The key to great financial goals

Like everyone, I used to love to set goals but struggled to follow through.

Some of the common financial goals for new years resolutions goals are things like:

Spend less, save more.

Organize my finances.

Get on track for financial freedom.

There are a lot of problems with these goals.

They aren't specific enough, there's no deadline, they aren’t measurable, they don’t define an outcome.

They sound great and exciting when you write them down.

But what follows is 1-2 months of some progress and then abandoning the goal.

And now here we sit at the end of 2022 wondering where all our motivation went and if we’ll ever get our finances on track.

I’ve been there.

But as we near the end of 2022, I can say I’m hitting my financial, physical, and mental health goals.

60% income saved, 4 workouts/week, and a dedication to daily journaling.

So, what changed?

Finding a strong why.

Before you eyeroll, hear me out.

Whenever I read about goal-setting, I would skip right over the boring “find your why” part.

But after 6+ years of goal-setting, I've found a strong "why" to be the only thing that's kept me going.

But not all “whys” are created equal.

You have to find a why that will keep you playing for decades.

Getting in shape to look great might work for a few months, but getting in shape to feel great will motivate you for years.

So how do we find the why that will keep you playing for decades?

Ask yourself 5 whys.

“I want to become better with money.”

Why?

“I want to have more money.”

Why?

“I want to experience less stress.”

Why?

“I want security.”

Why?

“So I can focus on other things in my life.”

Why?

“I want to be able to be present with my kids.”

There. You’ve hit your why.

Now, wanting security is a great goal. We all want it.

But going deeper helps us uncover not only what we want to be free “from” but also what we want to be free “to do”.

As, I’m sitting in the airport waiting to board my flight, I’m reminded of my “why”.

Freedom to experience new things, freedom to take time off when I need it not only when it’s been granted, and freedom to spend time with those I love.

And these are the “why's" that will keep me committed to my financial goals for decades.