We’re now at the halfway mark in the year, and it’s incredible that six months have already passed us by. Time marches steadily on and it certainly isn’t waiting on us to join the parade! The year 2013 will disappear before you realise it; how successful have you been at keeping your resolutions?

In assessing the actions you have taken thus far towards achieving your goals, how would you rate your progress? Are you enthusiastic about your development, underwhelmed with your results, or have you simply resigned yourself to yet another year of missed opportunities?

Six months to succeed
The good news is that you still have the ability to make this year count; there are still six months left to pursue your objectives. It’s now a great time to identify the recurring issues which may prevent you from moving forward, and refocus your energies towards success.

I often find it challenging to interact with persons who only point out problems for every solution that is offered. If you’re going to get ahead, you have to be willing to keep trying until you find the right answers. Let’s recap some of the excuses which you need to lose if you want to win with your goals.

Excuse: You don’t want to rush things
You may initially get excited about your goals, but you procrastinate on doing anything to move your plans forward. Your defense is that you are waiting for the right time or the perfect situation to come around. Lose this excuse – stop putting off for tomorrow what you can do today!

Procrastination is your enemy, so you need to take immediate action when you get an idea or make a plan. Find the most important task that you can start today that will have the greatest impact on your goals, and do something about it right after you finish reading this article.

Excuse: You don’t have any time
You would like to work on your goals, but there never seems to be enough time to get it done. Your days are crammed with career, children and chores and you can barely find time to take care of yourself. Lose this excuse – successful people have the same 24 hours to excel as you do!

You can’t make more time to achieve your objectives; you can only give up less important activities such as social meetings, leisure and sleep. Use the time budget located at www.financiallysmart.org to slot in the hours you need to pursue those key tasks that will improve your financial future.

Excuse: You don’t have any money
You really want to fund your retirement plan or save towards a home, but you earn just enough to cover your bills. You say that you can’t move forward because you need extra money for your plans to work. Lose this excuse – more money won’t appear by magic, you have to go out and earn it!

Calculate exactly how much more you need to earn to achieve your goals, and then break this amount into smaller income targets for the day or week. Don’t be shy to offer products or services to your colleagues and friends for profit; your goals are more precious than misplaced pride.

Excuse: You don’t feel motivated
You know that achieving your goals would make your life a whole lot more comfortable, yet you can’t find the energy to go and do what’s required for success. You tell yourself that somehow, one day, your dreams will come true. Lose this excuse – if you don’t care about your goals, nobody else will!

To increase your drive to win, find a motivating force that will spur you into action. Focus on your desire for your children to have a better future, your dislike of your job, or your fear about going bankrupt – whatever will inspire you to work passionately and tirelessly on your objectives.

Excuse: You don’t know what to do
You are clear about what you want to accomplish and are motivated to do what it takes to succeed. However, you don’t know what to do and you are waiting for someone to appear and show you the way. Lose this excuse – information is easily accessible on any topic you want to learn!

Whether you need to create a budget to control your spending, or you want to know how to market your part-time business, you can quickly find answers to your questions on the Internet or in books. Commit some of your time to researching and applying the strategies you need to succeed.

Excuse: You don’t have organisational skills
You can’t get off the mark with your goals because you are lost in a maze of clutter and confusion. You are unsure about your financial status because you have haphazard records of your accounts and transactions. Lose this excuse – anyone can employ simple systems to get organised!

Get rid of unnecessary items that bring disorder to your space, use marked folders to file your financial information, look online for simple tools to prepare your budgets, and organise your time efficiently so that you can be more effective at working on your goals.

Copyright © 2013 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.

Originally published in The Daily Observer, July 4, 2013

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Cherryl is a money coach and business mentor, and founder of Financially S.M.A.R.T. Services. See more of her work at www.entrepreneursinjamaica.com and www.financiallysmart.org. Contact Cherryl