This is usually where the majority of people start to lose their drive for the project. And it is easy to understand why. When progress seems excessively slow; loss of motivation and suddenly seeing that new toy or spontaneous weekend getaway becomes very tempting.
The line between continuing and quitting is often drawn from an incredibly simple visual reminder.
No, not a complex or advanced application. No, not a complicated spreadsheet. Just a visual tool.
The Free and Simple Tool That Is Crazy Effective
This tool is called a “debt pay-off Progress Thermometer”.
This may sound random, but essentially it’s a visual tracking system that you will create on paper. First, create a list of your debt(s), and then create a large thermometer-type shape down the side of the paper. As you pay off your debt or make progress towards paying off your debt, you color in the thermometer to indicate progress made.
That is it.
No subscription, no technical issues, just plain old pen and paper doing what it does best.
Why This Method Works – Even When You Don’t Feel Like Working
The majority of paying off your debt is between your ears. The math to pay off debt is easy (at least most times). The discipline to pay off the debts is not as easy (and at times hard).
Here’s What You Can Expect When You See Progress Visually
You will feel like your progress is tangible, not intangible.
You will celebrate small successes even though there is still debt.
You will have a daily reminder of your goal and will stay mentally committed to it.
Instead of thinking “I owe so much money still,” your thought process will change to “I have come so far.”
This is an amazing shift to experience.
The Middle Transition Phase Is The Most Difficult, And Using A Visual Meter Will Help In This Area
This may seem surprising, but the hardest part of this process will not be at the beginning or the end; it will occur in the middle- the messiest stage with the most effort involved.
Initially, everything will be new, dynamic, and exciting; your mind will be motivated; and you will be highly focused. You may also be able to pay off multiple small debts within a short time frame.
After that time, you will begin working toward larger outstanding debts with slower payoff capabilities and fewer debt milestones until you reach a climax in your progress.
This is when you will start to lose interest in your plan.
This is where a thermometer displaying visualized progress becomes important to use as a party to generate continued engagement by providing visual cues each time you finish something. This also will provide motivation by revealing progress, even if you cannot pay off the entire amount owed.
You Do Not Need to Be a Designer To Use A Thermometer As A Visual Tool For Progress Tracking.
Truly!
You will need:
- A blank piece of paper
- A pen (red would be perfect!)
Instructions:
- Create a vertical thermometer with your drawing tool
- Write down all your debts next to the thermometer
- As you make progress on the debt, fill in the thermometer’s levels incrementally.
- When a debt is paid off, cross it off the list.
That’s it. Sounds simple, but it works.
For maximum effect, display your thermometer tracker in an area that is visible to you on a daily basis, such as your refrigerator, desk or wall. The key to this strategy is it has to be in view every day.
The Daily Reminder – Not Motivational Occassionally
Motivation is an ebb and flow—this is completely normal!
However, what keeps people moving toward their goal is frequent visual reminders of their goal. The more frequently you see the thermometer tracker, the more you have a constant reminder to you of:
Why you started
How far you have come
What you have to complete
It’s almost like having a quiet accountability partner that won’t judge you!
A Little Reality Check
You’ll encounter temptation while on your journey.
Buying things you don’t need
Passing on ways to earn extra money
Wanting to take a break from being disciplined
Your priority should always be to eliminate your debts and then worry about adding anything else!
It’s totally fine.
But if you’re staring at your goal, practically touching it, you’ll likely stop and think again.
Being consistent is better than perfect.
Your thermometer is not going to wipe out your debt, but it will keep you in the game long enough to win.
In fact, that’s probably half the battle.
If you are just starting your journey to be debt-free, don’t wait until your motivation runs low to get this started. Create your system early on.
The reality is, the people who finish strong are not necessarily the most disciplined, but rather, they have a system set up that makes it easier for them to stay on track.
And sometimes it only involves a piece of paper and a little bit of red ink.
