If you’re having trouble motivating yourself to save for retirement, you’re not alone. Saving for retirement is easy to put off when we have so many other pressing financial responsibilities and expenses immediately in front of us. But deep down, we all know how important it is to prepare for retirement, and the longer we put off saving, the more anxious and stuck we might feel. Unfortunately, worrying about money is not the same thing as being motivated to deal with your money.
So what does motivate us to take action? From working with clients over the years, I know that the answer is not fear. And it’s not money for its own sake. The best motivation, in my experience, is our hopes and dreams – whatever brings us joy and peace of mind.
- If you want to motivate yourself to save for retirement, start by thinking about your hopes and dreams for your life. Imagine the life you want for yourself, now and years into the future. Be inspired by that!
- Then, get professional help to translate your dreams into a game plan. A financial planner will be able to help you create a holistic plan that doesn’t focus just on investments, but also includes your home, college savings, and insurance – your entire financial picture. A good plan, though comprehensive, mustn’t feel overwhelming. Rather, it should be broken down into clear and manageable steps. When your game plan feels simple and doable, that’s when you want to move forward.
- When you’re ready to start working on the investing part of saving for retirement, you’ll probably discover that it’s not as hard as you think. If you do not already have a retirement savings account through your employer, reputable companies like Vanguard, Fidelity, and T. Rowe Price make setting up your own account so simple. They will answer your questions and walk you through the entire process, from creating an account and choosing the best investments for your circumstances.
You can get unstuck with a little help, and your future self will thank you for it!
I think it is smart advise to think of goals and dreams in workable manageable steps!