I was reflecting the other day on my own financial journey, and although I didn’t come out of college with debt (thanks Mom and Dad!), I still was essentially starting from zero. While some of my other peers were out buying new cars, new clothes or spending way too much on the weekend, I was quietly squirreling away whatever of my paycheck I had leftover into a savings account. First my goal was to save $1,000 in an emergency fund, and then it was to build up my general savings/investing account. Looking back, it would have certainly been easy to give up. There were lots of dinners I would have like to gone to, lots of trips I would have love to have taken, but I didn’t. What little savings I was putting aside each month might have caused others to ask if it was even worth it. However, I stayed the course and little by little found myself experiencing more financial freedom.

Keep making progress, no matter how small it may seem

I think that one of the big reasons that people give up on trying to take control of their finances is because it doesn’t feel like they are making any progress. Whatever small amounts they’re able to put aside just doesn’t seem to cut it. Debt just doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller or that savings goal just seems so far away. This is where discipline will come in. Learn to take joy in your progress, even if it’s small. An extra $50 payment towards your credit card each month may not seem like much, but that’s an extra $600 towards your balance and saving you interest down the road. Set smaller goals for yourself (i.e. I’m going to pay off $xx of my debt this year) and learn to celebrate them. For me hitting my $1,000 emergency fund goal was huge and I made sure to recognize and celebrate my achievement. No matter how small your progress may seem, remember that even a little progress is better than none at all, and way better than worsening your situation!

There will be ups and downs

Becoming financially free isn’t easy, and it’ll likely take some time. There will most certainly be some bumps in the road as well, and it’ll help you out to recognize this fact. We all have expensive months from time to time; I once had my Jeep in the shop 3 times in one month (oil change, a/c repair and fixing leaks), and those costs sure added up. Maybe you get sick and have an unexpected visit to the doctor? Or maybe it’s birthday month and you just can’t say no to all the birthday dinners and have to suck it up. We all face rough financial months, but we’ll also face some good months. Don’t let the bad months throw you off course; do the best you can that month (maybe not having anything leftover to save) and get back on course next month. Recognizing this ahead of time will help you stay focused during the rough times!

Eye on the prize

Rome wasn’t built in a day and aside from you winning the lottery, you likely won’t be able to achieve your financial goals overnight. Being financially free takes time and it likely will be achieved by making small changes in your daily live, and by getting in good financial habits that repeat themselves over a long period of time. When it doesn’t feel like you’ve made any progress, remind yourself how far you’ve come. When you have a bad month, tell yourself that you’ll bounce back next month. Never lose sight of your financial goals (no matter how big or small) and stay focused. I truly believe that you’ll be able to be financially free, and never take your eyes of the prize!