Why Is Goal Setting So Important?

We often wonder what the point of having or setting a goal is, and we can often find ourselves too busy to think about setting long-term or even short-term goals. Most of the time, we are content with having a goal of getting through the day without too much stress. However, setting a goal can play an essential role in our lives. Especially if we desire to reach for something that feels fulfilling in our life, an intention can stir up the decisiveness needed to perform the tasks.

Kristens’ Story

Meet Kristen Cunliffe, a Financial Adviser who began her financial services career by chance back in 1998. She joined a financial services practice as an Office Administrator and fell in love with the profession. The idea of helping peoples plans became a big passion of hers, and she set about gaining the qualifications. Ten years ago, she then decided that she wanted to be the master of her own destiny and launched Red Star Wealth Management.

She is also the author of Easy Money, an educational book giving bite-size insights into finance. The idea for her book came about five years ago and has grown into a second business. Kristen loves educating people on finance and empowering them to take control of their money and future plans.

What Has Driven You?

I have a passion for helping people – I am such a people person and truly love to give support.

What Has Been Your Biggest Lesson From 2020 for 2021?

The tough decisions are yours to take, especially when you are the boss, and that inner peace is actually the most important thing

What Solution Does Red Star Wealth Management Offer?

Empowerment, confidence, understanding and a process of building financial resilience.

How Effective Can This Solution Be For Others?

Life-changing. So much of what we do in life involves money at some point.

What Hurdles Have You Overcome In Your Life That Stand Out?

There is not enough room for that answer. I do not like to beat that drum, but if I listed it all, it would not sound real.

To hear Kristens’ story, listen to her episode at Clarissa K Explains It All Podcast.

Kristen Cunliffe At Red Star Wealth Management, In Her Own Words

I was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, where I still have my office, I am married to Nick, and we live now in Lytham St Annes. Our daughter Izzy has recently moved out and is about to open her shop Pot Bound in St Annes town centre. She is an artist, and this was her life venture instead of going off to university.

I have been a qualified independent financial adviser since 2001 and opened my business Red Star Wealth in 2011. Being independent is really important to me and my business ethos. It means that the solutions I offer are truly in the best interests of my clients and not services that have been selected by a third party for reasons other than client need. Large scale financial advice companies can be prescriptive on what their advisers should recommend. I do not follow that type of model; instead, when clients seek my advice, that is exactly what they get, my experience, my expertise and a solution genuinely tailored for them. I believe that means my clients experience much more personal service.

My husband and I are also both higher education tutors and provide financial workshops across the UK, so I have a lot of experience helping people understand financial concepts and how they impact life.

I am a passionate advocate of financial intelligence for all people, especially women who can be particularly vulnerable to the gender financial gap. I have researched and found various organisations in this area need to provide holistic financial support for women of all ages and experience to better manage their finances, set financial goals and be more financially resilient. 

I am someone who has had real-life experience and can empathise with most of the vulnerable situations such as domestic abuse, financial abuse & control, debt, addiction and most importantly, recovery. I am most certainly not from an ivory tower, and I believe this has helped me truly understand the women I work with. I know how positive financial experience can translate into knowledge and improve many other areas of our lives.

How To Contact Kristen

Financial Services:

Red Star Wealth Website, Email, Facebook Page, Twitter, Instagram , Linkedin

Educational Services:

Website, Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Personal Goal Setting

Once we understand the quality of the word goal and the power of the word can awaken within us. We can then become better at understanding how it can be used as a tool to make changes.

The 16th century meaning for the word goal has a variant of original meanings ranging from “endpoint of a race,” “away, course,” “object of an effort”. Our modern interpretations are that a goal is a target, a purpose, an objective, an intention, all with a finish.

This would imply that we have always had a need to reach forward within the pages of history. History has shown us that our will within strives for us to grow and push through our own personal boundaries to better our human experience.

What Is Goal Setting?

The word goal also has two associations, the mental goal, a process of thought that leads to our own feeling of wellbeing. The second association is a physical goal, the process of endurance that pushes our body to become more developed. We look at athletes and sportspeople with awe because we understand the strategy, discipline, and knowledge they have to achieve.

How To Align Your Environment With Your Goals

A goal is an intention set from a desire to reach from one point to another. As a feeling, it is to move from the uncomfortable to the comfortable with the intention of reaching forward. It is not just wandering into the unknown; it is about gaining knowledge and combining what was learnt with action. By making a conscious decision to become committed, we start to understand how the wheels of motion will turn. However, this does not mean that every action is correct or every piece of knowledge is accurate; it means that what works for us will stay and grow in our understanding. As our knowledge increases, so does the refinery in our routine, we become masters of our senses, and our experiences become the stepping stones of wisdom.

How To Set A Goal

To set a goal, we must first make the decision to set a goal. If we ask ourselves to look at the five-year reflection of all the decisions we make today, we could start to see where life could potentially take us. If we questioned how we felt about those reflections, it might make a few shifts in our thought processes. We could start to focus on the feeling of those reflections; an improved intention can arise with an understanding of why. The why comes from the feeling of drive, and the intention comes out of the desire to change.

To make changes, desire has to be channelled into action; this is where time management is introduced. Time creates our structure; it is all the things we measure to validate our intentions and creates efficiency. If we decided that we would want to reach a specific goal within five years, it could create the first planning level. This could then be broken down into more manageable goal periods. For example, reaching a point at the end of each year can be further broken down to reach month-to-month goals and even day to day targets. The idea is for the process of the goal to become a habit, and a regular process with commitment evolves with the knowledge gained to create the next action.

Planning To Live Your Life Your Way

If our goal was to build a house, what would be the reason? The feeling of achievement and ownership? A piece of the world that we could leave as our legacy? For the challenge of taking on such a project? Or because of the discipline, skill, creativity, and craftsmanship gained to achieve it? Yes, maybe all of those reasons; however, it would not be just building a house; it would be the process of becoming a master of discipline. To be able to introduce a pattern that evolves and leads to a higher degree of learning, implementation of skill and the ability to commit to the process regardless of the variables of life. It makes us realise that we are a reflection of our efforts. So are we happy with now? Are there things we want in the future? If there are, how much discipline and self-management are we willing to apply to our thought process to make changes. Are we prepared to become a master of our thoughts and an achiever of our efforts?

Why Is Goal Setting Important?

Goals create value for the decisions we make and place a personal authority in our lives. When we wake up with a planned intention, a course of action and a thought-out process, it can motivate our passion for creating our future.

There is power in the belief in a goal. If belief starts with a desire, an idea, a thought, a dream or a premonition, then it is possible to apply that belief in something that motivates us towards reaching a goal. If it was not possible, why would the thought even enter into our minds in the first place? Simply because it is possible and our confidence to believe it can be possible will spark the internal ignition of progress.