Goal Setting

Planning for Your Future

One of the most important steps you can take toward success is to make a plan. You must know where you’re going to determine how to get there. You must have a written plan so you can modify what’s working and what’s not and to be able to see the difference.

Get started today. Write out your goals for the next 1, 3, 5 and 10 years. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Just dream. No, you won’t know the “right” answers because you don’t have a crystal ball. But dream. In 1 year do you still want to be at your same job? In your same home? With the same person? In 3 years? In 5? When do you decide that what you’re doing now is/isn’t working?

What year do you think you can be financially free? When I did our first outline, I put 15 years = retired. If you don’t write down what you see today, you won’t know (1) if you hit it accurately (2) if you’re able to move faster than you anticipate (3) if you’re not moving fast enough and need to make adjustments.

01 / 04 / 2012
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Goal Setting

focus on success

If you want success in any area of your life, I can’t stress strongly enough the need for setting and writing down your goals. Here we are at the perfect time of year to do that.

The first time we wrote our goals, we did 1 year, 3 year, 5 year and 10 year goals. What really blew our minds was that we accomplished our 1 year, 3 year and 5 year goals all in the first 6 months!

A couple of things we learned were (1) our goals weren’t big enough and (2) we were working too darn hard! Now we set annual goals and know pretty well what we can accomplish in 12 months, but the goal setting keeps us on track and keeps our “reason” always in front of us.

I’ve already written Goal Setting, Why you Need and How To, so check that out. In addition, I have a wonderful CD by Tony Robbins on goal setting and I want to share some of his great tips with you.

01 / 03 / 2012
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Goal Setting

Goals

As a follow-up to Focus on Results Rather than To-Dos, we’ll focus on goals, your results.

If you don’t have a target, you’ll never hit it. Think about and write out your goals. There’s power and momentum that happens in the act of writing. Written goals become materialized, even if just on paper, and your focus becomes clear and directed.

Goals must be measurable to keep you on track and on time. Once you have your vision, it’s easy to break the process into manageable steps.

Think about what you truly want for your life. Write your goals for the next one, three, five and ten years. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just dream. You won’t know the “right” answers because you don’t have a crystal ball, but dream.

At this time next year, do you want to be:

08 / 25 / 2011
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Goal Setting

Focus on Results, Rather than To-Dos

Following up on “Are You Able to Focus?“, today we’ll look at transforming busyness into action steps that actually move us toward an intentional, fulfilling goal.

First, know your goals! What is it you want to accomplish?

Determine and write out your dreams and desires. This is a fantastic habit. Once you know your long range goals, you can break them into bite-sized, achievable actions. If you don’t have a target, you’ll never hit it.

It’s important to begin with the end in mind and be totally clear about the results you seek. When you focus on what you want – the results – you begin to design your daily life around making progress toward achieving it.

If you’re not satisfied with the results of your life so far, perhaps you’re asking the wrong question.

08 / 24 / 2011
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Are You Able to Focus?

I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more ADD I feel. It recently occurred to me that I’ve probably not actually developed this affliction, so what is it?

By the way, how many things do you try to focus on at once?

After much frustration and ultimately contemplation, I realized, multiple focus doesn’t work. Like trying to get a camera to clearly detail someone standing near as well as the waterfall in the background. It can’t. The camera’s indicator wants to know “where do you want to focus?”

So, the good news – I am not ADD. The problem = where, out of the hundreds of things happening around me, do I want to focus?

Are you aware that we’re actually losing our ability to focus?

08 / 23 / 2011
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Where in the World is Karen, again?

globe

My post additions have slowed down for the past couple of weeks and sincere thanks to those of you who have noticed.

I’m in the process of writing 3 books, one of which has just been completed. My writing career is “beginning” with books on buying, selling and managing real estate. My purpose for writing is that you will find them helpful.

This week, I am in Chicago at a power packed 4 day event with Anthony Robbins. Want a life coach? No one is better than Tony. In case I wasn’t motivated, inspired or busy enough, this event is sure to kick me to an even higher level – and I can’t wait!

What do you do to stay on track? To stay motivated? To rise above the stress and uncertainty that surrounds us daily? All you need do is turn on the TV or talk to friends and neighbors to be filled with fear and doubt.

One of the main reasons I love real estate is because, when done correctly, all you need fret over is your own small kingdom; your own piece of the world; your own personal economy. Yes, I stay aware of the political changes and decisions but, my main focus continues to be on how my properties are functioning and what’s going on in the lives of my tenants.

Don’t let the world overwhelm you. Take control of your own destiny. I do mine with real estate and I hope you do, too.

“You can never get beyond scarcity – you have to start beyond it. If you’re trying to get something, you’re reinforcing within yourself that you don’t have enough.” Anthony Robbins

07 / 15 / 2011
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Happy 4th of July

Fireworks

I hope everyone enjoyed a safe celebration of our country’s Independence. What an amazing life we live here in the United States because of our Independence.

Monday morning, Jim and I watched the HBO mini-series, John Adams, which was a great reminder of the brave men and women who took a stand for our freedom against unimaginable odds. They were extremely courageous and stood strong on their faith, blood and vision to win our freedom.

Remember this freedom did NOT come free but from a strong belief that we needed to be our own country; a belief so strong that our ancestors were willing to take a stand unto death to obtain it.

The power of “belief” that they were doing the right thing gave them the incredible ability to overcome MUCH diversity and extreme hardship to win our country’s Independence. That same power is needed in ANY activity (belief) in order to overcome obstacles in our endeavors.

Let our Independence celebrations remind you of the strength and courage needed to continue on your own path to independence through wealth in real estate.

Give a big remembrance to our ancestors as well as thanks to our men and women in uniform today.

Let Freedom Ring!

07 / 05 / 2011
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Goal Setting

Where in the World is Karen?

World House

My thanks to those of you who have written and asked where in the world I’ve gone!

For 2 years, I posted about 3-4 times per week here on real estate issues. My emphasis was often real estate investing because I am (was) a full time investor!

However, in October 2010, I “retired” from my full time investing endeavors. Our company carries on through my husband’s leadership and our capable employees. The buying, renovating, leasing, selling, landlording all continue and our business continues to grow, year after year. One of the great things about this business is that, when properly structured, you control your own economy and are not as subjected to the winds that blow around you.

As the company progresses and I continue to invest on my own, I’m now in a resting period before deciding what my next venture will be.

For the first quarter of 2011, I have a lot of travel lined up, some in the US, some abroad! I’m fortunate to have options and am so grateful for the investing business we started 7 years ago that allows me this freedom now.

One of my 2011 plans is to write a book about what we’ve done in our real estate adventure and how. We have created quite a successful company in a relatively short time and so many have asked us for our road map that we started our coaching and training business. I’m thrilled to report that all of our students have successfully purchased and own real estate and are charting their own paths with our guidance.

So, what to do with this site, Karen’s Perspective? Thanks to the name, it can morph into anything I want it to be, but I don’t want to lose all of the time, effort and real estate information I’ve packed in here!

So, we’ll see. As I decide I’ll update and, if you have any questions/suggestions, please to let me know!

Wishing you the best in your 2011 as I look forward with great anticipation to mine.

To Infinity and Beyond!

01 / 04 / 2011
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Goal Setting – Why you Need to and How

Goals

Why do you need to set goals?

Because if you don’t have a destination, you can count on never getting there.

To begin with, look at where you are, physically, financially, in your job, your marriage, your family, whatever is a priority for you. Really think about it and write it down.

Why write it down? Trust me, it gives it so much more power. When you think of something, that’s it. It’s a thought, an idea, a wish even. But, when you write it down it becomes much more concrete. You can see it and touch it. It exists. Your brain gets it.

So, write down where you are now. Next, decide, really decide, where you want to be. If you live in a 3 bedroom and you want a 4 bedroom, write it down. If you’re single and you want to be married, write it down. If you’re married and you want more passion in your relationship, write it down. If you make $40,000 a year and you want to make $60,000, write it down.