Most people look forward to welcoming the New Year with a myriad of thoughts. Whether it be starting afresh on a new slate following the disappointments of the previous year or trying to learn something new, the New Year feels like another opportunity to make things right or stay in the path of what has made you successful. With the year 2018 upon us, it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to list out goals, objectives, projections or whatsoever to do this year.
At Kiakiaprint, we understand the need to make things right. That is why this article points out various methods or techniques with which you can make a difference this year. Too many a times, we see people drifting towards the end of the Year without being able to point at something meaningful they achieved, while looking forward to another year without rectifying the mistakes they made previously.
Learn Something New
2018 feels like an ominous year for Nigerians. From the biting recession of last year to the fuel scarcity that permeated the environment towards the tail end of the Year, this year is a chance for you to step up your financial game by learning something new. Feed your passions, dreams and hopes with actionable deeds this time around. Perhaps you have a love of creating something, find what makes you happy and try to feed it with knowledge.
You might have wanted to learn a new skill, say tailoring or talking to a large audience, make plans that can help you in that regard. Reach out to people that can help you in that regard, read like never before, pay for training and have the self-belief you can see it through. A wise man once said, “Learn something new each day”. It is not hard to do so.
Everything you need to learn new things are around you. Just take the step. The first step is to START. Nobody ever become an expert immediately. The beginning is always the hardest but just start.
Start Early
The major mistake most people make is procrastinating things they set out to do at the beginning of the year. Try to do things early. While trying to learn something new as discussed earlier, many people make the mistake of postponing things, partly because they are scared of the unknown or maybe because they feel they don’t have all it takes to make it work. Are you trying to start a business and thinking of capital? START. Are you thinking of learning Web Development but think you are too far behind your peers to be an authority in that field? START.
One can never start early enough because though there are 12 months in a year, the first three months are critical as they lay the foundation of what the rest of the Year would be. Once you start early, it gives you confidence that you can navigate the rest of the Year successfully because you have overcome that initial barrier of procrastinating.
Have Projections
Do you have any goal to want to achieve by year end? Write it down. You might be the one that spends money without thinking ahead. Have financial projections. Learn to write things down and put them in places where you can see them everyday. It doesn’t really cost much to do.
Open a dedicated savings account that you can save into and before acquiring anything, think about the consequences of what would happen if you didn’t buy it, and if you can do without it, then don’t buy it. Limit excessive spending on luxury items, instead have eyes on legal investment opportunities that can make you do financially independent.