Africa-Press – Eswatini. Last week we took the first step towards delving deep into the different money personalities in relation to the Big Five animals and how our spending habits could be improved if we took leaf from these animals.
Today, we are studying the Leopard and how we can learn from it in terms of how we treat out money.
The Leopard never lets its prey out of its sight, patiently planning and moving towards its goal, never backing off and staying focused.
“Of course, I have a goal for my future – I want a better life.” Does this sound like you? To succeed, you need more concrete goals than this and you need to back your goals with good plans.
The secret of the leopard shows you how to:
n Make your financial goals vivid and inspiring, but also concrete and achievable
n Develop a plan to achieve your goals
n Get the support you need from others to achieve your goals
Have you ever watched the Leopard hunt?
n Leopards find a high vantage point in a tree or on a hill, and from there, they plan their day. First they figure out what they want to eat (the vision). Then they identify the animal they are going to bring down (setting a goal).
n You too, can do much better on the hunt for the prize of your life: financial security, good money management, wealth, if you have great vision. Use your vision to help you remain focused on making your dreams come true.
n Most of us, to tell the truth, don’t have powerful visions. We may have some idea of what we want. Sometimes our ideas are unrealistic, but even when they are realistic, we often don’t make them happen.
n This lack of any kind of vision is exactly why so many of us do so much unplanned spending.
How to Create a Clear Financial Vision for Your Life:
“Of course, I have a goal for my future – I want a better life.” Does this sound like you? It is great to aim for a good life, but to really succeed at attaining this, you need more concrete goals.
Many savings plans fail because their goal is too vague. The secret of the leopard is very simple. Learn from the leopard and have a very clear idea of what you are saving for. Saving isn’t easy. You need a vision – something really inspiring to keep you on track when times are tough. If you have a powerful visual image, this will help you stick to the plan, and achieve your goals with the same determination of the leopard.
Remember the leopard always aims at things it knows it can achieve. When it is young, it first learns to stalk easy targets, like weak or young buck. As it grows up and becomes more experienced, the targets change to more challenging ones, such as bigger animals.
STEP 1 – Know Your Goals
n What are your goals for the short, medium and long-term?
n Write down one big reason for wanting each goal – why do you really want it?
n Imagine your goals in all their glory. What do they look like? Think of colours, sounds and the feelings that they bring.
STEP 2 – Research Your Goal
n Ask yourself what you need to do to achieve this goal
n Collect information about it – where and how you can achieve your goal
n What are the costs attached to achieving this goal?
n Shop around for where you can find the best value
n Who can help you make the right decisions about your goals?
STEP 3 – Reality Check Your Goals
n How achievable are the set goals, given your current earnings, education level and home circumstance?
n What would you need to do to make your goals realistic?
n Are your goals really the things you want to achieve? Do you believe you can achieve them?
STEP 4 – Prioritise Your Goals
n Can you save for all your goals at once?
n Which ones will you start with?
n Remember medium and long-term goals take longer to save for.
STEP 5 – Plan Your Savings For Your Goals
n Budget for them now
n What are you prepared to sacrifice for now?
n How can you increase your earnings to help you save for your goals?
n Find someone to help support you through your savings plan
The secret of the Leopard shows how important a visual image of your dreams is. If you regularly refer to your carefully thought out vision, it will help inspire and motivate you to stick to your savings goals.
As you start achieving some of your goals, you will need to review and update your vision. Details of your goals might change over time with escalating costs and other such factors.
You might develop new goals to match your new earning potential, etc. New circumstances in your life might also make you change your goals. Reviewing and updating your ‘Vision Map’ regularly will set you on the path to better long-term wealth creation.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
