5 Tips to Stay Motivated When Working Towards Your Financial Goals

by Marian Nguyen, RN, BSN | Dec 9, 2020 | Family and Life Skills, Money Management, Money Skills

Staying motivated through these hard times can be difficult. Especially when you’re working towards financial goals. This year has been very hard, particularly financially, for many families. I think we can all agree, it’s been quite a year.

I know that staying motivated to reach your financial goals, whatever they are – buying a home, getting out of debt, saving for a dream trip – can sometimes be discouraging, especially if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s very easy to lose momentum and quit. But, that doesn’t have to be how it goes for you. That’s why I want to share some tips with you to keep at your financial goals even when the going gets tough.

Here are my top 5 tips when your are trying to stay motivated while working towards your BIG financial goals:

Name Your Goals

For me, making a goal specific is one of the main ways to keep motivated towards reaching that goal. If you have a vague or not very specific goal, it’s hard to stay motivated. It’s important to specify and name your goals. The more specific the better! Ask yourself what financial success looks like to you? And, when you feel like giving up on your debt free journey, dig deep and remember your why. Get clear on what it is all for

Once you’ve specified your goals, you need to speak them. Tell others about your goal, post about them on social media, put yourself out there and make others aware so they will hold you accountable. I’d also suggest writing out or typing out your goals and posting them in places where you’ll see them regularly – next to your laptop, inside your journal, on your refrigerator, etc. You could even incorporate them into a vision board if that’s more your style.

When my husband and I were first on our debt free journey years ago, it was tough and I wanted to quit. I just couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I kept my why in the front of my mind and that helped.

Build Your Support System

Once you decide on your financial goal and you make sure your goal is very specific, get yourself some support. It’s best if those closest to you support your goal and also take part in reaching that goal. If you are in a relationship and/or have kids, try to make it a family goal that you can all work towards together. Maybe even make reaching the goal a game or fun competition with your family members. To stay focused and motivated when working towards your financial goals, make sure you have the support of your family and spouse so you can cheer each other on.

Celebrate Small Wins

If you set a huge financial goal, it can be hard to stay motivated along the way. It’s helpful to break your large goal into mini goals and celebrate along the way as you reach each mini milestone. 

When my husband and I started paying down our over $100K in debt, we had to find smaller increments and goals to celebrate or it may have begun to feel overwhelming and like we were never going to get ourselves out of debt. Celebrating the little wins along the way can make things more fun and keep you motivated – even if your celebration is just yelling and dancing. 

I love to think of it like this: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The same goes for paying down your debt!

Say Bye-Bye

This might be hard, but you may need to cut loose any friends (for the time being) who don’t support your goals. If your friends are not happy with your success or try to get you to give up on your goals, this can seriously impact your motivation to reach those goals. If you are clear on your financial goals and your friends are dragging you down, be honest with them about your goals and ask for their support. And, if they still try to tempt you to spend, maybe it’s time for some new friends who are more aligned with where you are at right now in your life and your financial journey. 

If your friends can’t understand why you’d rather pay off debt than go on another trip, you might need new friends… just saying.

Find a Supportive Community

If you are looking for support and motivation as you work towards your financial goals, I invite you to join us for 31 Days of Money Motivation. Every day in December, across all of my social media accounts, I am sharing a Money Motivation Tip. We just started a few days ago and I am already floored by the support and encouragement that I am witnessing. If you need support as you charge towards your goals, come and join us!

To join in for the 31 Days of Money Motivation, go and give us a follow on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn – whichever is your preferred platform.