Define Your Balance

Like any journey worth taking, there are bound to be a few pit stops and detours along the way to your financial goals. For example, we may be set on saving for retirement, but an unexpected emergency or loan can veer us off course (or in an entirely opposite direction). When situations like this arise, we can be left feeling as if we have to completely sacrifice some of our financial goals and dreams to attend to others, leaving us disappointed and unmotivated to move ahead. Therefore, ensuring a balance between your short and long-term goals is key to reaching the ultimate destination of complete financial freedom. However, it's important to note that balance isn't something you'll magically find as you move along in your financial life. Instead, it's something that must be created and then implemented into your daily routine until it becomes a habit.

A great first step in ensuring all of your goals are aligned and on track to be accomplished is making a list of them and ordering them by prioritization.

For example, you may be set on a long-term goal of paying off your debts. However, this may have to take a backseat to the short-term goal of building a solid emergency fund.  Setting and prioritizing goals can be an overwhelming experience, but establishing the difference between a short-term and long-term goal and the ideal order in which they can be achieved, can provide you with the roadmap and confidence needed to embark on a prosperous financial journey.

Divide & Conquer

Another helpful tip is to break up significant goals into smaller and more attainable goals so that you can enjoy a quick win while still working towards the bigger picture of a long-term accomplishment.

For example, let's say you have a long-term goal of fully paying off your student loans. Depending on the amount you owe, combined with other debts like credit card interest, the idea of paying them off taking years and years can seem daunting— let alone uninspiring. Dividing a significant goal such as this into multiple smaller ones can provide you with the positive reinforcement required to continue on the right track. For example, instead of having one large umbrella goal to fully pay off your debt years down the line, set a smaller goal of using a realistic percentage of your income towards paying it off in monthly installments.

Dividing and conquering your goals one day at a time can grant you the joy and confidence that comes with a small win.

Of course, accomplishing a small goal like paying off your monthly credit card bill may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Still, each goal you complete, no matter how trivial it may seem, is a step towards your ideal financial life, cementing habits that will continue to serve your abundance years down the road.

Defeat Financial FOMO

While having an organized set of attainable goals is essential for continuous progress, it's equally important to maintain a mindset of pursuing ones that suit our current needs and future selves. After all, in today's digital world of instant gratification, thousands of opinions try to tell us otherwise, causing us to doubt ourselves and distract us from what truly matters.

Let's face it; it seems that everywhere we look, there's a different influencer talking about the latest stock, NFT, or collectible that magically transformed their finances overnight. It's hard to resist taking part in the trend and cashing in on an asset that could magically double our wealth. It worked for them; why not us?

Without a strong foundation and sense of self, taking part in the financial flavour of the week can set you back from the long-term financial goals that provide timeless abundance and fulfillment.

Contrary to what we might see on our Instagram feeds, wealth isn't about making the right moves at the right time. Instead, unlocking your abundance starts with doing the inner work to adopt a mindset that helps you make the right financial choices ALL the time. 

Be kind to yourself and recognize that social media is a highlight reel of a person's life and finances. 

Reflecting on whether financial trends serve you or the images you see on social media can make all the difference in a financial future that is realistic and sustainable.

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