Lose weight, improve finances, become organized; there probably isn’t a soul in America who hasn’t heard someone make a resolution for this new year. But what about you? Have you made a resolution to improve yourself this year?
I sat around a table with some friends last night and we each told our New Year’s resolution. Mine? To publish an article on The Christian Dollar every day. This is going to be quite the undertaking!
According to a study of over 3,000 people in 2007, 52% of people who make New Year’s resolutions are confident they will achieve success. However, only 12% would reach that success a year later.
As for my writing, I need the support of all of you out there. Your words of encouragement mean a whole lot. We all need encouragement. I highly recommend that you surround yourself with people who will lift you up, not push you down.
Some Tips on Reaching Your Goals:
- Have people keep you accountable to your pursuit. You never know when you’ll feel like just giving up, so find someone to keep you on track!
- Make time-sensitive goals. You must write achievable, time-sensitive tasks. “I’m going to attack my debt” is not a strong enough statement. Try this: “I’m going to reduce my debt by $1,000/month for the next year.” Now that’s a time-sensitive goal!
- Remember the big picture with visual reminders. Perhaps you want to raise your income. Well, write out how much money you want to make by a certain month and stick it on your computer. Perhaps you would like to lose weight? Try writing a pledge out on a piece of paper and carry it with you in your pocket. You need constant reminders! Most important: remember your goal is worth the sacrifice!
Chances are, you see some room for improvement in the area of finance. Over the past year, I’ve changed my views on credit, cash, budgeting, and business. I’d like to think I have for the better, and that it represents a biblical perspective. My wife and I are currently on Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover plan, and I feel it is one of the most beneficial financial programs available.
Hopefully our testimony of financial transformation will inspire you to have a financial transformation yourself. If your New Year’s resolution is to change the way you handle money, please stick around. I’d love to share some tips and tricks for getting yourself out of debt and having peace with your financial situation.
Remember, it’s not about you, it’s all about God.
Everything we see is God’s anyway, isn’t it? Our money, our homes, our family, our world . . . it’s not actually ours! We are managers of it. Let’s remember that when we try to meet our goals. We are not our own!
I’m getting serious about sharing some financial thoughts with you this year on a constant basis. What are you going to get serious about? Whatever it is, have fun with it, and keep it in constant prayer. You’ll be glad you did!
