I couldn’t think of a better title for this, though it sums the post up fairly bluntly.
It’s something I have been pondering lately. About what I would love to happen to us, as a family. And where we might be in say, 5 years time. I think that thinking long term is important, especially when looking at financial goals plus what I want us to have achieved by then.
And, the main reason for thinking about this?
I’ve figured out my reasons why.
Why we’re doing all of this. Any of it, in fact. There are multiple distractions that we face every day; items that need sorting, things that need dealing with. It can feel very overwhelming at times, or it can seem like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. I definitely know how this feels at times!
But, as soon as things start to slide, it can be hard to get back on track. It is much easier to let things go than to persevere through the challenges and tough times. Your motivation gets lower and lower, then all too soon, it can be easy to forget your why.
When this is the case, you need to break down your goals. Try and complete one thing at a time. If you are feeling overwhelmed, then a list of things that need completing can seem unachievable. By focusing on one thing at a time, your energy and motivation will be much higher, plus you will be much more productive!
You also need to find things that genuinely excite you. For me, doing my blog and everything related to it excites me. I love writing my blog stuff, plus thinking (dreaming?) about other projects I’d like to get completed and grow. I often find myself daydreaming about various scenarios, some of which will probably never happen. But, it’s good to have some big aims!
Related post: Why Starting A Blog Was The Best Decision I Ever Made
Once you’ve figured out why you’re doing something, write it down. Make it visible. The more you can remind yourself of what you’re trying to achieve, the better. I have a really nice notebook that I write down my dreams and aims. Some are not going to ever see the light of day, but writing things down give it some clarity. Come back to these often!
Realise that motivation will come and go. It’s natural for you to have days where you’re really motivated and days when you are less so. That’s totally normal! Just remember to try and stick with it. That list of things you feel like you should complete? Do one of them. Even if it’s the smallest thing on there. You’ll feel better about completing it and plodding along. I’m the best at plodding 🙂
If you are aiming for something long term, try and get into a daily habit of something. For me, I try to do some blog writing each day, even if it’s just 100 words or so. Some days, I don’t have any motivation to start a blog post, especially if I’m struggling with the opening paragraph. But, once I start typing it’s often easier than I first thought, even if what I am writing is rubbish! That daily habit will help eventually.
Related post: It Takes 21 Days To Change A Habit
For me, I know my why. It’s my family. I’d love to be able to be there my two boys whenever they need me. I want to be able to take them on lovely holidays, making memories they will treasure forever. They are my whole world and everything I do, ultimately, is for them. Sometimes, when the going gets tough and I find things hard, I need to think back to why I do anything.
I hope this helps when you are feeling like you can’t achieve anything. Remember why you started in the first place. And remember, in the middle of your journey, that you are so far from where you started from. You may not be at the end, but you’re getting there!
Do you have any other tips to add? Do you know your why?
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Finding your why is absolutely key to achieving your goals. If you don’t know your why you have no incentive to push past the difficult times.
I didn’t have a fully formed why when I started down the road towards FIRE but as we travelled along the why has become clearer. Now we are only 2 years out and our why is getting clearer every day.
I’ll be honest, I don’t understand most of what this post is talking about as it’s a little too abstract and jumpy.
It seems to be saying find out what you want to achieve and the rationale why, then have the grit to keep going to achieve it – is that right?
BTW writing stuff down is a great way to cement the thought and have it as a reference for future reflection / measurement / review. I find using a note app on my phone is perfect as I’m far more likely to have my phone with me plus apps like Colour Note or Keep are free ☺️
Really agree it’s vital to have a clear goal in mind, especially with such a long term project as financial independence. Glad you’ve found your ‘why’ in your family: I like the title! Thanks so much for joining #MondayMoney
Totally agree with this! Finding your very own why is important. For us, it’s always been financial independence. Love the title by the way. Thanks for linking up to #MondayMoney. Hope to see you next week.
Finding your why…. I should do that! I know what my goals are really, but I do find it is like wading through treacle trying to get through the every day essential stuff then finding time for what I actually want to do. Good post.
Nicola such a beautiful post, and a timely reminder to take a step back and think about the why xxxx