It was the early 1970s and a young boy was struck by longing for his first major acquisition — a cassette tape recorder. I remember thinking that simply by wanting it, I would somehow get it.
I confided in my father in the hope that he would hand me the money but, of course, he didn’t. “Which cassette tape recorder do you want to buy?” he asked.
I hadn’t thought of this. So I went out to every electronics shop in my hometown, checking out all the latest models. I finally decided on a shiny black and silver model. It was a massive $86.
I took my dad to see it and he agreed that it was a very striking model. He asked the salesman for a brochure and as we walked home, he asked: “Why do you want it?”
I told him that I liked music but was sick and tired of listening to Cliff Richard, whom all my elder sisters loved. I reasoned that if I had my own music, I could hide in my room and be happy.
“OK,” mused Dad, “it is your birthday in four months. If you can manage to raise $43, I will give you $43 dollars for your birthday.”
I wasn’t overly thrilled with this solution because I got only 50 cents for pocket money a week. That would total a measly $8 over four months and it would mean I’d have to forego my weekly Superman comic and bag of mixed sweets.
“How are you going to raise the money?” my dad asked. I thought about it. I could threaten my sisters to hand over their pocket money or I could do odd jobs for my parents and my neighbours. My father suggested that the latter was a good tactic. When we got home, he stuck the cassette recorder brochure on my mirror. Every morning, as I combed my hair, I’d gaze at it.
So began my first job — odd-job man. I turned into an accountant too, adding up every cent I got meticulously.
I got a dollar for washing the car, 20 cents for cleaning Dad’s shoes and 10 cents for waxing his bald head. I did gardening jobs for the neighbours and collected bottles for refunds. And every morning, I’d look at my goal on my mirror.
By my birthday, I’d saved $47 dollars. Dad and I marched into the shop and put the money on the counter. It was a proud moment for both of us.
That year, my dad taught me a lesson about goals that I’ve remembered to this day.
Define what you want
When you set a goal, you must be specific about it. You need to decide exactly what you want and when you want it by.
Research is crucial. If you want a degree, a promotion or a new car, get the information first. Being precise about what you want helps you to focus on your goal.
Why do you want it?
Focus on the benefits of your goal and not just your goal. If you want to lose weight, think about how much better you will feel when you are thinner. Dream about how you will be able to wear a bikini or play with your children without getting exhausted.
Make it visible
Once you know exactly what you want, tell everyone. This is a great motivator! You will not want to lose face by not achieving your goal.
Having an idea in your head isn’t very concrete. So write it down, draw a picture of it or get a brochure like my dad did. Stick it somewhere so you can see it every day. This will keep you focused and stop you changing your mind or giving up.
Organise and plan
Don’t leave it to chance. Sit down and think about how you are going to achieve your goal. What will you have to do? You may have to make sacrifices like going without weekly Superman comics, but if you know why, it will be easier to bear.
Record your progress
Make a list of milestones and check them off when you reach each one. Tell your friends how you are progressing.
This is an especially good technique if you are aiming at a sales target. Put a chart on the wall and watch how you are advancing towards your goal — it’s incredibly motivating.
Do it
Move towards your goal daily. Think to yourself at the end of each day: “What did I do today to reach my goal?”
Celebrate and reflect
When you have finally reached your goal, let everyone know and celebrate. Then, think about how you did it. What did you do right? What did you do wrong? What could you have done better? What worked? What didn’t work?
Finally, set a new goal!
I’ve just bought my latest dream gadget — an Apple iPod. It took me eight months to research, plan and save but I got it last week. And whom do I have to thank for it? My dad! He taught me some simple and effective lessons that I used to get my degree, to buy my first house and even to get my current job. It works.
I confided in my father in the hope that he would hand me the money but, of course, he didn’t. “Which cassette tape recorder do you want to buy?” he asked.
I hadn’t thought of this. So I went out to every electronics shop in my hometown, checking out all the latest models. I finally decided on a shiny black and silver model. It was a massive $86.
I took my dad to see it and he agreed that it was a very striking model. He asked the salesman for a brochure and as we walked home, he asked: “Why do you want it?”
I told him that I liked music but was sick and tired of listening to Cliff Richard, whom all my elder sisters loved. I reasoned that if I had my own music, I could hide in my room and be happy.
“OK,” mused Dad, “it is your birthday in four months. If you can manage to raise $43, I will give you $43 dollars for your birthday.”
I wasn’t overly thrilled with this solution because I got only 50 cents for pocket money a week. That would total a measly $8 over four months and it would mean I’d have to forego my weekly Superman comic and bag of mixed sweets.
“How are you going to raise the money?” my dad asked. I thought about it. I could threaten my sisters to hand over their pocket money or I could do odd jobs for my parents and my neighbours. My father suggested that the latter was a good tactic. When we got home, he stuck the cassette recorder brochure on my mirror. Every morning, as I combed my hair, I’d gaze at it.
So began my first job — odd-job man. I turned into an accountant too, adding up every cent I got meticulously.
I got a dollar for washing the car, 20 cents for cleaning Dad’s shoes and 10 cents for waxing his bald head. I did gardening jobs for the neighbours and collected bottles for refunds. And every morning, I’d look at my goal on my mirror.
By my birthday, I’d saved $47 dollars. Dad and I marched into the shop and put the money on the counter. It was a proud moment for both of us.
That year, my dad taught me a lesson about goals that I’ve remembered to this day.
Define what you want
When you set a goal, you must be specific about it. You need to decide exactly what you want and when you want it by.
Research is crucial. If you want a degree, a promotion or a new car, get the information first. Being precise about what you want helps you to focus on your goal.
Why do you want it?
Focus on the benefits of your goal and not just your goal. If you want to lose weight, think about how much better you will feel when you are thinner. Dream about how you will be able to wear a bikini or play with your children without getting exhausted.
Make it visible
Once you know exactly what you want, tell everyone. This is a great motivator! You will not want to lose face by not achieving your goal.
Having an idea in your head isn’t very concrete. So write it down, draw a picture of it or get a brochure like my dad did. Stick it somewhere so you can see it every day. This will keep you focused and stop you changing your mind or giving up.
Organise and plan
Don’t leave it to chance. Sit down and think about how you are going to achieve your goal. What will you have to do? You may have to make sacrifices like going without weekly Superman comics, but if you know why, it will be easier to bear.
Record your progress
Make a list of milestones and check them off when you reach each one. Tell your friends how you are progressing.
This is an especially good technique if you are aiming at a sales target. Put a chart on the wall and watch how you are advancing towards your goal — it’s incredibly motivating.
Do it
Move towards your goal daily. Think to yourself at the end of each day: “What did I do today to reach my goal?”
Celebrate and reflect
When you have finally reached your goal, let everyone know and celebrate. Then, think about how you did it. What did you do right? What did you do wrong? What could you have done better? What worked? What didn’t work?
Finally, set a new goal!
I’ve just bought my latest dream gadget — an Apple iPod. It took me eight months to research, plan and save but I got it last week. And whom do I have to thank for it? My dad! He taught me some simple and effective lessons that I used to get my degree, to buy my first house and even to get my current job. It works.
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