by admin | Jan 26, 2015 | 52 Week Accountability Challenge
Congratulations, It’s hard to believe that we’re already into week 4 of our 52 week Accountability Challenge. How did you make out in week 3?
Once again, I encourage you to take 10 minutes to review your Progress from the past week.
What is the goal(s) that I am committed to achieving over the next 52 weeks?
It is ok to have several goals on the go, but I recommend that you focus on no more than two major goals: one health & fitness related, and one personal growth goal (increasing your income, business promotion, improving a relationship, etc).
- What did I say I was going to do this past week?
- What did I actually do?
- How do I feel about it? Briefly describe your victories or challenges from the past week. If you made progress, now is the time to give yourself a big pat on the back If you didn’t make any progress, don’t beat yourself up about it, but be honest in describing the Resistance that got in the way. Recommit to your goal, and move forward. FIDO (Forget it, drive on).
Week 4 Challenge: The Power of Habits:
Are your habits helping you or hurting you?
In order to make significant and lasting improvements in our life, including achieving the goals that we are working on, we really only need to change two things
How we think and how we act. Sounds simple enough doesn’t it. Unfortunately simple is not always easy. Our habits are the ways of thinking and acting that we repeat on a consistent basis, until they become “well”, habits. Our habits can help us if they lead us forward in a productive fashion, and are performance enhancing, but they also often hurt, or hold us back when they are non-productive.
- 1. Take ten minutes to list out all of your own current HABITS, as they relate to your major goal(s) be they helpful in nature or hurtful. Don’t judge them just try to objectively list them:
- Eating potato chips late at night is a habit that might be considered detrimental to achieving peak physical condition. It is also by the way, one of my own bad habits, which I am committed to changing.
- Exercising 5-6 days per week for a minimum of 20 minutes on the other hand is a positive habit, which is helpful to achieving peak physical condition.
- 2. Commit to taking action on one positive and one negative habit this week.
- Do less of one thing that is holding you back from reaching your goal. That could mean forgoing your morning muffin in favour of a delicious apple.
- Do more of one thing that will move you closer to your goal. It could be listening to the affirmation or rapid manifestation audios that you received in week one on a daily basis.
- 3. Just Do It; Commit to doing the exercises. No excuses, no alibis!
Keep your Core Strong!
Coach Mark
Mark Hudon, CFP™, CCS™
Financial Fitness Coach,
Thought for the month: ”The important thing in life is not to triumph, but to compete”. Pierre de Coubertin
Rapid Manifestation Audio:1. Affirmation Audio: http://markhudon.gpwealth.ca/images/repository/5511/G2007AffirmationsTrackOnly.mp3
by admin | Jan 25, 2015 | Advisor Stream
Last weekend I sent out on article on RRSP’s that seemed to strike a cord with many people.
I received a number of comments about the article-which made reference to the generally believed notion that RRSP’s are a terrific investment & planning tool, but are not ideally suited to every person, or every situation.
I thought I would follow up on last week’s theme by sending along a thought provoking article on the 7 Misconceptions about RRSP’s.
I trust you will enjoy it.
Be sure to pass along your comments & feel free to forward it to a friend.
Cheers,
Mark,
7 misconceptions about RRSPs
As RRSP season gets into full swing, every financial institution you’ve ever walked past is suddenly your best friend. Don’t delay, make a contribution today! There’s no question that Registered Retirement Savings Plans are a good idea. As we live longer and as fewer among us can count on company pensions, personal saving has to fill the gaps. Author, investment expert and Star columnist Gordon Pape calls RRSPs the “ultimate wealth builder,” but even though they’ve been around for almost 60 years, there are plenty of misconceptions about RRSPs.
Read more here
by admin | Jan 21, 2015 | 52 Week Accountability Challenge
Congratulations, we’re now into week 3 of our 52 week Core Conditioning Program Accountability Challenge. How did you make out in week 2?
I encourage you to take 10 minutes to review your Progress over the past week.
- What is the goal(s) that I am committed to achieving over the next 52 weeks?
- What did I say I was going to do this past week?
- What did I actually do?
- How do I feel about it?
Briefly describe your victories or challenges from the past week. If you made progress, now is the time to give yourself a big pat on the back. If you didn’t make any progress, don’t beat yourself up about it, but be honest in describing the Resistance that got in the way. Recommit to your goal, and move forward. FIDO (Forget it, drive on).
Week 3 Challenge:
- List Your 10 Year Victories:
Special thanks to my friend Stephen Wenzel for being the inspiration for the 1st challenge. Often when we set goals we focus on the things that we want to happen in our lives (in the future) and we forget to take stock of, or appreciate the things that we have already accomplished-our Victories.
- Take ten minutes to list out all of wonderful accomplishments, milestones, or events that you have experienced over the last 10 years:
- The birth of a child, or two, getting married, completing a 5km run, losing 20 pounds, buying your first home, donating to your favourite worthy cause (even if it is yourself) etc. etc.
- Experiencing and sharing the things that we are grateful for or appreciative of, is one of the most powerful, and positive and energizing experiences that we can choose to do in our lives. Quite frankly we don’t do enough of it. I know I don’t. Do You
What is the WORK that your Goals are asking you to do to achieve them. Think objectively of what it will take for you to achieve the goal(s) that you list as being most important to you this year. What is your PLAN?Write out everything you can think of-short, bullet points are fine. Compare this question to the one that most people ask themselves, which is; What is the work that I want to do to achieve my goal? Did you notice the difference?
- 24 Hour Action Step; Why wait 48 hours? What one action will you commit to taking within the next 24 hours that will move you one step closer to your goal? Take that Step.
Keep your Core Strong!
Mark Hudon, CFP™, CCS™
Financial Fitness Coach,
by admin | Jan 21, 2015 | Advisor Stream
This is the time of year that many Canadians look to top up their Retirement Savings contributions-in large part to create a larger tax deduction, or to reduce potential taxes owing to the government.
This is definitely a very sound and prudent strategy, but it may not be the best course of action in all cases.
Here is a great article to get you thinking about how to best maximize your after tax dollars over the long term.
Be sure to give it a read before you decide what to do with your annual RRSP this year.
Cheers,
Mark
Don’t fall into the RRSP ‘tax trap’
As the annual RRSP contribution deadline approaches, it’s worth considering more than just how much money you can afford to stash away. Specifically, it’s worth thinking about taxes.
For many investors in registered retirement savings plans, the tax strategy starts and ends with deducting their annual contributions from their income. But this is a shortsighted approach that will likely lead to much larger tax bills than necessary down the road, financial advisers and tax specialists warn. How can you avoid the RRSP tax trap?
Read more here
by admin | Jan 17, 2015 | 52 Week Accountability Challenge
I trust you had a great first week on your 52 week Accountability journey.
Before we dive into this week’s challenges I want you to take a few moments to review your progress from last week.
It will be very helpful if you set aside 10 minutes each week-Sunday night is a great time to do it, or even first thing Monday morning to ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the goal that I am committed to achieving over the next 52 weeks? .
- What did I say I was going to do this past week?
- What did I actually do?
How do I feel about it? Briefly describe your victories or challenges from the past week. If you made progress, now is the time to give yourself a big pat on the back If you didn’t make any progress, don’t beat yourself up about it, but be honest in describing the Resistance that got in the way. Recommit to your goal, and move forward. FIDO (Forget it, drive on).
Week 2 Challenge:
- Creating a Burning Desire: The Power of WHY? List as many reasons as you can WHY achieving this particular goal is important to you. I challenge you to come up with at least 6 powerful reasons. The more powerful the WHY, the greater the likelihood that you will take consistent action toward your goal.\
- 48 Hour Action Step:What one action will you commit to taking within the next 48 hours that will move you one step closer to your goal? Take that Step.
The Power of Persistence: Four Steps to Achieving any Goal
1. DEFINITE GOAL: backed by a BURNING DESIRE:
2. DEFINITE PLAN expressed in CONTINOUS ACTION…starting NOW.
3. Mind closed against all Negative influences.
4. Encouragement of Supporters
Expect Success,
Keep Your Core Strong!
Mark Hudon, CFP™, CCS™
Financial Fitness Coach, Certified Cash Flow Specialist™
