In 1954, Yale University conducted a study on goal setting as a determinant of future performance.
Members of the Yale graduating class were asked if they had identified their goals for future financial worth.
Three percent of the students had written goals clearly identifying a dollar value, 11 percent had formulated goals in mind, while the remaining students, 86 percent, had no definite financial goals in mind.
A follow up was conducted in 1974, with astonishing results.
The three percent of those 1954 graduates with clearly defined, written financial goals had a combined net worth that exceeded the combined total of the remaining 97 percent.
My own experience of working with people is exactly the same. Those that are successful have clear goals and work to a plan. Others, who aim at nothing, usually hit it!
However, traditional goal setting is simply not enough. (How many News Years resolutions have you stuck to?).
Here is the one key habit that makes the difference between becoming wealthy or struggling financially.
Besides having clear goals, successful people envision themselves achieving those goals in their mind well before they achieve them.
The language and thoughts that they use is not “I want” or “I am aiming for” or “In the future I will”.
This type of language or thought pattern (which is what most people are taught to use in setting goals) gives an instruction to your mind (subconsciously) to focus on the fact that you therefore do not currently have what you want. It focuses on your current lack.
The result is that your mind (subconsciously) then assumes this is how you want things to be, and your goal then is always slightly out of reach, always coming in the future.
Does this sound familiar?
Successful people, however, frame their language and thoughts in the now. “I have”, “I am”.
Elite sportspeople use this technique to give themselves the edge over their competition with amazing effect.
Financially successful people have a goal they want to achieve, give clear instructions to their subconscious mind so that they can go on autopilot, living life, enjoying life, monitoring progress with the knowledge that they are headed directly towards exactly what they want.
I cannot emphasis enough how powerful a difference this makes. It seems so simple but in reality so few people think and talk this way. Listen to those around you for a while and take note if they are a future based thinker or now based. More importantly, listen to your own thoughts and words.