is important that you start to establish a direction. Only by having a solid direction can you hope to plan your future?

Nigel Kibel
Australian and New Zealand The United States Property Researcher and education
www.propertyknowhow.com.au

My experience is that people who do not plan there lives will often drift and fail

Nigel Kibel
Australian and New Zealand The United States Property Researcher and education
www.propertyknowhow.com.au

I get really amazed when I see people make comments that define my life in a nutshell with such ease then, I get sad because I know its all true.

I am a 28 year old IT consultant. Im happily married and I have 3 beautiful happy healthy children. I earn 220k a year working as a contractor through my own company. Just writing that down and reading it back makes me think "why am I unhappy?"

Im not unhappy at home. I love my wife and I love my children. I love being with them and watching them grow. I get immense satisfaction from being a husband and a father. I have heaps of awesome friends and my parents and siblings are all wonderful people who I love and get along with great. I suppose by now this is not making much sense? People may read this and think "who is this guy - whats he got to say about not being happy - get over yourself"...

"Most people in life do not feel successful because they really do not know what they want. This often leads to low self-esteem and sense of failure."
This is me. My job gives me very little satisfaction. I have NO forms of passive income. I have no investments. I have NO PASSION for what I do. I want to make a plan but I sit down to write it and I cant. I just sit there. I know Ill own my own home in about 2 years but then I think - "wow, youll be 30, no passive income, no investments and no idea. Big deal you own your home - youre still gonna have to work in a job that you dont like for the next 40 years"...

See where I am at? My headspace is a mess. I should be the happiest dude in the world - and I am - AT HOME and with FAMILY but, work, passion, success - I feel as though I have none of that.

Rant over. The purpose of my post was merely to pay homage to the many people on this site (and mostly its founder) who have found passion and found success and satisfaction in their working lives. It is you people I envy and you people who I will become one way or another because I cant keep living like this - I need to start feeling alive!!!

Cheers and good luck to you - perhaps Ill post back here when I do whats required to make the CHANGE in my life. If nothing changes, nothing changes. Einstein's definition of insanity "Doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results". Perhaps I have answered my own concerns here.

Thanks for reading my rubbish...

CHeers.

It is a matter of writing down what you enjoy work out what makes you happy. Most people get dragged on by life and do not stop long enough to see if that's what they want to do. Therefore may people feel unhappy and feel there is something missing in there life. So start by writing down what you like in life and what you do not like. Imagine yourself in your ideal life. What would it look like? Being successful is not just about money but also about achieving your goals

Nigel Kibel
Australian and New Zealand The United States Property Researcher and education
www.propertyknowhow.com.au

Thanks heaps for that Nigel...

I am going to take your advice - for real this time. I am going to somehow find some spare time and write some things down.

I shall post back on how my journey progresses.

Thanks again.

Bear.. your story could so easily be mine too.

Wife, 3 kids IT contractor .. only diff is i dont own the company and only get around  1/4 of your wage.
I know i would be happy in your position as id have the leverage to invest and then through that persue other things in life like more family time.

there is a saying: without seeing the darkest night, you cannot truly appreciate the light.
so unless you go through a trial it is easy to become discontent, bored or fed-up and depressed although in reality life is good... you just lack the perspective to see it for what it is.

Chin up mate, you have 150,000 more reasons than me a year to be happy. do some charity work and experience the other side of life, it will help get your head straight

Hey,

Have you read the book "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss?
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/
Gives some interesting insight on what you can do once you have achieved sufficient cashflow.

The concept of mini-retirements as opposed to what I thought before of getting to the end and THEN concentrating all my effort on what I really want to work on.

NHG

Bear- maybe you need a push.

If you get the chance go to a Chris Howard weekend. VERY motivational and free. They do have extra courses you can sign up for but there is no hard sell.
I highly recommend it for anyone who has lost direction and needs some rahrah!! encouragement to get moving (whether it be losing weight, investing, or just sorting out your personal life. He's a great inspiration.

You know the saying- If you fail to plan, you plan to fail- TRUE!!!  And read my signature below.

Sydney- "People with goals succeed because they know where they are going... It's as simple as that."
- Earl Nightingale

Hey, your bank of information that you have spread here is  really interessting. This is very informative post. Thanks for sharing this great information.

That;s a pleasure I run a mentoring program and the first thing I talk to clients about is the need for a life plan. If you spend 30 minutes a week on it you will find that ideas you have never thought of will come to you, It is important to look at what your real desires are rather than just reacting.

Nigel Kibel
Australian and New Zealand The United States Property Researcher and education
www.propertyknowhow.com.au

Hi Catalyst,

Unfortunately we do not have any further Chris Howard events planned. The closest program to that which we currently offer is this one: http://www.releaseyourinnerrockstar.com.au . It's also free.

RYIR is primarily for people who have their own business or who want to start one, even if it's only part time while you work a full time job. So, Bear, if that's something currently on your mind then this event may give you some useful strategies as well as a dose of added motivation.

[Yes, some of the client income results reported are quite remarkable. Please be assured that we do not quote them lightly - we've spoken at length with the client to verify them and in many cases we also have longer videos from these clients explaining the steps they took to produce those results in more detail. We also do not claim these results are typical.]

Regards,
Ken

2012 has started, and we're already in Feb!
 To be honest, the last couple of days I was feeling a little lost with my own goals - fuzzy and not really reflecting what I want as the overall outcome.

The missus and I talked about our goals today actually, and I'm feeling alot better.

We even managed our time today with a schedule etc so that we can achieve the goals. I truly affrm the improtance of planning and knowing what you want!

Hey Guys

I'm In the IT game as well, debating weather to go contractor or not.
Money seems really good, through the company my chargeout rate is around $160-180 p/h
If I left 3 customers have already said they would follow me.
Bear/Pat what you guys think, i'm 28yo and about to settle on first property.

I believe that if you sit down and focus on what you want then it will happen. Most investors react rather than plan. I mean people wake up and say I will not have enough money in retirement. So they go to a seminar and buy a off the plan property and then pray that they have made the right decision. Instead think about what is important for you. I spend a great deal of time with my clients to help them to develop a life plan. Once this is done your focus on what you are doing will become far clearer.

Nigel Kibel
Australian and New Zealand The United States Property Researcher and education
www.propertyknowhow.com.au

This has been a great thread.

I remember i was in the same boat as you BEAR 09. I was in real estate working 100 hours a week earning big bucks, had a couple of investments etc. But  i was still not happy!! Why??  Because i truly thought that money was the most important thing on this planet.

Then at 25 years old i met this woman who know is my wife, we have bought a bussines in 2010 and it has been hard both financially and emotionally.  Two years later the bussiness  is running at a profit providing a good life style for my wife and i and i also work some where else earning good money too.

But i am very happy with where i am so last year i spent pretty much a whole year planning on what i want.
I can tell you since i wrote all my goals not only am i happier but my dreams and goals are know turning into a reality every day.

In life we some times to feel down in order to feel Up again.

Johann Psaila
| Email: psailagrop@gmail.com

has been a great tread.  A little too close for home for me too.  Very much in the same boat as BEAR09, but I've added pressures of failed property investments, and left wondering what am I doing, where am I going....

I agree with having a plan, I don't have one though. Where do you start? I say the usual, "I want money so I don't have to work if i don't want to".

I've always thought about writing down a plan, but have no idea how to REALLY go about it, because I don't know enough about how to get there.

This is what I teach however it is important to start with small things. People often think if I am going to write a life plan I need to make a grand gesture. However in reality we can start with little things. It might be you want a new car a holiday a new partner. It does not really matter. Once you start writing things down it will start to develop. It is not enough to say I want money you have to look beyond that and work out why you really want money. Take the time to think these things through. When you do this the answers come. Is it easy ? No it takes focus. However the end results will help you with your journey and provide you with success.

Nigel Kibel
Australian and New Zealand The United States Property Researcher and education
www.propertyknowhow.com.au

Putting pen to paper can often be the hardest part. Why not get creative, pick up a big coloured A1 bit of cardboard from the newsagents, some highlighters/permanent markers/coloured pens and "draw" your plan out. A little creative female help can often be good for the not-so-creative males (or vice versa). Then stick it next to your bedroom door so you see it every single morning!

I agree with this. I've read the book and am actually living what was espoused. I currently live in another country, and hav ebeen doing so for a few months. Will head back to Australia next in a couple more weeks =)

Here are some actualy tips for planning I'd suggest as well:

1) Do planning for both personal goals AND professional goals
2) Plan to create an emergency fund, if you dont already have one - which is equivalent to a lump sum of 3-6 months of your monthly living expenses. If your business plans fails, your job ends, or an emergency arrives, you can have more confidence that you'll be ok
3) Plan for creating PASSIVE income streams. This will enable you to be financially free and able to travel the world or whatever you want to do

The four hour work week is a great book however you need to start with something a little more basic. Firstly you have to work out what you want out of life. That is why it is so important to work out your life plan first. Once you have done this you can look at the strategies to help put your plans into place

Nigel Kibel
Australian and New Zealand The United States Property Researcher and education
www.propertyknowhow.com.au