Here we are half way through the year, with distant memories of summer, the start of the New Year and all those resolutions that were made. In the middle of winter, everything seems like a hard grind. In the darkness and cold it is easy to let go of promises made to get fit, lose weight and save more. Whatever your goals, here are some simple tips to get you back on track.

1. Measure your progress. There is a saying in management that what gets measured gets done. For financial goals, measurement is easily done in dollars. However, where most people fall down is they don’t look at the measures. Make a date for yourself once a fortnight or once a month to measure your progress.
2. Review your goals. If your progress isn’t what you hoped it would be, break down your goals into small steps that can be easily achieved. The sense of achievement that comes from succeeding with a small goal is highly motivating. Reaching a big goal is nothing more than achieving a series of small steps that take you closer over time to your end goal.
3. Focus on your results. Make a graphical representation of your goal that you can keep in a prominent place to remind you of your progress. A creative way to do this is to draw an image of a flower with each petal representing a dollar amount which is a small step towards your goal – whether it is debt reduction, savings or investment. As each step is achieved, colour in a petal until your flower is complete.

The difference between setting goals and achieving them is being able to change your habits. This requires time, persistency and discipline but once you change your habits, you will change your life.