Regardless of how you define it, financial success is all about achieving your goals and living the life that you want – and it all begins with a winning attitude paired with a plan of action, a written one to be exact.
This is where journal-writing comes in. Journaling about your finances isn’t just all about tracking your spending. It’s a helpful practice to improve your relationship with money, because how you think and feel about money affects how you accumulate wealth.
That being said, here are 5 ways to use a journal and a pen to achieve your financial success:
To clearly define your goals.
Sure, all of us have goals in our lives, but not everyone have goals that are measurable and clearly defined. They say that you are more likely to achieve your goals and dreams when you write them down, and not just let them float around. So get your pen and paper and write down all your financial goals in your journal and how you plan to achieve them. You have to write not just what you intend to do but also how you intend to do it, because as we all know, a goal without a plan is just a wish.
To reaffirm your intentions.
Journaling isn’t just a one-time thing, it’s an activity that you need to do on a regular basis. When you take time to write and reflect on your goals everyday, you get to reaffirm your intentions and be motivated to work hard for it. And when you have this mindset, you are bound to success.
To help you make big financial decisions.
At some point in our lives, we are faced with big financial decisions that can be so confusing, stressful and overwhelming. When faced with this conflict, journaling can help you work through it. Use your journal to make a list of pros and cons for each side of the decision and take time to reflect on each one of them. This way, you’ll hopefully be able to find the answer that you are looking for.
To have a written record of all your spending decisions and why you made them.
Make it a habit to write about all your spending decisions, and really be honest with yourself. Journaling can help you figure out your spending mistakes and how to work through them. Through writing, you will be able to reflect on what you did, what triggered it and what you learned from it going forward.
To track your progress.
Lastly, with written goals and a record of all your spending, you will be able to see how far you’ve become or how much you still need to do. Journaling will be your constant reminder of your goals and a tool to help you become aware of your actions towards it. Without even forcing yourself, you become mindful of your spending and will be motivated even more to work hard for your financial success.
