As the New Year approaches, I suspect that you have spent some time setting goals for 2005. And if you haven't, then I must ask, "What are you waiting for?" It will be January before you know it. At least give your self a fighting chance of achieving your dreams for next year by defining what they are.

Once again, I suspect that I'm "preaching to the choir." You already know about the importance of setting goals. You've probably read books and attended seminars telling you the same thing time and time again. So have I. Yet, I find it interesting that while everyone tells you to set goals, they seldom tell you which goals to set.

In part, this is because goals are very personal things. Like fingerprints, no two people have the same exact set of goals (at least, they shouldn't). Therefore, no one can tell you exactly what you should want out of life. However, I do believe that there are some general things that we all should want - love, good health and a sense of contribution. You will notice that I've left money off this list.

Interestingly, for most people, this is the first thing they put on their list. They either state that they want to make a certain income or they want to acquire the things that money can buy, like a mansion or a Ferrari. I know because I've been there. In my youth, I was incredibly focused on making money; and that's what I did. I became incredibly wealthy at a very young age.

Yet, that's all I became. My maturity, judgment and moral values didn't grow as fast as my bank account. As a result, I became a slave to money and take it from me, money is a cruel master. Before it was all over, I had landed myself in prison, a place that no sane person would ever like to be.

Make a Difference (Part II)

Now, please don't misunderstand me. I'm not suggesting that money is the root of all evil or that you shouldn't want to be wealthy. I'm merely suggesting that making money shouldn't be your primary focus. Instead, perhaps your goal should be to make a difference - a difference in your family, in your company, in your community, in your religious faith or wherever.

After all, at the end of your dash, no one is going to care about whether you had a Lexus or a summer home in the Hamptons. The only thing that will survive after you're gone is your contribution - the difference you made in the lives of others. Therefore, doesn't it make sense to focus on the big picture?

This rather simple truth finally became apparent to me while I was sitting in a prison cell. And yet, while I may have been slow in getting it, when I got it, I really got it. Since that time, I have devoted myself to making a difference in the lives of others. First, and foremost, I want to make a difference in the lives of my children by giving them a firm moral foundation upon which to build their lives. And secondly, I want to make a difference in the lives of those dashing towards success. I want to equip them with the tools to achieve true success (of which money is just a small part). Therefore, all of my goals for 2005 are centered upon these two objectives.

Now, certainly, money factors into the equation. However, I now view money as a means to an end; and not the end itself. And guess what? The less I focus on money; the more I seem to earn. In many ways, money is a lot like your shadow. No matter how hard you chase it; you can never really catch it. Yet, the moment you turn in the opposite direction, it starts to chase after you.

Therefore, as we enter the New Year, I wish you all of the love, health and contribution you desire. Take care and God bless.