Vision for Success

What if your mindset could make success feel inevitable? Join me, Michael Kane, on "Living Your Success 24-7," where we unravel the secrets to planning effectively for 2025. We'll tackle the art of transforming resolutions into lifestyle changes by setting precise financial, wellness, and travel objectives. Expect to learn how to break these goals down to actionable steps, ensuring they are not mere aspirations but achievable targets. With a focus on positivity and determination, I'll guide you through the mental shifts needed to embrace life's challenges and thrive in spite of them.

We're not just talking about personal growth; it's time to get strategic with your finances too. Explore the pathways to boosting your earnings from $80,000 to over $100,000 by balancing full-time and part-time work, managing assets, and reducing debt. Hear why a holistic approach—one that includes living in the moment and investing in yourself—can lead to a more fulfilling life journey. Whether you're thinking about your money plan for 2025 or understanding how two complete individuals make a stronger partnership, this episode is packed with insights for creating a balanced and successful life.

Chapters

• 0:00 Planning for Success in 2025
• 19:19 Strategic Financial Planning for Success
• 30:18 Strategic Success Planning Tips

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello there, this is Living your Success 24-7 with Michael Caine, yours truly. So how are you doing today? I hope you're doing fine and if you are challenged, you will get through it. This too shall pass. I know. Easier said than done, easier said we. We all have our crosses the bear, as they say. And um, challenges will come our way, they will.

Speaker 1: 0:36

You can guarantee what taxes, death and problems, issues, challenges all over the place. But another thing you should expect is success. That's right. That's a bold comment, bold statement. You should expect success to happen to you, and you know why. Well, only you know why. I can give you a bunch of reasons why you want success to come to you.

Speaker 1: 1:07

But most of us want to be more tomorrow than we are today. Not just money, of course, money, but not just money To be happy To sow those seeds of hope. To sow those seeds of it's gonna be all right, and I know it all it. It's not always all right, I get that, but it will be and it can be now. Now I know, at least in the United States, for my listeners in the United States well, all of my listeners. But I recently went through elections and I know some people think it's doomsday, and you have a right to those feelings. Doomsday, and you have a right to those feelings. But this is what I've said all my adult life is and sometimes I didn't necessarily believe it, but I said it, so I say it enough where I will believe it that nothing is going to take Michael Caine down, and that's my mindset. Now, nothing's going to take Michael Caine down, and that's my mindset. Me and my family will thrive, period, no exceptions Doesn't mean we're not going to go through hellish times, that everything's going to be perfect, fine and dandy, but it's a mind. Call it mind over matter, okay, call it the spiritual divine, my beef, my faith. I have all those things and so I'm going to propose an action item for you. You can call it homework, but it's an action item, very simple one in theory, maybe not in practice, but it's a call that I hope will challenge you that you won't live by accident, that you will live by intentionality, you will live on purpose. So we're coming. 2024 is coming to an end, no doubt Almost mid-November, so we have like six, seven weeks.

Speaker 1: 3:50

I want you to really think about 2025. My God, 2025. I remember being kids. It was so far away. We're actually talking about it when we were 13, 13, 14, 15 years old. Just, you know chit-chat and fantasizing about. You know the future and you know how you play billiards or any arcade game, where you pull the lever and then the ball goes out and goes zipping around in a chaotic manner. Don't do that in your life. I want you to think carefully and plan effectively.

Speaker 1: 4:49

What will 2025 be to you? What is the end result? What do you want to accomplish? Don't wait till New Year's resolutions to just say everything you're going to do but not really not do. This is a lifestyle change. Just like they say, a diet, wellness is a lifestyle change. So 2025.

Speaker 1: 5:14

What are things you want to happen? What are things that you want to happen Period? Let's say I want to make more money. Well, what does that mean? Everybody wants to make more money. Well, what does that mean? Everybody wants to make more money. What does it mean? Define it, strip it down to its atomic level. I want to make an extra $5,000 or keep an extra $5,000 by December 31st 2025. I want to save up for a new vehicle, car, truck, whatever it is, without going into debt or too much debt. Put a serious down payment on it where the payments are manageable or very low. Another, costs are low. You say I want to Want to buy a house. I would probably wait on that, you know. Do you want to get locked in at these higher rates because interest rates are coming down? But I locked in at these higher rates because interest rates are coming down. But I know we're waiting on the price of homes to come down from a million dollars, right, right, what good is it if, if you're paying one percent on nine hundred thousand dollars, right? Well, I don't know if that's a good deal, but you want to save up for that. Let let's say I want to save extra $20,000 for the one day I buy my house. One day thing.

Speaker 1: 6:50

I want to go on a trip, maybe go to Europe, european vacation, go there. I'm just throwing countries out there. I would like to go to many of them Italy, switzerland, france, uk. Just throwing countries out there. I would like to go to many of them Italy, switzerland, france, uk. You know London, england and Ireland, scotland, which part of UK? Iceland, laskin Cruz or you know, just your place of choice.

Speaker 1: 7:36

And what else do you want to do? You want to be healthy, you want to lose weight. What does that mean? I want to lose 20 pounds by March 1st. Very specific. And then you go into well, how I'm gonna do it lose weight by March 1st, 20 pounds.

Speaker 1: 7:55

I'm going to go to the gym no less than three times a week Monday, wednesday, friday. Get on the various machines we'd be very detailed, specific there and get on treadmill. I'm going on the waste machine. I'm gonna elliptical bicycle the other day is not a gym I'm gonna walk around the block at my home. That's things, intentionality, very specific. Walk at least For a half hour or an hour, whatever it is.

Speaker 1: 8:35

I'm going to eat better. I'm going to get rid of. I'm not going to eat any fried foods At all by March 1st. I'm not going to drink any sodas. Lay low on carbohydrates. Eat more vegetables. At least four or five days a week I'm going to eat vegetables, salad. My portions, my meat portions, will only be four to six ounces. I will not. I will stay away from certain kind of foods, red meat as much as possible. Get my cholesterol down, avoid diabetes. You know that's how specific you should go, because if it's not as specific as that, not gonna happen, that won't be sustainable.

Speaker 1: 9:25

Very detailed, specific. Write it down. You know you have photographic memories, but write it down. Some of these are my goals, by the way, some of the things I've said. And why am I staying a little longer on the body and health? Because without that you're it's done.

Speaker 1: 9:46

I just actually, yesterday, went to a funeral someone that was my age I take great offense, as my age, you know, I'm like, and I had some health concerns that said you need to do this and you either do it or you don't. I said, well, I want to be among the living a lot longer. So I'm serious. It'd be, I should say serious now. You know how many times we lie to ourselves and others that I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that. But let me tell you we could talk about money all day, investing in in stocks, investing in real estate, investing in education.

Speaker 1: 10:26

But if you're dead, you don't have to worry about any of that stuff. You don't have to think about it. You don't have to plan it. If you're D-E-A-D almost had to think about how to spell it dead on arrival, nothing, all that matters. Kids birthday party gotta plan it. Gotta go to Disneyland, gotta do this. Let's go to this trip. Let's go to that trip. Let's lose this weight dead people don't do these things.

Speaker 1: 11:01

That should be at the top of your list is a healthy body, and we'll get on the mind and all that stuff too. But you have to do these things if and focus on improving yourself on that physical level. So we will be around to see that grandchild born. We will be around to go on that physical level. So we will be around to see that grandchild born. We will be around to go on that European vacation or Alaskan cruise or that whatever it is. Whatever it is that hike that low, even if it's a staycation you're not going anywhere, just down the street Still got to be alive, not to be preachy, but we got to do better and we got to improve and maintain ourselves, quite literally, so we can be around to enjoy and create those memories, the memories that didn't happen yet.

Speaker 1: 12:15

See, the memories you already have. You're done if you leave this world today. You're done with what you did, but we're talking about projecting into 2025. Forget 2026. Projecting into 2025. Forget 2026. Let's work on one year at a time, because if you can't do year by year, what the heck are you talking about two, three years from now. I'm not saying not to plan Like plan on the house plan yeah, do that. But I'm talking specifically to get through 2025 with those long-term, mid-term, close-term plans that we're thinking about and that we're already planned for, possibly.

Speaker 1: 12:52

But you got to be around and, that said, we have to get our mind. It's not physical, our brain is physical, but our mind, our brain operates the mind and we have to get that together and that mind. Bad mind can make bad body. It can be a disconnect. Your mind can control physiology, can control and dictate certain things. Your body right manifest man mind. Bad mind can manifest really negative physical Right Manifest man mind. Bad Mind can manifest really negative physical things. I know some people may want to challenge that, but hey, it's your life, you know. So let's get our minds in order. Let's do.

Speaker 1: 13:48

How can we in 2025, how can we be happier? How can we be more joyful? That comes from within. Someone can say congratulations, you did a good job. It makes us feel happy for a moment, but the true joy comes from within and we need to work on this so we don't have as many suicides or have any suicides From adults to children. No reason why a child is hanging themselves or someone's overdosing To get out of this world Because it's so miserable. And yes, this world can be bad and people no good people. There's no good people on this earth that don't want good to happen. We can't let them win and you can't let them win over your life.

Speaker 1: 14:43

So please get professional help. I'm not an expert. I'm giving you my experience. I've been through a lot myself so I can give testimonies. I know I can do that. But if you need professional help, please seek assistance. I encourage that, whether it's health, money. I'm not a travel agent either, so you know, but I better. I can share my opinion, my experiences and other people's experiences I've observed or lived through as well. So I encourage you in 2025.

Speaker 1: 15:20

These are things to do. Take care of myself, health, mind. These are things to do. Take care of myself, health, mind. Do your best. You have to go to. You say you want to make more money. Perhaps you need to take a class or read some books or get some OJT on the job, training with something you got to do. Some effort, some action, steps here that go with what I'm saying. It's just not going to drop out of the sky into your lap things will happen that way and also develop healthy relationships.

Speaker 1: 15:58

Avoid negative, toxic relationships as best as you can. I know you can't dictate who you work with, but you can limit that exposure as much as you can. I know you can't dictate who you work with, but you can limit that exposure as much as you can and stay professional, stay good, righteous and let it go. Release, because we know there's people out there that are up to no good. In the office, on the, the street, the job, the grocery store, wherever there are good people, there's those other people and you know too bad. They don't listen to shows like mine. Maybe they do just bounce off the air or they lie to themselves. Hey, I'm good. Can you imagine that Someone tell me I'm good? If you have to say it, you're not. If you have to tell them I'm good, I'm good, who the hell goes around saying that I'm perfect Really? So be aware from self-testimonials. Okay, so what else are we going to do for 2025? I don't want to get too deep, but I do.

Speaker 1: 17:08

I'd be remiss by saying faith. Whatever your faith is, have it present itself, exercise your faith. You know what so many people say they have faith, but then one thing happens they fall apart. Now, I didn't say we're not going to be sad and disappointed and grieve. I'm not saying that. I'm talking about in a routine day, not extraordinary or something traumatizing. We're not talking about those things. We're talking about just, oh, okay, this thing happens. You know, maintain your faith as best you can, whatever your faith is.

Speaker 1: 17:51

What else are we going to do in 2025? We talked about our bodies and minds and spirits. We talked about what Traveling, and let's talk about M-O-N-E-Y Money Money and let's talk about M-O-N-E-Y money money. It takes money to make the world go around. So what are we going to be intentional about money? Now, I did talk about taking a class, reading, studying that can't increase your income, which is talking about money. So, please, academia or vocational or whatever you go to a class at community college or full-blown degrees, whatever Certificate programs, do all of the above that interests you and will benefit you and help you along. But just let's talk about money. We do need it.

Speaker 1: 18:52

Have you ever gotten in your car and said, oh my gosh, I'm on a quarter tank and I've got to drive 200 miles? Did you ever try to convince them to give you the gas, or did you what Pay for it? You paid for it. If you didn't have the money, well, you're not getting gas that day, unless they're just generous or something which I've seen. Generous people pay, help, pay for you. They see you're struggling and they hey, I'll 20 bucks, I'll. You know I've done that pass.

Speaker 1: 19:19

I used to do that more frequently than now. Uh, you know what? To to pay it for it. To help strangers and help family. Help family first. Now To get groceries from the store. What do they want? They want some money. I want you to pay for it. So to get a home, and a home could be a house, could be an apartment, condo, whatever it is a place to live. They want the landlords want money to pay for health insurance, the gym membership. They want money. You've guessed it by now. So we need to work on a plan and there's so many people out there and books out there that can help you with that. First, careers, jobs searching and how to interview, and I do workshops on that. Things will do our online one on that. Well, I've done many of that topic, many over the years, but probably do that again and probably do it in person too, as far as the subject we're talking about today, did presentations this year, but I'm done. I'm done for this year presentations.

Speaker 1: 20:53

But we want to increase our net worth assets my life assets minus liabilities equal network. You want to have more assets than liabilities. You want to increase your net worth. You want to protect your credit as well, not have bad credit, and so you may want to start your business. Maybe one day, maybe in 2025,. I want to start a business. Maybe one day, maybe in 2025. I want to start a business.

Speaker 1: 21:26

Well, do your homework, research, and they're going to want money, too, to do that. How will you fund it? You've got to have skin in the game too. Even if you get loans, or bank loans or investor loans or investor equity, you're going to have to have some skin in the game too. That means what did you contribute as the founder and so? And then it takes money to invest, whether it's to our 401k, at the job or in this funds, at work or privately, and you want to allocate money for expenses as well as things you want to do not need to do like going vacations and acknowledge people on there, especially family members, kids or relatives on, and people I work for their birthday, for Christmas, takes money and so work on.

Speaker 1: 22:30

How am I going to make? Let's say I make you make 80,000 this year. Say to yourself how can I push that over a hundred thousand? What can I do? Or 30,000 to $40,000. Some realistic numbers, okay. How can I make $10,000 more, like what I did in the past? I'm not suggesting you do anything. You got to do what you got to do. I had a full-time job and a part-time job. Did that for years I mean years and it helped More than pay the bills where I could save and invest. Wish I did more of it save and invest.

Speaker 1: 23:11

But can't go back. Tell yourself, say it right now. I can't go back. Michael Caine, yeah, you can't go back. You can only start from where you are now, where you're sitting, where you're standing.

Speaker 1: 23:26

So I suggest that you have a money plan, a 2025 money. That's what I'm doing. I'm working on. Okay, I'm going to cash these things out. I'm going to move money here. I'm going to pay off this loan. I'm doing that now. Why am I doing it early? So you got to. If you don't, it's not going to work out right. Well, not necessarily true. It's a great if you don't adequately plan the probabilities, it won't be successful. Your campaign. So what loans? What debt? I'm paying off? Student loan for this child or yourself, and to pay off that car loan or get rid of that expensive car you couldn't afford in the first place. Trying to impress somebody and you're drowning.

Speaker 1: 24:17

And a plan Notice? I had never said budget. Budgets are fine. A lot of people can't stick to them, so I'm avoiding that word, but I have podcasts on budgets. Um, a lot of people preach that, a lot of people preach against it. But the fact is, where's your money going? How you're going to get to where you need to go. So you call it whatever.

Speaker 1: 24:43

You want a plan, it's a plan, no less. You want to call a budget, call it one or not, call it one, but where's your money going? Enjoy yourself on the way, because life is short. We could all be dead in three, four or five years and tomorrow not gloom and doom. But you want. You don't want to push everything out so far in the future. Where you're not gonna, you may not get it.

Speaker 1: 25:07

And again, I've seen that numerous time every year someone's passing away that I either know or don't know, or heard of they were planning on oh, in 20, you know whatever year, three years up there to do this and then they didn't do anything they really wanted to do in the present and basically got screwed because they died prematurely. Just think about that. We have no control over that. So what I'm saying is mix it up a bit. Have short term goals or fun, mid term and long term. So at least at the very least, you did something. You did something you enjoy, that gives you peace and joy. Makes it up a bit. Makes it up a bit. And please I know I've said this on many podcasts I'm going to do another love and money episode.

Speaker 1: 26:12

It's been a while since I did that with Sandra. We're going to do that. We have to do that every quarter. We're going to have to plan, you know, three, four times a year at minimum, about relationships, couples and being with the right person.

Speaker 1: 26:31

And and just forget that notion about, uh, two halves, make a whole. No, they don't. No, they don't. Keep believing that lie. You're not gonna get too far. Two halves. If you a half, you need to work on yourself until you're a whole, and your other person too. Yeah, you really want to have so working now. I want a whole person, right, not perfect. Perfect don't get you nowhere either. Yeah, really doesn't. Nobody's perfect, that's a fantasy.

Speaker 1: 27:18

So those things are important for you. If that could derail your plans. Certain things are non-negotiable. Period Are important who you're with, that could derail your plans. Certain things are non-negotiable Period. I wish they taught this in school when I was going in. Now, certain things are just non-negotiable. I don't give a dang who it is, it's just non-negotiable. And that's why you get someone that's truly compatible, not someone you have to sacrifice, blow your whole life and existence on. That's a whole other episode. So I just want to at least say that, because we are talking about 2025.

Speaker 1: 27:53

Improve, enhance, initiate good relationships, whether work relationships, friend relationships, work friends, this friend, personal friends, family, family. That cares not everyone does People that support you, and so that's part it should be part, in my opinion of 2025, because it's going to help you or hinder you. They do, you know. Plan on in 2025 to have good working relationships with your boss, media supervisor and their supervisor and show them how valuable you are. Not just saying it, but showing it. People may not be appreciative of your skills, knowledge, talents, but just say I did the best I can, and that's I did all I could do, so there's no regrets there. So 2025. Dream big Sometimes, dream it all. Sometimes we lost that. So I'm starting my 2025 planning, slowly but surely, and I'm doing it. Work, um, worked on a couple days, not all day, two days, but, you know, a little bit on two or three days, and so I'm working on that. I'm gonna have a complete proposal. We call it proposal for what I'm gonna do 2025. And I suggest you do the same. So 2025, let's plan on having a great year greater than 2024. Some of you may say, well, how can I have it greater? Well, plan on it. If it happens, it happens. If it don't, well, you know you planned and you did all you could do. So that said, um, that's pretty much it.

Speaker 1: 29:57

I I do want to encourage you to buy my book. Living the life you always wanted is a subtitle. The main title is slaying your dragons. You may not relate to slaying your dragons, but living the life you always wanted. Everyone should get that, I think, and that's on Amazon. You can go there.

Speaker 1: 30:18

There's three price ranges hardcover, ebook, electronic book, soft cover.

Speaker 1: 30:30

Those are affordable.

Speaker 1: 30:30

The soft cover and ebook encourage you to get those and give them as gift nice to give them as christmas gifts or just give them as a gift and um and um.

Speaker 1: 30:44

So please do that and I appreciate that support and please share this podcast with others and please um, subscribe where you get the newest episodes you know they're out and um, and going to be doing more, actually Increase the speed and tempo and going to be doing more, actually Increase the speed and tempo and at some point don't hold that to me, but I am Okay at least three or four a month. So I'm really encouraging you to plan ahead of 2025 so you can. When January 1st 2025 gets here, 12 on 1 am, you're already off and running. Some people will be way behind thinking, oh, what am I going to do this year? Well, planning, planning, planning, plan to fail, fail to plan. So, anyway, I appreciate all of you and thank you for listening and taking the time out to listen to this podcast. So, that said, my friends, this is Living your Success 24-7 with Michael Caine Adios.