Looking Towards The New Year

I've got my work cut out for me for the coming year, and for the last few days it's been swirling around and around in my mind - not yet settling down into a definitive plan. A plan of action, that is. Obviously it all has to be done, and that's the "plan" - but how, and when, and in what order... that's what I need to focus on.

My primary goal for 2005 is to buy a house. Having never purchased property before, I am learning a lot as I go. For example, my "dream home" at $159,900 - on a 30 year loan at 5.75% interest - will actually cost almost $336,000 all said and done. I had no idea that I would be investing more than double the price over the life of the loan - Ouch!

Even a first-time buyer's loan only drops the interest rate by half a percent. Anyway, I did find out what it would take to buy this house, and am in the process of taking care of all of those details. I also spoke with the agent again, who said we have at least 60 days to decide and close - so there's no rush. And that I am also welcome to "submit an offer" - a price I am more comfortable with - and she will do her best to help me get the best deal possible... or work with me to find another home in the county.

All good news! So things are moving along very nicely in that area. Work is going good, as well - keeping me busy, and moving forward at a very good pace. There is much to do yet, such as year-end accounting and preparing taxes, re-organizing my office for space & efficiency, planning out my strategy for the coming year, etc... in addition to the usual daily tasks both at home and in the office.

Fortunately, I'm not in a panic over any of it - no feelings of stress or pressure caving in on me at the moment. I'm in almost an eerie calm, working consistently towards my smaller goals each and every day... and feeling confident that I'm moving in the right direction.

Still, I'd like to get all of these plans and goals more firmly rooted in my mind - time tables and strategies outlined that I can feel comfortable with, etc. Short term, I have covered. I know exactly what I need to do. Long term, my goals are clear - but I really need to sit down and outline my strategy to reach them.

Whatever it takes to keep them from floating around in the back of my mind all day - distracting me from the task at hand. Usually putting it all down on paper will do the trick... out of my mind, and onto the paper - where I can look at it, deal with it, change it if I need to...

So that's where I'll start.