5 tips for a financial fresh start

It happens to everyone. We set a new financial goal and we’re excited to make it happen, but after a few months our enthusiasm begins to wane. So how do we re-energise ourselves, renew our motivation and regain the momentum that we had?

Motivation is defined as being the biological, emotional, social, and cognitive forces that activate behaviour.

If our motivation has vanished then, we must question, what has affected those forces and reduced the drive to continue the behaviour?

We’ve put together our top 5 tips to help you do that and rev your motivation back up for a financial fresh start!

Tip 1 – Remind yourself why.

The reason that we do absolutely everything is to achieve a certain emotion that we want to feel. We may have other ideas of why we want something, but all of them will lead back to trying to feel an emotion, for example – happy, proud, certain, safe, successful.

We need to go back to our own reason and remind ourselves why it’s so important to achieve the goal of home ownership. Walk through what it will feel like to own your own home and reignite the excitement that you had at the beginning of your savings journey.

If you’re yet to take the time to work out your own compelling reason “why” then don’t delay! Complete the Understanding my why exercise now. It’s a game-changer!

Tip 2 – Plan out your rewards.

Having rewards linked to your short-term goals is a great way to keep up your motivation. Break your goal down into smaller milestones and then decide how you will reward yourself as you continue to achieve each one. It can be a long (and sometimes boring!) road to achieving a large goal so rewarding yourself along the way provides your brain with the evidence that says “You’re doing it! Keep going!” This is vital information for keeping you on track!

Adding a vision board that clearly outlines your path of goals and rewards is another great way to maintain motivation.

Tip 3 – Manage your mindset.

It can be a slippery slope of negative thinking that can begin to unravel our motivation. Be mindful of your thinking and catch yourself out when the negative thoughts sneak in.
Take note of what you’re saying to yourself and where negative belief patters may be sabotaging your efforts. What we believe creates our emotions and our emotions drive our behaviour so reinforcing positive beliefs is a vital part of goal setting.

Choose your own empowering beliefs and put them somewhere that you can see every day.

Finding positive quotes and following motivational people on social media is also a great way to keep your mindset in check. Remember, we’re all human, if we find ourselves off course then getting back on track as fast as possible is the best way to handle any spending mishaps or unplanned expenses that catch you off guard.

Tip 4 – Create your own motivational playlist.

Listening to inspirational words from other people can really give you the boost you need to get back on track and keep going. Find a list of podcasts, YouTube videos or create your own music playlist that provides you with what you need to move you straight back into alignment with your goals.

Tip 5 – Find an accountability partner.

Who’s on your team? Having people who understand your goals and are keen to see you succeed is essential. Find like-minded people who will support you, encourage you and remind you of how far you’ve come when you forget. It also helps to have someone who will keep you accountable for what’s required from day-to-day and week-to-week. A great accountability partner holds you accountable to your short-term goals so you can successfully reach the long term one.

Bonus Tip – Watch out for opportunities that could move you forward faster. Not many people have a financial coach available to them free of charge! Book a check-in session to reactivate your motivation now 🙂