Why You Need a Dream Team
(and how to make yours)
For many of us, money is a taboo topic that we don’t even talk about with our closest friends and family. This might not seem like a big deal, but it has some major repercussions. One is that it makes it a lot more difficult to reach our goals.
When the people who love us the most don’t know about our goals, they can’t support us. They might even unknowingly sabotage us!
Why we need to talk about our money goals.
Here’s an example. If you were trying to eat healthy and lose weight but you didn’t tell your best friend, she might unknowingly taunt you with ice cream or pressure you to try her freshly baked dessert because “You deserve it” and “It’s so delicious!”
She has the best of intentions—she only wants you to be happy. But if she knew that you were on a health kick and understood why you wanted to lose weight, she’d probably be much more supportive of your new, healthy habits.
The same goes for your money! If your best friend knows that you’re saving up to buy your first home and for you that means a lot less shopping, then she’s not going to call you up to hit a sale at your favorite store or encourage you to buy that sweater. If saving for a home means spending less money on going out, she’ll probably be less likely to egg you on to get that next round of drinks.
It really pays (pun intended) to share our goals with the people we’re closest with. And on top of that, it also feels a lot less lonely when we’re not trying to achieve them alone.
Who is on your Dream Team?
This is why we need a Dream Team. Our Dream Team is made up of the people we spend the most time with (near and far). It can be our partners, family, friends, and colleagues. They can be people we spend a lot of time with in person or communicate with regularly via calls or texts.
People on our Dream Team are people who care about our happiness and well-being but also have influence over our everyday spending decisions.
Think about who’s on your Dream Team. List them out.
Sharing with your Dream Team.
Now that you know who is on your Dream Team, it’s time to tell them. I know this part can seem terrifying but start with the easiest person on your list. It gets easier and easier as we do it.
You don’t have to unveil your total debt balance or even how much you earn. This step is really about sharing your goals and how they can help and support you.
Most people are so honored to be part of your inner circle - one of the most influential and important people in your life. This also gives them the opportunity to tell you about their goals so you can support them. It’s a win-win and usually improves the relationship!
Putting it into practice
My husband is an extremely important member of my Dream Team. We make a lot of financial decisions together, he cares about me, and he also has a lot of influence over my everyday spending choices.
Before we were married, or even engaged, one of my goals was to save up to invest in my business, the Fiscal Femme. I realized that one of the ways that he could help me achieve this goal more quickly and easily was to decrease our everyday food spending. We’d often alternate ordering in and while that was convenient, the cost really added up!
When I shared my goal with him, we came up with a plan together. He was happy to continue ordering in when it was his turn for dinner because he loved the variety and convenience. When it was my turn, we’d make something from groceries. Luckily, he didn’t mind eating eggs and grilled cheese on a regular basis (LOL).
It’s really important to include your Dream Team in the planning process because what they want and value should be taken into consideration, too. Together, you can come up with creative, win-win strategies where they can support you in your goals without sacrificing what’s important to either of you.
Start with one Dream Team Member
Share your goal with one member of your Dream Team (I recommend the easiest one!). Brainstorm ways they can support you in achieving that goal.
If your goal is something practical like pay down debt or save more money, make sure to let them in on why it’s important to you. This will help them get excited and feel more connected to the outcome for you. If saving more would have you feel a lot less stressed and give you peace of mind, that’s motivating.
