KEEP YOUR GOALS S.M.A.R.T. A GUIDE TO PICKING A POST-CAREER HOBBY NEW AND REDISCOVERED PASSIONS IN LATER LIFE ARE YOU WRITING YOUR GOALS DOWN?
Forbes reported a study done on Harvard MBA students that has significant implications for goal setting. The results stated that 3 percent of students wrote their goals down, 13 percent had goals but never wrote them down, and 84 percent had no goals at all. When the study followed up with the students 10 years later, it found that the 3 percent who wrote their goals down made an average of 10 times as much money as the other 97 percent of the class combined. Are you ready to write some goals down? Start with the S.M.A.R.T. Method. SPECIFIC Goals need to be specific and contain details that pertain exactly to what it is you want to achieve. MEASURABLE How are you going to define whether or not you’re making progress toward your goal, and how will you know when you’ve achieved it? ATTAINABLE There are big, hairy, audacious goals, and there are S.M.A.R.T. goals. Your objective needs to be within the realm of possibility. RELEVANT While it may seem like a no-brainer, your goal needs to pertain to your life and be relevant to your mission. TIME-SENSITIVE When do you plan on achieving your goal? And what is a reasonable timeline to make sure you are set up for success? Most importantly, when you finally achieve your goals, celebrate your new milestone. If it’s a small goal, match that with a small reward. If you’ve accomplished a huge goal, make sure to reward yourself accordingly. There’s a difference between a task and a goal. Tasks are required; goals are for people who want to drive their lives forward. Start writing yours down with the S.M.A.R.T. method today. Reach out to us if you need help setting and reaching your financial goals.
Aside from financial concerns, the No. 1 question that most impending and recent retirees struggle to answer is how they will fill up all their time. While spending time with family and relaxing are priorities for most folks entering the post-career chapter of their lives, these aren’t enough to fill up the bulk of your newly acquired free time. Cultivating a hobby is a great use of your time at any age, but especially during retirement. As Dick Van Dyke once said, “To me, retirement means doing what you have fun doing.” Here are three questions to help you discover a hobby that’s right for you. DO YOU HAVE A DORMANT PASSION? Work has a tendency to put our other interests on the back burner. Maybe you painted for pleasure during college but put the canvas away to focus on your career. Perhaps you were once a chess fanatic, and today you find your board gathering dust from lack of use. Now is the Discovering new hobbies is just as rewarding as rekindling old ones. Have you ever heard about a pastime and thought, “I’d love to do that, if only I had the time”? Former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe opened a winery after retiring from football. While you probably don’t have the financial resources of a professional athlete, there’s nothing stopping you from pursuing a newfound passion at the same velocity as the footballs Bledsoe threw. IS THERE A CAUSE YOU WANT TO SUPPORT? Volunteer work can be incredibly fulfilling, especially when you have the time and energy to devote to it. Many older adults find that giving back to the community adds meaning and purpose to their lives. The best way to figure out how to donate your time is to think about a cause dear to your heart. From there, find a reputable organization that supports said cause, and see what you can do to help. Retirement is the perfect opportunity to throw yourself head-first into something you’re passionate about. So what are you waiting for? perfect time to rediscover those once-beloved activities. WHAT HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO DO?
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