4 practical tips for setting achievable and motivating financial goals in 2026

The Christmas break is a great time to reflect on the year gone by and set new financial goals for 2026.

However, as you’ll know if you’ve made new year resolutions before, setting and sticking to your goals are two very different things.

If you want to make lasting changes to your money habits and ensure you finish next year in a stronger position financially, you need to choose your goals with care.

Read on to learn four helpful tips for setting achievable financial objectives that you’ll feel motivated to keep to in 2026.

1. Start with your “why”

Your “why” is the deeper motivation behind your goal. It’s your purpose, which should reflect what matters to you most in life.

For example, your why might be “Providing security for my family” or “Being able to retire early and spend time with my grandchildren”.

If you skip this step, working towards your goals may feel like a meaningless chore, and there’s probably a higher risk that you’ll give up before achieving them.

Consider writing your why down and sticking it somewhere you’ll see it every day. This could help you stay motivated when you’re tempted to quit.

Then, choose your financial goals for the year and make sure they align with your why. You might find it helpful to ask:

• Why does this matter to me?
• Will achieving this move me closer to my why?
• How will I feel if I achieve this goal?

Connecting your goals to your values and emotions in this way could help you set meaningful goals that you genuinely want to prioritise.

2. Review your current finances

If you want to set goals that are both challenging and realistic, you need to understand where you’re starting from. That means conducting an honest review of your:

• Investments, savings, and pensions
• Income and essential expenses
• Discretionary spending
• Financial protection
• Assets and debts.

This will help you to spot any potential financial shortfalls or challenges that might arise in 2026 (or beyond) and identify any opportunities to improve how you manage your wealth. It will also give you a clear baseline for charting your progress throughout the year.

Once you have a good understanding of your short- and long-term financial needs, you can set and prioritise relevant goals.

3. Set “SMART” goals

When it comes to setting goals you’ll actually stick to, the devil is in the details. It might seem like nitpicking, but wording your goals carefully is crucial for success.

The SMART framework is a tried and tested goal-setting strategy that really works. It means setting goals that are:

• Specific – Be clear about what you want to achieve. Instead of saying “I will save more towards my retirement”, aim to “increase my monthly pension contributions by 10%”.
• Measurable – Make sure your goal includes numbers you can track. For example, “I will put £200 a month into my Stocks and Shares ISA”, rather than, “I’ll invest more this year”.
• Achievable – Your goals need to be challenging enough to drive meaningful change, but they need to be realistic too. Setting yourself a goal of saving £20,000 in 2026 if you only have £1,000 of disposable income each month is likely to result in frustration and disappointment.
• Relevant – Your goals for the year should reflect your values and help you progress towards achieving your why.
• Time-bound – Setting deadlines for achieving your goals creates a sense of urgency that can be extremely motivating.

A good example of a SMART goal is, “I will increase my emergency fund by £6,000 this year by automatically transferring £500 a month to a tax-efficient savings account so that my family has greater financial security.”

4. Track your progress and check in regularly with a financial planner

Carefully monitoring your progress allows you to:

• Celebrate both small and big wins
• Stay motivated over the long term
• Adjust goals that no longer fit with your life
• Quickly spot if you’re falling behind and take action to get back on track.

Fortunately, there are lots of tools available that can help you measure your success, from simple spreadsheets to advanced budgeting apps.

A financial planner can also use sophisticated cashflow modelling software to help you visualise how the changes you’re making could affect your long-term finances. Not only might this motivate you to stay the course, but it may also help you set goals that support your why.

What’s more, checking in regularly with your financial planner could keep you accountable and increase the likelihood that you’ll achieve your goals.

Get in touch

If you’d like help reviewing your finances and setting meaningful goals you’ll actually stick to in 2026, our financial planners in Bristol would love to hear from you.

Please get in touch by email helpme@aspirellp.co.uk or call 0117 9303510.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate cashflow planning.

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.