Achieve your financial goals - this year!

Are you really ready to reach your financial goals this year? Is the financial pain and strain finally enough for you to dig deep and make it happen in this new year? Let's take the first step needed to reach your financial goals in the new year.

Here are three financial goal-setting tips that work every time - if you do!

1) Setting financial goals - Write it down.

If you've read it once, you've read it 1,000 times - to achieve your financial goals, write them down. A goal is simply a realistic dream written down. Put them on paper, or somewhere prominent so you can read it daily - and share it with several friends to put the pressure on to make it happen.

Find an online diary - there's plenty of free online - and blog about your goals. Write them down and blog about them daily - it's a huge difference-maker. Check your blog again in the evening, and meditate on what you did that day to help you reach your financial goals.

2) Make highly achievable short-term financial goals

It's really amazing how many people say "I'll replace my salary in 6 weeks." Let's go back and be realistic - you've probably said that for a decade - but are you closer today than you were several years ago? Frankly - this is a topic I struggle with - setting short-term financial goals and staying motivated to achieve them.

Stop writing down a very reasonable and realistic financial goal in the short term - within a 2-5 month time frame. Th dollar amount is entirely up to you - but pick a realistic number - and then devise a 60-day plan down to bite size junks and make it happen.

3) Make scandalous long-term financial goals

California Governor Arnold Schwartzeneger recently announced on CNN that he always makes ridiculously difficult long-term goals. And guess what? He achieves most of them. Even if he reaches only half of that goal - it's still half of a scandalous goal. Your long-term financial goal should really make you stretch, it should be a big goal.

I encourage you to seek a mentor, write down a financial goal and have them hold you accountable for achieving your financial goals. I have found that a daily diary is a key component in getting you to focus your sights on things that matter, take action and keep track of both your short-term financial goals and long-term goals.