Through her podcast and other platforms, Delyanne Barros hopes to create a welcoming learning environment so that even those new to personal finance or struggling with money can feel welcome. To do that, Barros emphasizes how specific financial plans are to each individual. Instead of following the same cookie-cutter method, she says each person needs to define their financial goals for themselves.
“You have to start with your goal in mind, which sounds like something out of a self-help book, but it’s so true,” the money coach told The List. “Because if your [reason] is to impress other people, you’re not going to be very motivated for very long. You’re going to soon realize that’s not sustainable, and it doesn’t make you happy.”
Once you’ve found your end goal, Barros believes it’s much easier to set goals and priorities for your money. Because there are so many factors in personal finance, she added that it’s often difficult to gain complete financial independence. “I tell people financial independence isn’t the only goal that you should be striving for,” Barros said. As an example, she said that while it may not be realistic for someone to retire early, they could work towards cutting down how much they work. “They think it’s all or nothing. It’s either financial independence or work until you die. There’s a lot of gray area in between,” Barros said.