Define what you're aiming for — and make it so compelling you have to chase it.

This is where it all begins.

Before you map your money, you need to map your why.

We’re not talking vague dreams or one-day wishes — we’re talking clear, specific, emotionally charged goals that get you out of bed and into action.

You can’t win a game you haven’t defined.

This skill sets the scoreboard.

💭 Why it matters

Most people don’t have money problems — they have clarity problems.

They don’t know what they’re saving for.

Or if they do, the goal is vague: “I should probably buy a house” or “I want to travel someday.”

Compelling goals flip the script.
They give your effort direction, your spending purpose, and your saving momentum.

When you know what you want, every dollar becomes a decision — not a debate.

🔥 The goal is a tool — not just a dream.

It’s the anchor point for your financial decisions.

And once you lock in your goals, everything else in the Money Mapping Method starts to click.

✅ How to create compelling goals

Follow these steps to get crystal clear:

1️⃣ Imagine life in the future

Give yourself time and space to imagine a version of life that feels deeply right to you.

A time where things have come together and you feel fulfilled, proud, and at peace.

• Where are you living?

• Who are you with?

• What fills your days?

• What don’t you do anymore?

If you can, write this all down. Don’t filter it — just describe the vision in vivid detail.

2️⃣ Extract aspirations

Now scan what you wrote and extract specific elements from that imagined life.

This is the fabric of your dream life. Don’t hold back.

For example:

• Dream home

• Europe trip

• Flexible work

• Helping your parents retire

• Living by the beach

• Owning a dog

• Volunteering weekly

Write down as many as you can. These are your aspirations — the building blocks of your goals.

3️⃣ Select savings goals

From that big list, choose 3–5 aspirations that you’re most ready to start saving towards.

Then bring them to life by filling out these details for each one:

• Name: Give it a fun or personal label

• Target $ Amount: What will it realistically cost?

• Target Date: When do you want to achieve it by?

• Impact Statement: Write 1–2 sentences about why this matters. Make it personal and emotional.

Now stack them in priority order. Ask:
“What do I want most?”
“What’s time-sensitive?”

This gives your plan structure and direction.

4️⃣ Create a Rich List

You’ve mapped what you want to add to your life — now let’s explore what you’d like to subtract.

Picture that same future. What no longer exists because you’ve bought back time, comfort, or freedom?

List things like:

• Working weekends

• Cleaning the house

• Commuting every day

• Flying economy

• Managing every tiny detail yourself

These are just as important as your “adds.”

They show you where to direct money for quality of life, not just goal-chasing.

💬 Real Story: “I finally knew what I was saying yes to.”

“One of our members was earning good money but kept bouncing between goals — save for a house, take a trip, start a business.

Once she created compelling goals using this process, everything shifted. She picked a vision, wrote it down, prioritised it — and for the first time, stopped feeling guilty about saying no to distractions.

Her words: ‘I finally knew what I was saying yes to — and it made saying no feel powerful, not painful.’”

🚀 Do it faster with Moolah

Inside the Moolah app, we’ve built a guided workflow that walks you through every step:

✅ Brainstorm your future
✅ Select and prioritise goals
✅ Track your goal progress over time

You’ll even see projected achievement dates based on your forecast — no more guesswork.