When you decide you want to change your life, your habits, your finances, or whatever else, the first step you have to take is to create a mindset within yourself that allows you to succeed. That's especially true with finances. When your goal is to get out of debt, you have to create a get out of debt mindset if you want to be successful.
I mean let’s face it, if you decide you want to make changes but you don’t really take steps to prepare the right mindset, then it’s just wishful thinking; You’re living in a fantasy land.
4 Tips for Creating a Get Out of Debt Mindset
So here are a few tips to make sure you gain the right mindset to succeed in whatever you choose to do this year, whether you're trying to get out of debt or anything else:
First, Take Responsibility
Obviously, if your aim is to change something in your life for the better, you’re not happy with the way things have been going. Whether it’s your spiritual life, your finances, your health, whatever it is, take responsibility for what you’ve been doing wrong (or not doing at all). Be honest with yourself. Don’t hang on to the past, and begin moving forward. Even small steps toward a new mindset will get you moving in the right direction and you will start building momentum from there.
Decide You’ll Never Go Back
Tell yourself repeatedly that you’re done with those old habits and you are starting new goals. You have to convince your brain because it’s resistant to changing those established patterns. So tell yourself out loud “I’m done with ___________” and “I’m gonna start doing ________________”. There’s something about saying it out loud that just works better and overcomes that resistance. So do it now and do it often to help develop a new mindset.
Do What You Say You're Going To Do
Now that you’ve convinced your brain and your spirit that change is inevitable, it’s time to take the actions necessary for change to come. Start eating right and exercising, start doing a written budget, spend more time with your family. Whatever you made a commitment for yourself to do, Just Do It.
Stay Committed
It’s not so hard to form a new mindset and habits in your life for a few days or even a couple of weeks. But for long lasting change to come it usually takes a minimum of 30 days before your new habit “takes”. Even after 30 days you’ll find there will be times when living up to that commitment is hard. Be consistent and stay committed no matter what.
So what do you do when difficulty comes? You suck it up and continue on. Keep it up, it does get easier over time.
Remember, sometimes change is easy but most of the time it just plain takes hard work. But when you’ve committed yourself to improving your life and mindset in one way or another, the best direction is to keep moving forward.
Staying stuck in life is depressing and it never allows you to live the life you want for yourself.
So go for it, stay motivated, stay focused, and keep moving forward to financial freedom!
