“After reading The Successful Single Mom and embarking on my 100 day program - I felt confident, successful and already "richer" - but this book, The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich! has inspired me further to be more in control of finances, to wish for "more than enough" and get it, and has taught me that there is more to just making money. I learned a lot about some of the groundwork of taking care of my future and my children's future!” ~Nanette Labastida, Realtor, Austin, TX
“This book isn't just a collection of stories and cliché examples, this book is packed full of tactical steps to finding your dreams and following them. Any single mom who is struggling to figure out what to do next needs to read this book. There is tactical advice paired up with inspirational stories from real single moms who have been there and done that. Honoree gives hope to every single mom who just can't quite figure out where to go from here.” ~Cassie Boorn, Blogger & Social Media Specialist, Illinois
“The Successful Single Mom Gets Rich! was written to inspire and guide single moms (and married ones too) to becoming successful and rich! Even as a married mother this book is a must read. From juggling it all without dropping a ball, to living the life you became a Mom to have, this book will show you the way to a truly prosperous life.” ~Joan C. Richardson, JCR Enterprises, LLC, Dallas, Texas
About The Successful Single Mom
“I’ve been able to change my life and my future with Honorée’s help and the tools from this book!” ~Christine Plaisted, Participant in The Successful Single Mom Group
“This book is for all single mothers who want to get their mojo back, feel empowered, get focused and be in control of their own destiny.” ~Julie A. Booth, Participant in The Successful Single Mom Group
“Honorée’s Successful Single Mom Transformation Program helped me get my life back on track. Finally a guide for single moms everywhere!” ~Melinda Payne, Participant in The Successful Single Mom Group
“This book has the potential to lift you from the depths of despair to the heights of self-empowered living. It is a must-read for every single mom.” ~Alisa McAffee, Participant in The Successful Single Mom Group
“The Successful Single Mom has a lot to offer the newly-divorced mother in regard to personal and professional goal-setting after divorce. The author is honest about the feelings of fear and rejection that accompany the end of a marriage and the emotional paralysis that can result. That said, the book moves quickly from acknowledging those feelings, getting whatever help is necessary from professionals, clergy or friends and planning a future for you and your children. This book will be particularly helpful to women who want to start their own business. The author has much to offer in this area as she ran her own business before her divorce and shares a number of her keys to building and maintaining a successful business. In addition, she has developed a 100-Day Plan, complete with worksheets, to encourage women to begin setting goals for themselves. This plan, however, is not for everyone as each woman must find her own way and the pace that works for her. A large part of the divorce experience is learning about yourself and developing your own style for creating a life for you and your family. Whatever choices you eventually make, this book will get you thinking and moving!” ~Jeanne L. Ward, Author: You’re It! Successful Single Mothering After Divorce (Amazon Review)
“This is the best book for anyone who needs some help finding direction in their life. The author has a great sense of humor and is able to connect with the reader. The tools and techniques are not overwhelming or intimidating and are easy to put into practice. I highly recommend this book to anyone starting out on a new adventure in life.” ~K. Russell, Rochester, NY (Amazon Review)
“Honorée’s latest book is a must read for any woman looking for success. This book gives inspiration, direction, and practical advice on how to get your life back on track while still maintaining warmth and humor throughout. Honorée’s coaching style is direct and right on target – she hones in on what needs to be done and how to do it, while still recognizing the challenges life throws your way. I find myself reading and re-reading it. I’d recommend this to anyone who’s ready to take charge, make changes, and actually enjoy themselves in the process!” ~Nicole Dupre, Rubber Duckie Creations (Amazon Review)
“I’m not even recently divorced, but seven years later I still feel like I’m trying to figure out my life and my parenting. Everyone needs a cheerleader to keep you motivated and to boost your self-esteem. This is like a cheerleader in book form! I carry it in my purse to remind me. This book is so perfect because it’s a quick and easy read (single parents don’t have time to read!) and it has steps that are do-able and yet life-altering. Just what I needed.” ~Nanette Scalzo, Austin, TX (Amazon Review)
The
Successful Single Mom Gets Rich!
Take
Control of Your Finances and Your Future
Honorée Corpron Corder
Copyright ©Leading Edge Publishing, LLC & Honorée Corpron Corder 2011
Published by Leading Edge Publishing, LLC at Smashwords.
Smashwords
License Statement
This
ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may
not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to
share this book with another person, please purchase an additional
copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not
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respecting the hard work of this author.
ISBN 978-0-9847967-1-7
Discover other titles by Honorée Corpron Corder at http://www.coachhonoree.com.
Honorée
Corder, Leading Edge Enterprises, and
Honorée Enterprises are
proud supporters of Single Moms
10%
of all author royalties are donated to not-for-profits,
including:
The Jeremiah Program
Rotary International
Chapter One: Anything is Possible
Chapter Two: Fiscally Fabulous
Chapter Three: Defining Rich, For You
Chapter Four: Do You Speak Money?
Chapter Five: If You’ve Got Debt
Chapter Six: Creating Wealth: You’ve Got Options!
Chapter Seven: Creating Wealth: Work
Chapter Eight: Creating Wealth: Habits
Chapter Nine: Creating Wealth ~ Mind Over Manifesting
Chapter Ten: Enjoy the Journey
Chapter Eleven: Your Kids Can Be Rich, too!
Dedicated to you – the single mom. I wrote this book for you so you could thrive instead of struggle, and begin right now to be in control of your financial present and future. Cheers to you, your children and your future! The best is yet to come.
Dear Reader,
Single moms can be rich! Rich has many meanings; it’s not just about the money. To me, being rich means there is more than enough to buy the basics (food, clothing and shelter), save, invest, vacation, have desired extras, live happily, and look forward to the future.
It is important to say this (again, if you’ve read The Successful Single Mom), right now at the very beginning: you don’t become a “rich successful single mom” – you already are one! You are rich because you’re alive, you have a wonderful child or children, and you can still smile (sometimes through the tears). What I really want for you is to be right here, right now, enjoying the journey, feeling alive and creating what you want.
The single moms I know want to provide a solid, stress-free life for themselves and their children. This book will provide the basic knowledge you need, both mental and financial, to do just that.
What I won’t cover are complex financial and legal concepts. You need a strong team that includes a seasoned financial advisor, and insurance, banking and tax professionals. If you run, or plan to run your own business, you’ll need a business attorney. Once you have accumulated some wealth, you’ll need an estate planning attorney and perhaps some others. Don’t worry about that yet; just start right where you are and bloom from there.
I’ve struggled and I’ve thrived. Thriving is easier, keeps stress levels down and makes being a fun, happy mom easier. This book will help you to get where you want to go faster, and I hope you enjoy it.
To your best success,
Honorée
Corpron Corder
Author, Speaker, Coach, Mom
I had the pleasure of interviewing some of the most amazing women on the planet, who also happen to be successful single moms. These ladies achieved their greatest success after becoming single moms, some of them after experiencing and enduring tragedies, unspeakable challenges, and average every day disappointments. You will find yourself in some or all of them, and their stories will be covered in depth throughout the book.
Aljolynn Sperber – mom to Aidan (Irish for “little fire ball”), age 3. Aljolynn has been a single mom almost from the moment she discovered she was pregnant. After reaching her first goal of supporting her son without outside help, she joined forces with a girlfriend to start her own PR company. Now she has a solid income, savings, and is able to provide what she calls “the extras” for her son. You can find her online through her website: http://www.MarketingMavenPR.com, and on twitter: @MarketingMaven2.
Christine Plaisted – mom to Jack, age 16, and Roger, age 18. Christine owns her business, Mercury Permit Services in Las Vegas. Christine is now the ultimate optimist and hopes the single moms reading this book will find the courage to step out on their own, as she did, and know that they can do whatever they set their minds to. Follow her on twitter: @wyndsong, and get more info on her business http://www.mercurypermits.com.
Julie Booth – mom to Hannah, age 7. Julie has been able to successfully break away from her old CPA partnership during the 100 day program spelled out in The Successful Single Mom book, is now happily contracting with a respectable CPA firm, and has accumulated an excellent book of clients. This has allowed Julie to free up her schedule and spend the much-needed time with Hannah, as well as maintain a wonderful, secure life for them both. You can connect with Julie on LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/sMQOMc.
Tracy Shields – mom to two sons. Tracy’s inspirational story includes the plan she put in place to leave her marriage, including getting her degree and ultimately run a large, successful company.
Nancy Butler – mom to 2 grown children, Nancy’s daughters were 8 and 15 at the time of her divorce. Now a retired multi-millionaire who travels the world and does inspirational talks, Nancy started over without even a personal identity! With hard work and determination, she not only learned about the world of saving and investing, she eventually owned the company! Find her online at her website: www.aboveallelse.org, on twitter: @NJButler1, on facebook: http://tinyurl.com/78zj3ct, and on LinkedIn: http://tinyurl.com/7944rsh.
Kristen Brown – mom to Brooke, age 5, she’s the Widow Mom Turned Queen of Stress Relief and Bestselling Author! Just thirty years old when her young husband died suddenly, Kristen turned tragedy into triumph as she made powerful personal decisions that changed the course of her life, and the lives of many others, for the better. Visit her website: http://www.HappyHourEffect.com, Read her bestseller: The Best Worst Thing, listen to her show: The Happy Hour Effect with Kristen Brown, follow her on twitter @HappyHourEffect, and read her blog: http://site.happyhoureffect.com/blog/.
Julie Pech – mom to a 14-year-old and 16-year-old. She’s The Chocolate Therapist and she writes, speaks and lectures all around the world on the benefits of chocolate. Making a giant leap of faith into single motherhood and self-employment, Julie is a excellent example of what’s possible for all single moms! Follow her on twitter: @chocolateluvr, find her on facebook: http://on.fb.me/t1NBxc, connect with her on LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/tN2tuK.
Nanette Labastida -- mom to Claudia 13, Gabriel 9. A single mom for seven years, she’s also a one-year breast cancer survivor! Buy a house in Austin, Texas: http://rocknrealty.net/, Read her blog: http://www.glittereveryday.blogspot.com, find her on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/eastaustinhomes, and follow her on twitter @Rocknrealty.
Cassie Boorn – mom to Aiden, age 5, has an incredible story of teen pregnancy to college education and enviable employment. You can find out more about Cassie on her blog: http://www.cassieboorn.com, and follow her on twitter: @cassieboorn.
Prologue
How will I ever support my little one? That thought is always in the back of your mind as a single mom. You don’t just have a lack of an extra set of hands, you also lack that extra set of hand’s paycheck.
It’s challenging enough with two parents to pay the bills, at times, unless you’re in a very elite class of earners. If you have an advanced degree and a great job, you stand a great chance of earning a sufficient, or even terrific, living.
Sadly, that isn’t the life of most single moms. It certainly wasn’t my case! I had barely graduated high school, not because I wasn’t smart and capable, but because I had endured an abusive father and an indifferent mother. I felt like I was in a fight for my life (because I was), so my grades reflected what was happening at home. Even eventually going to college (especially since my parents weren’t exactly going to pay for it) was the last thing on my mind.
My parents did do one thing right, however, they encouraged entrepreneurship. Being from the Midwest, where hard work is the model, I learned hard work is the way to go. My father always said, “If you’re working for someone, you’re working for the Pharaoh, someone is going to get rich and it’s not going to be you. Do yourself a favor and work for yourself.”
Well, without a college degree, that was pretty much my only option anyway. That was my belief, and our beliefs become reality, right? I believed without an advanced education, there was only so far I could go in the corporate world and therefore in life. I was both right and wrong.
At the age of 22, I started my own networking marketing business. It took a few years, and many tears, to find my way. But when I did, it was amazing! I made a large income, discovered how to run a successful business and through that process, discovered some of life secrets (which I’m now delighted to share with you).
You see success is based on a few very fundamentals. Jim Rohn, the father of the personal development movement, says there are 6, 7, 8, maybe 10 at most. You don’t have to know a lot of complex, complicated, hard-to-understand principles, just a few. When you know them, and execute them on a regular basis, you will be successful.
It’s time for you to raise the bar about what you expect for yourself.
This book includes the Single Mom Prosperity Principles. The principles I believe, when executed, will all but ensure you’ll be as financially sound as you want to be.
Are you ready? Read on!
The Successful Single Mom Prosperity Principles
1. Where are you now?
2. Anything is possible!
3. Ask for Expert Help & Expand Your Knowledge
4. Create Your Plan
5. Get busy!
6. Stay Focused
7. See it, Do it, Show it. Educate your kids about money, too!
8. Enjoy the process.
Anything is Possible
“A
woman is like a tea bag: you cannot tell how strong
she is until
you put her in hot water.”
~Eleanor Roosevelt
According to the 2010 Census, there are 9.9 million single mothers in the U.S. These ladies face challenges many other moms and dads don't. Between managing work and home, financial commitments and extracurricular activities, a single mom's work - alone - is never done.
In addition, most single moms experience a dramatic decrease in their standard of living after a divorce. Statistics show that women experience a 27 percent decrease in their standard of living, while the men have a 10 percent standard of living increase the first year after divorce. I’m not one to dwell on statistics, but I think it’s helpful to have a clear picture.
The good news: that doesn’t have to be your story. It might be for a time or even right now, depending upon your circumstances. Whether you’ve been divorced for a minute or even many years, if you’re still struggling it is understandable that you would still be having a hard time. It’s even expected! Single moms haven’t had a stigma for the past fifty years for nothing!
However, it doesn’t have to be or stay your reality. I promise.
One of the reasons I wrote this book is because I believe that regardless of where you start out, anything is possible for you. I want you to start to believe it, and eventually to know it.
I want you to have the tools, strategies and resources to create whatever you want to create. It is possible to achieve your goals, regardless of whether your goals are to be able to support your children with enough money to go to the movies once a month, or to become a millionaire and retire in a few years. In this book, you’ll read about moms who have done both – and everything in between.
I’ve experienced a complete financial transformation since my divorce without the benefit of family support, a college education or even a basic accounting class. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, so I made some interesting mistakes and had long, unnecessary delays. Yet I’ve triumphed in spite of my challenges and very simply, if I can do it, so can you. I want to shorten your journey to financial success and help you avoid some delays and landmines along the way.
Don’t get me wrong: It’s not only about the money. A rich life is full of everything you need, including money. But this book is specifically about getting rich, securing your financial future so you can act from a place of power. Not having enough, almost having enough, having just enough, having more than enough, and having more than enough so you can share what’s left over. All of those situations feel differently, and having been in all of those places, I know for a fact decisions are made differently when you’re in each of those positions.
I’ve heard, “I don’t need millions of dollars …” Great, and that’s true, you don’t. But there’s no shame in wanting millions of dollars. There’s no shame in wanting to have just enough to support your kids and be able to have the occasional treat. If you’re reading this book, I can assume you want to make a positive leap in your financial circumstances, and I’m here to help you get it.
Just know that I’m not “all about the money,” but what I know for sure is that having an abundance of it is helpful in many ways. It’s psychologically reassuring to have a reserve, and eventually, a war chest. It allows you to make your most important life choices from the best possible place.
What does that mean, being able to make choices from a positive place? Well, I’ve been in more than a few conversations with ladies – and not just single moms – who were in, or who had stayed in, relationships because they knew they would have a hard time without “his income.” They put up with crap, settled for less than they deserved, and in many cases felt helpless because they didn’t have enough or more than enough to leave, to start over, to do what their heart desired.
If you’re ready, you can now begin to see what you’ve been doing, even been settling for, and make some steps in the direction you’d really like to go.
So what. Now what?
Your past and your present don’t necessarily predict your future, but they do shape it. We certainly make decisions based upon our points of reference. In fact, many of our actions are automatic because of them! This means that what we saw our parents do and believe around wealth and money, we tend to do ourselves. If our parents believed there was always plenty to go around, we will tend to believe that, too. If they were scared or worried about money, we will tend to do that, too.
My mother was always concerned and worried about money, and my father was always obsessed with making money. My mother would use grocery money for other things, like clothes or extras. My father was envious and jealous of people who had money, and when he had money, he bought lots for himself but almost nothing for his family.
What I learned from them was, frankly, a scarcity mentality. Once I realized I was modeling what I learned, I got to step back and evaluate whether being worried about money all the time was effective or ineffective for me. You get to do the same!
Based on my upbringing, it was no surprise that I married into a less-than-abundant situation. I married a divorced military man with three children, tons of debt and a large child support payment. Because of that, we struggled for years. I learned to do without, settle, and live in a constant state of stress. Several things blasted me out of this lack and limitation, and I’ve used those tools and strategies throughout the years to continually expand my beliefs and reality. (Don’t worry; my personal strategies are covered in this book!)
Thankfully, I was able to get myself to a state of abundance by being open to the possibilities and finding out what worked for me through trial and error. Then I remarried, and my current husband Byron has taught me a lot about thinking even bigger and more abundantly.
For example, I used to shop on a “need to buy” basis. If I “needed” M&Ms, I would buy a single serving pack. If I send my husband to buy M&Ms (or anything else for that matter), he buys the two-pound bag! Then he’ll say, “Well, you’ll eat them eventually won’t you?”
He learned this abundant thinking from his mom. Right after we were married, I asked her to pick me up a lint roller at the grocery store. She came back with twelve!
My thinking was, “I don’t need twelve, I need one.” But wouldn’t you know, since I’ve had them, I’ve used them! Watching my husband and his mom caused me to stop and think about why I never bought more than I needed, from having one pair of basic black heels to almost running out of toilet paper all the time because I didn’t buy more than one pack at a time.
Because of these shifts, when I shop now, I always buy more than enough. The interesting thing is that there’s always enough money to support me buying what I need. What I’ve learned, modeled and observed is all connected. I know that now, but I sure didn’t know that before.
I have had the opportunity to expand my thinking, and in doing so, I’ve noticed it’s positively affected other areas of my life, too.
Not “Right or Wrong” … “Effective or “Ineffective”
As a coach, I don’t live in a world of “right” or “wrong.” I think it’s much better to decide if something is “effective” or “ineffective.”
Is what you’re doing and believing about and around money, wealth, and abundance effective or ineffective for you? Said another way, do you have enough? Do you have more than enough? Are you able to pay the bills with plenty left over? If not, would you like to experience what that it is like to have more than enough?
If so, you must first surrender the past to the past, analyze your beliefs, decide what you want, and get ready for an amazing future.
Didn’t I just make the process sound so easy? In some ways, it really is! If you’re ready, let’s get started.
THE PAST
If you don’t have one yet, grab a journal or download a notebook app onto your iPad (I use NotesPlus and Penultimate).
What did I see my parents doing regarding money?
What did my parents believe about money?
Is what was modeled for me what I want to recreate in my life?
Is what I’m modeling for my kids what I want them to create in their lives?
Now, if you’re like me, the answer to the last two questions is a resounding no. I didn’t, and don’t, want a life of continuous struggle, stress and strain. That’s what was modeled for me and I didn’t realize how what is modeled is what can happen, but doesn’t have to happen.
I want a life of ease and abundance. Maybe you do, too?
Again, if you’re like me, that may require a shift in beliefs and actions to create the desired results. If your parents modeled great things, perhaps it’s time you live into that for yourself, if you’re not doing that now.
Let me say that this process is about you and what you want. There’s no right or wrong about that, it just is what it is – and it’s either effective or ineffective. You can want what you want and whatever you want is just fine! Know that, and then let’s proceed.
THE PRESENT
Where are you now?
In order to get where you want to go, the first thing you need to do is to know exactly where you are today. As you begin to assemble your team, they will ask detailed questions so they know the best way to advise you. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves!
For our purposes right now, the first order of business is to get clarity on where you are versus where you want to go.
More questions (grab that journal again):
Do I know my net worth? If yes, what is it?
Do I have debt, and if yes, how much?
Do I have savings and investments? If yes, what are the current balances and values?
What do I believe about money: there’s always enough/just enough/never enough?
Is what I believe effective or ineffective based upon what I’d truly like?
What did you discover? Perhaps that there’s room for an ‘upgrade?’ I know, for me too. Just so you know, there’s always room for an upgrade, if you want one.
Let’s keep going!
THE FUTURE
Where do you want to go?
This is the fun part. If you’re driving around in a 1972 Volkswagen Bug that breaks down every third turn of the road, worry not! You can, mentally, drive around in your shiny new 2012 Volkswagen Bug, Toyota Corolla, or Rolls Royce Phantom.
Whatever has come into your life has come into it mentally first. First you imagine going to the grocery store and buying bread, and then you do it. The same is true with your future, the future you want to create right now.
Before the questions, let me give you some important insight. The formula for success is:
Intention + Mechanism = Success.
Just out of curiosity, what percentage is intention and what percentage is mechanism? I bet the truth will surprise you: it’s:
100% Intention + 0% Mechanism = 100% Success
Really? Yes, really.
So before you go any further, just know that when you’re 100% committed to your intention, the mechanism isn’t your concern. What and who you need will show up, cross your path, come to you.
In case this sounds too “woo woo” or “out there” for you, don’t worry. I’m all about getting the mind right, but I also believe you’ve got to move your ass, too, in order for things to happen. So we’ll get your mind right and we’ll also make sure you’re taking the right actions.
Single Mom Aljolynn Sperber’s Story
Aljolynn’s single mom story begins before her son was even born. The father insisted she give the baby up for adoption, or consider an abortion. After consulting a counselor, Aljolynn realized that she really wanted to have her baby. She gave up a good-paying job to move closer to her family. The move led to a year of struggle while she figured out her options. When being close to family didn’t go as planned, she took another chance and moved again. This time, she was offered a freelance position by a PR firm in Los Angeles, where she worked her way into a solid, full-time position helping to run the office. She earns a comfortable living for herself and son.
“I’m at a point now in my career that I am able to travel maybe once a month and not have to worry about my son’s childcare being taken care of, paying extra money to the babysitter to watch him, and making sure there’s enough at home to take care of him. I have life insurance in case something happens because I travel so much,” she says. “Before that I couldn’t travel or take client meetings or bring him a nice little souvenir back from my trips. I’m going to be gone for his birthday this year so I’m scheduling to have balloons and cupcakes at his daycare to celebrate his special day. Now I can pay for the extras, have a cushion, and I am able to do the extra stuff that I need or want.”
She has some encouraging words, “Single parents in general are super heroes, I am amazed by what we’re all able to accomplish. The PR company I work for is owned by my friend of 15 years. She is my boss, and the company has boomed because we love what we do. This proves that it’s possible for a business to grow and succeed through a slow-growing economy. This is a true lesson in calculated risk taking and success. This, too, is true for single moms. If there’s ever a time to take a risk, it’s when it involves your future.”
Now, your questions:
What do you want to make (in total income, including but not limited to: your job, spousal/child support, interest income, residual income, referral fees, unexpected gifts, etc.)?
Where do you want to live?
How do you want to live?
Who do you want to live with you?
Where do you want to travel, visit, have other homes, explore?
What do you want to do? If you could be paid to do anything and make an abundant living doing it, what would it be?
Are you doing any or all of the above right now?
Could you be doing more? If yes, what?
Now, wasn’t that fun? I had fun just writing the questions because my mind started going crazy with ideas, thoughts, and inspirations. I hope yours is doing the same!
Coach’ note: Your mind will if you let it, just like what you want can happen if you let it!
You Need a Plan
We’re not going to get crazy and create your plan right here in chapter one. What we’re going to do first is get clear about why you need a plan.
I hear all the time: “I’ve got my goals in my head.” Seriously? In your head? That’s great, but if you want them to come to fruition, you can’t just think it; you’ve got to ink it!
Your goals really must be in writing! By in writing I mean type them out or write them out, whatever works best for you.
Creating your plan, in writing, allows you to gain a clarity that doesn’t come just by thinking about it. You get to include all of the facets and aspects, including action steps, thereby increasing the likelihood it will happen.
I’m sure you’ve heard this advice before. Write your goals down. If they're not written down, they're just dreams. The same is true with your plan.
Writing things down sets off a chain of events that will change your life. I am a firm believer of writing down goals and plans. A firm believer. It's my intention for you to really understand the true explosive power of writing down what you want and the plan that goes with it.
We are told that we should always write our goals down, but the reasons why we should are not thoroughly explored. I suspect that's why statistics show that only 2% of Americans actually write down their goals and plans.
If you understand why you should do something, you’re more likely to actually do it, right?
For example, we are told to drink the equivalent of eight glasses of water a day. I know that number is in debate, but bear with me. If I told you all the reasons why you should be, such as: easy absorption of vitamins and minerals, improved energy, longer lifespan, increased mental and physical performance, removal of toxics in the body, a more youthful appearance, lower blood pressure, reduced headaches, and so forth, and I expanded on those reasons, you would probably get in the habit of drinking eight glasses of water a day. If those reasons were not given, you probably would not be inclined to do so.
By really understanding why writing things down is so crucial and understanding the reasoning and logic behind why you must write them down, you will become more adept to picking up that activity until it becomes a skill.
The benefits to writing your goals down are threefold:
It forces you to define clearly what you want. In essence, it forces you to get clarity, to really think it through.
It frees up your mental real estate, allowing your thinking to ascend to the next level.
It incorporates all three learning modalities and stimulates your innate, inborn creativity.
To discuss the power of writing down what you truly want, let’s discuss one of the goals that my daughter has, which is to make as much money as possible without a job.
Now, let’s clearly define her goal in the form of a clear question so she can find clear answers.
“How can I make around $200 this weekend without getting a job?”
Notice how I clearly defined the goal in terms of the amount of money I want to make, the time span, and the circumstances. By clearly defining these elements, the answers will fit the question.
Here are the answers she came up with:
Collect cans and bottles and take them to a recycling bin to trade them for money.
Hold a garage sale and sell your shoes, clothing, books, toys, DVDs, and other “stuff” that I (read: my parents) don’t need anymore.
Offer to sell my mom’s books.
Do odd jobs around the house, or help my mom with her businesses.
Buy candy at Costco (a wholesale store) and prepare to sell them individually at school.
Buy Gatorade and ice and sell it at the park to walkers and joggers.
By clearly defining the goal, we were able to come up with multiple solutions. By writing down each solution, she freed up more room in her mind and stimulated creativity to come up with solutions that she never would've thought of before.
While she was writing down goal and solutions, she was using all three modes of learning: visual, audio and kinesthetic. She was seeing what she was writing, she was hearing it in her head as she was writing, and she was actually using her body when writing them down. You’ll most likely have the same, or similar, experience.
People learn things differently. Some may learn better by seeing, some by hearing, some by doing, but by incorporating all three when writing, you use all your learning capabilities and that in turn, along with clarity, frees up room in the mind and stimulates massive creativity.
I can tell you that the "buying candy and selling it at school from Costco" idea stimulated her creativity and led to the "buy Gatorade and ice and sell it at the park" idea.
To further demonstrate the power of writing, let’s take that goal and develop it even further by writing it down in the form of a clear question and writing down answers to it.
How can she maximize profits when selling Gatorade to thirsty athletes at parks?
Do research to see which day has the greatest number of people (thus, highest potential number of customers) and which park has the thirstiest joggers.
Offer a discount to first time buyers.
Reward loyal customers with a frequent purchase card – buy 10 get the next 1 free.
See which flavors people like and buy only those.
Have enough change ready.
Say “thank you.”
Decide the ideal number of Gatorade bottles to bring.
Decide where to sell first, maybe the soccer field, then basketball courts, then tennis courts.
Find which park is the best place to sell.
Maybe diversify your products by selling snacks too.
Maybe diversify with water (didn’t even think about water, but the profit margin for water is huge. (You can buy 50 bottles for 6 dollars at Costco)
You could even offer combinations of water and Gatorade to maximize revenue and to turnover inventory quickly.
When you write things down, the ideas start to flow like a river on paper, and you'll find them to be good ones too!
Do you ever wonder why the people who achieve their goals and plans are the ones that write them down?
They achieve their goals and plans because they got the goal out of their head. The goal expanded into a plan of action. Then the action plan became reality!
When you write down what’s in your head, you free up the mental real estate to think of ways to accomplish what you want, which frees up even more mental real estate. Writing things down ultimately stimulates your creativity and the result is a really good idea with a concrete plan of action that can easily be implemented.
Ever wonder why great authors write great books? It’s not because they're great authors.
Great authors write great books because they simply write!
They write one scene. Then that scene is out of their head, and they can now think of ideas on how to continue the storyline. As they do so and write the scene down, their creativity starts awakening, and they get trapped in a beautiful cycle.
People who never write their goals down always have them stuck in their head and they have no “room” to think of ideas on how to act on them.
The following are some exercises you can do to start getting into the habit of writing things down.
1. Journaling.
Keep a journal of your life. Motivational Speaker Anthony Robbins said, “If your life is worth living, it’s worth recording.” So true. Nobody can write the story of your life better than you. Take time to remember the good memories of your life and do them justice. Don’t leave them to the chance of the fragile mind. Write down every detail using your five senses and do so on a nightly basis. You will find that you'll uncover things about yourself you never realized before.
2. Question and Answers.
Writing out a simple clear question and answers to it is another powerful, yet simple approach to get into the habit of writing things down. In the case of my daughter’s goal, writing her goal in the form of a question led to pretty good ideas. A high school kid could easily make a hundred bucks in profit on a weekend using the solution found above.
3. Mind Mapping.
I was first introduced to mind mapping when I read Tony Buzan’s book on the subject. I was blown away. It was very helpful. Mind mapping is an extremely powerful tool in terms of learning, brainstorming, and stimulating creativity.
It starts by you writing down a question, goal, or idea on the center of a piece of paper and circling it. Then you can start branching off answers, other ideas, or tangents by drawing lines from that center circle, writing down the other things that come to mind and circling them. Then you can expand from that circle or from other circles. Soon you will have a spider web of interconnected ideas.
For more information on mind mapping, you can use our trusty friend Google!
4. Your Own Pep Talk.
I think this step can be a fun and powerful tool to demonstrate the power of writing things down and can also get you into the habit of writing.
Most people nowadays are experts in self-criticism. To counter that thought process, try writing down a pep talk to yourself that you can refer to every time you need a boost.
Think of all the positive qualities you possess. Write them down! You know what’s going to happen? You free up room in your brain for more good qualities, which you write those down too. You start becoming creative and write down things you’ve never seen in yourself, causing the floodgates to start to open.
The result will be a masterpiece about yourself that you never knew existed.
Cherish your masterpiece about you, and be sure to add to it daily to become your own personal pep talk.
Writing is magic. It has the power to touch other people, to transform lives, to move people to take action, and to accomplish monumental dreams.
So what are you waiting for? Get into the habit of writing down. Start writing down your goals.