How to Set Money Goals (Two Counterintuitive Steps)

Step 1. Get negative

First to set money goals, let’s get negative! What makes you want to go to a closet and scream at the top of your lungs, “What the finance?!”

Or what keeps you up at night and is taking up too much brain space? If you’re like me, life didn’t go as planned. Positive affirmations are great, but  can keep you in denial and stop growth.

Instead of living in denial that life’s peachy keen, I’m your girl to vent to about money stress!

I can see what you’re thinking, “Well Carly aren’t you a money coach and speaker? Aren’t you supposed to highlight the positive?” No! Not today, not now. No more Mr. Nice Guy! I give you full permission to say, “I have had it up to here with MONEY!”

I’m a major advocate for therapy and keeping your mental health in check. You gotta feel the feels.

If you’re reading this, then chances are your finances are in the way of living the life you envisioned. Money’s a major source of stress, anxiety, and depression and impacts you to the core of what you want in life.  

When you step out of denial and admit what your biggest frustrations with money are that’s when change can occur.

Examples of getting negative about money:

• You’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck
• Expenses pop up and your money feels out of control
• You feel like you’ll be paying your student loans forever
• You’re job stinks and you hate corporate America

Use these as cues of what you want with money and you’re starting point on how to set money goals.

2. Define what you really want (and give yourself permission to fail)

Once you clarify your pain points with money, the next step is use your pain to set your money goals. Also, I give you permission to fail with money!

A quick story, I played soccer growing up. I always envisioned goals, like a soccer goal with three bars and a net. You kick the ball and it either goes in the goal to get a point or you miss.

This mindset with goals always led me to feeling “behind.” It was a do or die way of thinking. When I didn’t reach what I set out to by a certain timeline of what my life “should” look like, I felt like a failure. Game over, I lost. I was less likely to even set the goal because I didn’t want to experience feeling like a failure if I didn’t achieve.

Instead, I now think of goals as targets, or a dart board.

What are you aiming for? You might not hit the bullseye, but it’s the direction you’re heading.

I recently did axe throwing. I’d step up to throw the axe with my game face on, ready to get bullseye, and eye on the tiger. Then I’d throw the axe and it wouldn’t even hit the dart board! With targets, you try and try again, persisting until you succeed. You get points when you don’t hit the bullseye.

This mindset gives yourself permission to fail, but to go all in for what you really want in life. It says, “I’m going to pay off all my debt 35k in less than 36 months.” Then when life throws you a massive medical bill, you handle it, pick up another dart and try again. Eventually you’ll get what you’re aiming for.

Here’s examples of how to turn your pain point into money targets:

• Tired of living paycheck to paycheck, then set a goal to save for a 6-month emergency fund
• Expenses pop up and your money feels out of control, commit to projecting your income and expenses before the month starts
• You feel like you’ll be paying your student loans forever; get a plan to pay off debt in 36 months or less
• Hate corporate America and want to retire ASAP, learn how investing works and max out your retirement accounts

What are your money goals?

If you haven’t already, schedule your 15-minute money coaching session with me and let me know your top three money targets.

Click here to schedule your session, then enter your name and email. You’ll get training videos and can schedule your 15-minute money coaching session.

Next in this series, you’ll learn where to start with money and a step-by-step plan to get you there.

A heads up, Best Money Class Ever, my signature 4-week personal finance class starts soon! Get the details and enroll here. For a limited time, when you enroll you can bring a friend for free.