We live in the present.
It's genetic, says Dr. Brad Klontz, a financial consultant and psychologist. "That's why we survive as a species," Klontz said. "We are made to enjoy the moment and consume as much as possible."
When you think about saving for the future, you are opposing all biology.
But there is a trick: Create an emotional connection with savings. Imagine yourself retiring to a villa in the village. Or imagine the dream house. Or the holidays of a lifetime.
In a study by Klontz, people's savings increased by 73% when they were emotionally related to why they were saving.
Here's how to do it.
A picture is worth as many as 1000 words
We tend to maintain the status quo. change requires work and effort. "If you are clear about why you want to save, why it matters, who you are saving for and really save, the action will have dramatic effects," Klontz said.
You can use this enthusiasm to imagine the future you are working for today.
Search the internet for images that evoke emotions, ?said Carrie Rattle, CEO of Behavioral Cents, which offers therapy and financial consulting.
"An image helps you focus on happiness," Rattle said. People are not always able to imagine their vision.
Images that reflect your emotions work. Find photos of people on the beach, happy and retired, or if you want to pay off debts, find photos of people who are liberated and calm.
Inspirational table
A table with inspiring images made Jackie Beck, a person finance blogger, take a vacation of a lifetime.
Beck created an inspirational chart on the computer to visit all the places he wanted to visit. "I was adding pictures and thinking to myself when I would make it a reality," she said. "If you look at it regularly, you will make it a reality."
A year after creating a table with images from Africa, she and her husband left for Kenya. The table helped him plan, search, and ask for recommendations.
Withdrawal law
If you want a green apple, you will try to find a green apple every day, right? "Some people say that when you hope, the universe gives it," Rattle said.
Another interpretation is that when you focus on your goal, your consciousness will sharpen.
If you know where you want to go, think about how you will get there. You will probably go to the market or farm more often. And here you have a green apple. It started with imagination and now you have it in your hands because you spent time thinking about what you wanted and took the necessary steps.
Fixed like in the movies
If you dream of traveling to Italy, start your research and decide where you especially want to go. In the south? In Rome? Separate museums and churches that you enjoy seeing and foods you want to try.
After that, financial planning begins. Suppose you need $ 5,000 for the trip, which you will do in five years. That means you have to save a thousand dollars a year. Divide that number into months or weeks, ?says Rattle.
This way you are clear about all the changes you need to make. Maybe you should have lunch at home and every time you eat, remember why you are not sitting in the restaurant.
Source: CNBC
