“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” — Matthew 7:7

Some persons think that if they have clear financial goals which they would like to accomplish, then they should not experience too many obstacles en route to success. They believe that if they come upon challenges which make the process difficult, then their goals were not destined to be realised.

There will be occasions when no matter how desperately you wish for your dream to come true, it will be highly unlikely to occur. This could be the case if you don’t convert your dream into a smart goal; with specific, measurable, actionable, relevant and time-based objectives that you can apply.

For example, if every month when you pay your landlord, you declare, “One day I’m going to turn the key to my own door,” but you never put plans in place for this desire to become real, then don’t expect a miraculous event to eventually bestow you with the home of your dreams.

It’s important to recognise that even if you establish a well-thought-out action plan and take steps towards your desired goal, you may still encounter stoplights and setbacks that will make the going tough. Many people give up too soon because they don’t understand how to seek relentlessly.

The art of seeking

If you watch any one of the Indiana Jones movies with actor Harrison Ford in the title role, you will see the perfect portrayal of a man on a mission, who refuses to stop until he has located the prize. Ford battles dozens of human, beastly and mythical enemies in his various quests to find ancient treasures.

While your journey may be devoid of the drama of a Hollywood action film, you need to apply a similar tunnel-vision approach when you are pursuing your own goals. Like a heat-seeking missile, you must be focused on your objectives, and rebound quickly to continue your search if you encounter obstacles.

Seek with the end in mind

The first step in honing your seeking skills is to visualise exactly what you want to pursue. If you have a fuzzy picture of your objective, then you will not be certain where to start looking and your search will probably be ineffective. In fact, you might not even recognise your desired goal if you come upon it.

Let’s say that you decide to start on your quest to purchase a home. You need to be clear about the type of property that you want and determine the price range in which you can afford to buy. Drive around the communities that you like and try to picture yourself in one of the homes that appeal to you.

Seek persons to support you

When you are in search mode, it’s important to get as much assistance as possible from supportive persons who can lend a helping hand. There’s just so much you can do on your own; you need to leverage the work efforts of other people who can guide you or encourage you along the way.

So if you are seeking to buy a home, you could mention your goal to family members, friends and work associates; this will increase the number of keen eyes that are looking out for this property. You could even use social media to get the word out, or acquire the services of a real estate professional.

Seek without getting discouraged

Many people expect to receive immediate results when they are looking for something, and they may get annoyed or impatient when the desired outcome is delayed. Most of your financial goals cannot be achieved with short-cut methods, so you have to be willing to persevere without giving up hope.

Finding a home that matches your preferred location, style and budget may require an extensive search, as you may have to filter through many unsuitable options. Hold firm to your belief that your home is out there, and continue to seek while you increase your savings towards the home purchase.

Seek until you are successful

Even the most determined person can get frustrated after years of unrequited searching. Is there a point in time when you should just call it quits on your goal? To answer this question, ask yourself honestly if the dream you have been chasing is still important to you after all this time.

If you are still eager to accomplish your goal, then consider some reasons that may have impeded your quest. With a home as your goal, were you realistic about the money you needed for the purchase? Were you consistent in looking for a property every week? Were you just too picky about your options?

However, there’s no shame in admitting that you have lost faith in your old dream. It’s better to refocus on a new goal than to pretend that you are looking for something you don’t really want. Apply all your efforts in pursuing the objective you now want to attain, and keep seeking until you are rewarded.

Copyright © 2014 Cherryl Hanson Simpson. No reproduction without written consent.

Originally published in The Daily Observer, November 27, 2014

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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