Ep 243: How to stay financially disciplined when life is life’ing
Wed Feb 04 2026
Life is life-ing. Prices are up, surprise expenses are regular, and your “simple” money goal keeps turning into a weekly argument with yourself (or your partner).
In this episode, we talk about why so many people are either going full finance drill sergeant in 2026, or avoiding goals completely.
We break down what financial discipline actually looks like when your life changes mid-month, and how to build goals that bend instead of break so you can keep moving forward without the mental drama of “I have to be extra strict this week” every week.
We cover:
Why discipline doesn’t transfer cleanly from one area of life to another and why that’s normalWhy SMART goals make perfect sense at work, but don’t always work for moneyThe difference between ambitious/hard goals and brittle goalsWhy “catch-up energy” erases progress even when you’re technically doing “better”When discipline turns into stubbornness (hey, crypto friends)The hidden cost of “perfect” goal frameworks (hello, 75 Hard friends)Why the happiest wealthy people aren’t obsessing over the minutiaeThe real purpose of goals: options, freedom, and a better life Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life.
Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes
If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow
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Life is life-ing. Prices are up, surprise expenses are regular, and your “simple” money goal keeps turning into a weekly argument with yourself (or your partner). In this episode, we talk about why so many people are either going full finance drill sergeant in 2026, or avoiding goals completely. We break down what financial discipline actually looks like when your life changes mid-month, and how to build goals that bend instead of break so you can keep moving forward without the mental drama of “I have to be extra strict this week” every week. We cover: Why discipline doesn’t transfer cleanly from one area of life to another and why that’s normalWhy SMART goals make perfect sense at work, but don’t always work for moneyThe difference between ambitious/hard goals and brittle goalsWhy “catch-up energy” erases progress even when you’re technically doing “better”When discipline turns into stubbornness (hey, crypto friends)The hidden cost of “perfect” goal frameworks (hello, 75 Hard friends)Why the happiest wealthy people aren’t obsessing over the minutiaeThe real purpose of goals: options, freedom, and a better life Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by Forbes If you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow