I’m a huge believer that the little things we do each day can add up to huge changes over time. No place is this more true than in your financial life. I’ve seen the power of setting financial goals to attain the type of life you envision. When you think big, you open up your life to a multitude of possibilities. Plus, it’s fun to imagine what your life could be like and how you can get there!

That being said, setting your goals is the easy part — but checking-in with them? That’s another story entirely. Holding yourself accountable to your financial goals can sometimes be a painful, but absolutely key, part of the process. This is where many people go off the rails and stop working towards their dreams. They get easily discouraged if they’re not “meeting” their expectations right away. But achieving your financial goals doesn’t come quickly: in fact, slow and steady wins the race.

If you’re ready to reassess your financial goals, here are some questions to ask yourself before the year ends:

1. Where do you stand with the short term goals you set at the beginning of the year? Maybe you wanted to be more mindful of your budget or save an extra $200 a month. Whatever goal you’ve set, see if you’ve reached it. And if not, don’t fret: It’s never too late to refocus. Most importantly, take stock of all the progress you’ve made. If you saved an extra $2,000, pat yourself on the back! Remember that recognizing and appreciating the small things will be a powerful motivator for future work.
2. Where do you stand with bigger life and financial goals? Do you want to buy a house in a few years? Or travel around the world? Check your timeline to see how you’re doing against those bigger life and financial goals. For example, if you’re saving for retirement, have you been steadily contributing to those accounts? Your bigger goals may be intersect with some of your smaller financial goals, but take a multi-year look if you can.
3. How are your investments doing? This might seem like a daunting task, but checking-in on your investments is an important part of your financial picture. You have to have an understanding of how your investments will perform in order to achieve financial success. A good place to start is looking at how your investments have risen or fallen in value. If you own stocks and they are up 10%, look at comparing them the performance of the overall stock market. If you’re just learning how to assess your investments, reach out to an advisor to help guide you through the process.
4. What are the small steps you can take towards new goals? After evaluating your current status, determine if there’s anything you want to modify. Your goals can grow and change with time — stay flexible to your needs. If you have a new goal, see where it fits into the big picture. Then work backwards to map out the steps to get there. Do you have to save some extra money or alter your budget? Do it! Lastly, don’t forget to write it all down.

An awareness of your financial goals is half the battle to achieving your optimal vision for your life. The important thing is not to judge yourself too harshly. What really matters is that you’re consistently working towards your goals. As long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other, any progress is awesome. Onward and upward!

Jim Marrocco, CFP®, CFA

Jim is a financial advisor and owner of Thinking Big Financial, Inc. Thinking Big Financial is a fee-only registered investment advisor offering financial planning and investment management services. Specializing in working with the LGBTQ Community.

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