Hard to believe that it is already 2020. It is now January 3rd so hopefully everyone is starting to settle back into their routines from the last couple weeks of holiday festivities. I know that we needed the break from the craze paced normalcy that marked 2019 in our home. Now we look ahead to 2020 and not just what the next year holds, but also the next decade.
It seems a random decision by the world at large to use the 1st of the year as the kickoff to new resolutions and dreams, but I love the use of new year’s resolutions. Of course, a new goal can be started at anytime in the year and there’s no reason to wait until the new year to start one. However, there is something about the beginning of a new year that causes me to reflect on the old and look forward to the future.
In a previous Money in the Media Monday post, I had described the value of creating SMART goals. Here is a recap of that before we get into my goals (and then yours!) for this year:
- S: Specific
- M: Measurable
- A: Attainable
- R: Relevant
- T: Time-Bound
Our 2020 Goals
Financial Goals
- Max out my 401K contributions (wife does not have employer sponsored retirement accounts).
- Max out Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions
- Max out Roth IRAs for both of us
- Save up a down-payment for a home purchase at the end of 2020 or early 2021.
Travel
- Use credit card points to cover flights for friend’s bachelorette party (and help the rest of the bachelorette party do the same).
- Use credit card points to cover flights/hotel for our trip to Kilimanjaro!
Personal
- Increase quality of workouts (add at least 10 minutes of cardio to each workout to prepare for Kilimanjaro)
- Go hiking every weekend this spring and summer (bachelorette weekend not included).
- Donate blood 5 times this year (up from 4 last year)! *If you are eligible to donate, it’s a great cause and a free way to give back!*
- Read 26 books (one every other week). I was so close in 2019 and I can definitely do it this year!
- Increase my skill set to learn to do small DIY fixes around the house and on our cars (as required).
- Replace regular plastic products with more sustainable as we use up what we have (i.e. ziploc bags, cling wrap, etc).
Rental Property
- Reach 6 month expenses marker in emergency account (currently at 4 months).
- Repaint the apartment we currently occupy.
- Repair the damage to the door frames that our wonderful cat, Alice, caused.
Fierbird Finance Business Goals
Note: I’m not sharing specific numbers here, but I do have accountability through my Mastermind group with whom I do share my numbers. I highly recommend some form of accountability either through social media, a group of friends, a mastermind or a spouse. Just make sure the goals you’re being held to are SMART!
- Hold first online seminar. (Stay tuned!)
- Increase client base.
- Increase referral business.
- Build up mailing list 10 fold.
- Develop the financial education side of the website.
- Grow the resources page as part of the education initiative.
And Now You
Where do you want to be in terms of your health, career, finances and more by the end of 2020? More importantly, where do you want to be by the beginning of 2030?
Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.
Bill Gates
I spelled out goals that my wife and I want to accomplish this year, but we also had a great conversation of everything that we can and want to accomplish in 10 years. So, take the time to daydream about where you want to be in 10 years and then backtrack to see what SMART goals you could make this year to get to that point by then (or before).
Happy 2020 all! Let’s do this!
What are your goals for 2020? What are your 10 year goals? Let me know in the comments below and we can all keep each other accountable!