Written By: Anna Carlson

What are your top three investment goals? How do you think your goals could change after doing one simple exercise?

Any of us can answer that first question pretty easily. We can spit out a few generic goals off the top of our heads. When we do, though, we’re probably cheating ourselves. That’s because setting goals off the top of our heads isn’t a really productive way to choose our investment strategies or make financials plans and it’s certainly not the best way to prioritize our goals or keep them in focus.¹

The truth is one very simple exercise can help us set better goals.¹ With that, we’re far more likely to be successful in achieving them.²

Simply by using a “master list.”¹

Let’s find out how it all works, by looking at the findings of a 2019 goals-based financial planning study and what it tells us about the benefits of using lists in financial goal setting.

Then, we’ll see if your goals change for the better after you do the quick (~2-minute) master list exercise!

Think about your top three investment goals again. Better yet, write them down if you can.

Now, take a look at the master list of goals below¹. Keep your goals in mind as you read through each option.

How many of your goals changed after reading that list?

How did your goals change?

This exercise can be wonderfully eye-opening, whether or not any of your goals change after looking at a master list.

Why? Because many of us are strangers to ourselves and simple lists can help us figure out what’s really going on in our heads.¹ In fact, lists can work better than open-ended questions and sophisticated techniques when we’re setting goals. That’s because a simple list can open our eyes, helping us see the big picture and what we want from it. Lists can also make our goal setting more effective, motivating us and keeping us on track as we work towards our goals.

1. https://www.financialplanningassociation.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/Sin_Murphy_Lamas_July2019.pdf
2. https://hbr.org/2021/01/why-we-set-unattainable-goals
3. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.704790/full
4. https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/money/financial-misconceptions-debunked

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A 61-year-old comic book was sold at auction for a record-breaking $1.38 million. The copy of Amazing Spider-Man No. 1 is one of only two copies to receive a grading of Near Mint/Mint 9.8. The previous record for the most ever paid for a copy of Amazing Spider-Man No. 1 was $520,380 in July of 2023. Superman still topped Spiderman, though, when a copy of Superman No. 1 sold for $2.34 million. A copy of All Star Comics No. 8 that introduced the world to Wonder Woman sold for $1.5 million. 

This week in history

1887 – Groundhog Day was celebrated for the first time in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. 

1933 – “The Lone Ranger” makes its radio debut on a Detroit radio station, featuring the William Tell Overture and a shout of “Hi-ho Silver, Away!”

1936 – The first class of the Baseball Hall of Fame was elected: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson, and Walter Johnson.

1964 (60 years ago) – Hasbro launches action figure GI Joe following the successful release of the Barbie Doll in 1959.