Real Women. Real Life. Real Finance
Welcome to another Miko’s Moments.
Today, I wanted to talk about a question I have received a lot lately.
How do you stick to your budget after you have created it? How do you stay motivated?
The truth is, all of us need that initial push to get motivated to make a change with our finances. But it’s also important to note that motivation is short-term. Just like I have experienced, there will be days where you will not be motivated to make daily progress with your money. There will be times where life gets busy, and we decide that daily implementation of our budget is no longer at the top of our priority list. I think we have all been there.
Motivation is not the same as discipline. Motivation is a short-term drive, and discipline is building sustainable money habits. When motivation is no longer there to serve you, discipline steps in to take its place.
To put it simply, and the way I look at it is, motivation is what we all need to be inspired to make change. Discipline is always about something that you do, your actions. Motivation is a noun, and discipline is a verb.
When you want to make real change with your finances, you have to know that:
Now, I know a lot of you know the first step in the Budget By Paycheck Method. But, if you don’t, it’s all about discovering your purpose for wanting change with your finances. I call this discovering your “WHY.”
Why is this so crucial when creating change, not just with your money but also in your life? It’s because an emotional connection to your purpose spurs motivation, and that motivation and daily reminder of your WHY reminds you of the importance of what you are trying to accomplish through discipline.
You need BOTH motivation and discipline in your life to be successful with your money. It’s your strong self-discipline that will eventually influence your motivation. One can not live without the other. Your motivation relies on your feelings, and your self-discipline is built on habits. Essentially, your routine and habits will get you through the periods of feeling unmotivated or deflated.
One of the main things I learned around self-discipline is that it’s not always about doing more but rather doing less of what isn’t working. If you want to be successful with self-discipline, it can’t be limited. You have to create habits based on what you really want to change and focus on the changes you want to make. Your self-discipline can never be for the sake of others.
I will be back next week with another Miko’s Moments. Have a beautiful weekend!
