“No, I don’t eat sugar!”   “Nobody eats sugar in 2016” 

I have noticed that there seems to be a theme around December, that theme is Excess; Over eating, over drinking and over spending, this is followed swiftly by promises of less eating, less drinking, and less spending, and a year later we do it all again! Why?

Everyone’s doing it

Who decided that we should start the year with a new set of rules to live by, a set of what some in their minds would have already been termed ‘future failings’. Do they make us feel better or worse about the pending year, and how realistic should we be that things will be different?

I am not a big believer in new year specific goal setting, however generally speaking I love goals, I have financial goals, exercise goals, family goals (if less children is a goal?), I am goal-tastic, I cannot switch my head from thinking how something can be improved. However I am now learning about what they say in the fashion world, to ‘edit’, that is, to reduce and minimise, what is important to improve or remove, what can be added to, to make your life better, or what straight out needs to be thrown out!

Do all good things come to those who wait?

My wife who is currently on a journey to love goals, has discovered a book that in her words is transformative, and in mind…well, less so. However, she has now started with some small goals and has vowed to do 100 crunches each night before bed (and achieving!). The first of January did not inspire this, but rather an opportunity or chance discovery of a Doctor and her book.

 “Stop procrastinating and start doing”

Take action “The more we act, the more we get clear on things. So instead of overthinking it with fears (Will this work out? Should I try that? What if I don’t like it?), start taking steps towards being able to try new things. The experience is the reward; clarity comes through the process of exploring. (Excerpt From: Dr Libby Weaver. “Exhausted to Energized: Dr Libby's guide to living your life with more energy.” Little Green Frog Publishing Ltd, 2015-09. iBooks.
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I apologise…that got serious, fast! But as Dr Libby and Nike would agree ‘when all is said and done” sadly often far more is said, so the mere fact of just doing it…something, is exciting in on itself, so try, succeed, fail, whatever but give it a go!

Here are some goals from the Velocity office:

Graham: My view to goal setting is very much the shot gun approach: set as many as possible, that way you are bound to achieve one!

Achieved: Yes!

Brendon: First year EVER I have just strolled into the office without new goals (this is a little unsettling for the rest of the office as we feel we no longer know him)

Achieved Y/N?

Willie: To consistently be running 200km minimum each month

Achieved- So far so good!

Control, Alt, Delete

If you have already dropped the ball that your goals were stored in, and you what another shot of annual goal setting there is a perfectly acceptable plan B, from the 7th of February there is Chinese New Year to try again!

The Velocity Spin book club (Very new to our spin)

This months recommended novel, ‘The places you will go’ by another doctor (Dr Seuss)

Enjoy 2016!!

Lance Shearman

Lance Shearman is a Registered Financial Adviser with Velocity Financial. No investment decision should be taken based on the information in this blog alone. A disclosure statement is available free of charge upon request.