I blame my Virgo moon.

Being a naturally goal-oriented person, I usually begin thinking about what I aspire to achieve in the next year starting in November. It’s sickening, I know.

But I have also found that the typical “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” hustle culture also makes me want to dig in my heels and reject the whole idea of resolutions entirely (thanks, Sagittarius sun).

If you are planning to make some big money moves in the next year, here are some tips to help you set the right foundation so you can stick with it beyond February:

1. Know your why. The best goals are ones that come from deep inside yourself; where you are intrinsically motivated to make it happen. Before you set your money goal, ask yourself:

  • Does this goal something I actually want to do or is it to please someone else?
  • How would I feel if I did not accomplish this goal?
  • How will I feel when I do complete this goal?

2. Take the time to prioritize. Got a lot of money goals and not sure what to tackle first? This is a quick activity that will help you get your ideas organized:

  • First, write down each of your money goals on sticky notes or scrap pieces of paper. No matter how big or small these goals are, write them all down.
  • Step away for a bit (seriously, this step is important).
  • When you come back to your goals, lay them out in priority order. Perhaps you realize you can’t start saving for a home until you pay off that nagging credit card debt. Or you decide you care more about having an emergency fund over splurging on that new dishwasher.

Why does this work? Most importantly, it gets your ideas out of your head and onto paper. Additionally, this helps you to see all of your goals in front of you at once. Prioritizing your goals helps you focus on the mountain you are currently climbing, rather than the entire mountain range.

3. Make it silly. Our brains crave novelty and creativity, but also hate change. Those pesky survival instincts! When we are trying to change behaviors, making our goals fun and interesting can help us stay motivated for longer.

On Instagram, you can find this with people naming their debts after Disney villains, or famous mobsters. Renaming your savings account to “Oh S#!t Fund” is a lot more motivating than making a transfer to a boring account number.

4. Track your progress. Having a visual representation of your efforts toward a goal is magical for staying motivated. Check out my blog post all on cheap and free ways to track your money goals.

5. Look for helpers. There is a reason accountability partners work for all sorts of goals. Having a cheerleader (whether it is a friend, spouse, or strangers on the internet) can help you see it through during the tough times.

6. Break it down into tiny pieces. Does your goal feel overwhelming (like becoming debt-free or saving for a 6-month emergency fund)? Break it into smaller parts until those parts feel doable. Instead of your goal being “I want to be debt-free in two years”, try “I will pay off my store credit card in 6 months”. Instead of “I want to save 6 months of an emergency fund”, try “I will update my automatic deposits on Monday with H.R. to transfer 2% of my paycheck into savings.”

7. Integrate forgiveness and grace. Every single one of my coaching clients at some point or another has a freakout moment where they realize their past money mistakes. It can feel like coming out of a dream and being devastated at the choices you made while under a spell. And every single one of my clients has been given the assignment to create a “forgiveness mantra”.

As you progress toward your money goals (particularly with debt payoff), it can feel overwhelming to see the unhealthy or unhelpful money decisions you made in the past. But beating ourselves up only slows down progress. Forgive yourself for those past choices and remember that you are a human doing the best you can.

 

What money goals are you setting for the new year? I’d love to cheer you on. Send me a message on Instagram so I can celebrate all your wins!