With all the glittering lights, ornaments, and holiday sales, it’s easy to want to spend more than you have.
Festive activities that include lots and lots of rich and delicious food make you want to eat until you feel like the stuffed turkey you just stuffed into your mouth, but with the cooler temps outside and the warm, snuggly fire crackling inside, who wants to work out?
So how do you stay motivated during the season of over indulgence?
Stay focused. Stick to your plan. Write it on the walls or where ever you need that motivation to be.
Focus…it’s all about making it to the end goal no matter how far away that may be. Envision yourself at that end goal, whether that’s paying off debt, saving for a down payment, or losing 30 pounds, visualize what that looks like.
Now, stick to your plan. It’s perfectly acceptable to alter the plan along the way…especially if the first version isn’t working out too well. If you’ve hit a road block or too many “emergencies” have popped up, it’s time to regroup and figure out how to save a few extra bucks or find more time to work out. (It’s funny that losing weight and paying off debt have similar paths…difficult, tedious, and easily side tracked.)
- Chisel the bills some more, say “NO!” more often, use more coupons for groceries!
- More sit-ups! More biking! Take the 30-day Shred!
Write down your goals. Make it big, visable and “in your face!” Remember what you’re working towards on a daily basis.
While you’re working towards your goals, it’s a good idea to fine-tune them as you go. Notice my goals above mention February and September, but what about that debt-free December date? Not only do I need to make a plan for the remaining amount, I then need to address my student loan debt…so technically that “Debt Free” date is an illusion.
However, saving money and investing comes BEFORE tackling my student loan debt. But, I’ll  have more money available to begin tackling them one by one.
How do you stay focused on your goals over the holidays?
11 Comments
Wow, nice ab. I try to get everything done before December. We are all so busy between Thanksgiving and Christmas that it’s hard to accomplish anything. December is my maintenance month. Just don’t slide and I’ll be ok. 🙂
@Joe – Yes, I want those abs to be mine! As for the holiday season, you’re right, it’s really hard to accomplish anything, but that’s why I have to write down my goals and NOT back slide. We’ll see how that works out for me. 😉
Motivation can be a fickle thing. Here today and gone tomorrow! I agree that taking whatever measure necessary to maintain that motivation are important. It’s something I often struggle with.
@Mr. Utopia – Motivation does come and go, but when it’s waning it’s always a good idea to focus on what should be accomplished. That way I don’t lose my way.
I really don’t stay motivated, haha. My motivation comes and stays when it feels like it.
@Suburban Finance – I find that I have to stay motivated more often or not, or there’s little improvement towards a goal. That’s why I have to write it down, BIG and BAD.
My motivation comes at three times: when I have a new idea I want to spend time on, when things go bad and I want to fix them, and when something is earning me money. They all light a fire under me!
@Daniel – Money is definitely a motivator for me, but so it a creative idea. 🙂
I find that I get motivated when I take some time and plan out/write down what I want to accomplish. Simply setting the goal is enough to get me motivated to accomplish it!
I came so close to buying myself a bunch of stuff during Black Friday. But I resisted! I set a goal not to buy anything for myself until after Christmas and I’m gonna stick to it. I bought all my gifts already so I’m avoiding stores and browsing online all together to avoid the temptation.
I need to write things down and keep reminding myself once daily. That repetition, along with thinking about how it fits into my longer-term goals, is what I need to keep from straying. When it comes to spending and food/fitness, this is a time of year people let themselves go.