New York (August 2025) — As the end of 2025 approaches the virus TikTok Trends “Great Rock In” encourages participants to end the year in a healthy way by focusing entirely on their life goals from September 1st to December 31st.
Many people focus on exercise and healthy eating. However, this trend can also help you achieve your goals. Financial goals.
There are no fixed rules for “Great Lock In.” The phrase “lock-in” is popular on social media and means focusing on tasks.
“What I like about this particular trend is that it’s like a sister to New Year’s resolutions,” says Lindsey Brian Podbin, financial therapist and founder of Mind Money Balance, a financial wellness podcast and blog.
For 28-year-old Julissa Mercedes, one of her fixed goals is to build a $2,500 emergency savings fund.
“Liquid cash gives me a little more peace of mind,” said Mercedes, a San Diego resident and financial worker. Besides building emergency funds, Mercedes has three other goals. It’s about making new friends, making morning routines, and finding new hobbies.
“Great Lock-in” is intended to help people achieve it. New Year’s Aspirations It might have fallen on the side of the road. If you plan to do the following at the beginning of this year Pay off your debt By reducing unnecessary expenses, we haven’t followed it up yet, but this challenge may help us achieve that goal.
“I think this is appealing to many people who feel stuck or feel like they don’t get any progress,” said Ben Markley, the host of Sketchy Advice at the household accounting app YNAB.
If you are considering participating in The Great Lock In, or are already participating, here are some expert recommendations to help you stay on top of your financial goals.
Review financial situation
Brian Podbin said reviewing his financial situation is essential to setting goals that are beneficial to him. She suggested reviewing her bank account and taking the time to figure out what she earns monthly and what she uses it for.
If you have made new year resolutions in terms of finance, this could be a good opportunity to check progress and see if you need to reevaluate your approach.
Setting achievable goals
When participating in a challenge, it’s best to set achievable goals, says Markley. Online challenges can trigger a major change for people, but they can also create unattainable goals.
“A lot of people can’t keep it at all and end up dropping down,” he says. “Or alternatively, while still maintaining it, after the challenge, they return to normal life and their consumption habits have not changed radically.”
Setting realistic goals against your budget and lifestyle is the best way to ensure you achieve them by the end of your challenge. Brian Podbin recommends viewing “The Great Rock In” as a 5km race rather than a marathon.
Focus on habit development
To continue to meet economic goals through 2026, Markley recommends that some of his fixed goals be focused on building new habits and skills.
For example, if your goal is to stop spending on takeout, focus on developing cooking-related habits.
“Find simple meals you can make at home at your skill level so you can rely on them when you want to eat out,” says Markley.
A great way to create habits is to use habit tracking tools. Brian Podbin said it’s easy to do just by setting reminders on your phone and downloading apps that send notifications regularly.
Create community and accountability
Social media is the perfect place to find community support to help you achieve your goals, whether you join Facebook groups, comment on creator videos, or post your own content.
When she launched the “The Great Lock In” challenge in early September, Mercedes also decided to record her experiences on TikTok. She said sharing her journey with her followers can help her accountability.
“When I see people still watching and following my content, it feels like they’re part of the journey too,” Mercedes said.
Looking back at the relationship between yourself and money
When taking advantage of the “Great Lock-In” trends to achieve your financial goals, look back at the entire relationship between you and your money.
“Give all your money a specific job, so that you won’t automatically pilot it when you spend it, and you’ll be sure to use it on purpose and what you need and care about,” Markley said.
Sitting alone regularly, With your partnerreviewing spending habits can help you achieve long-term economic goals.
It’s okay if it’s not for you
If you try this challenge and find it’s not working for you, that’s fine, says Markley.
“You can find something else that works. If you don’t achieve ‘Great Rock In’, it doesn’t reflect your personality,” he added.
Challenges on social media can help encourage people to achieve their goals, but it’s not worth adding unnecessary stress to life due to the challenge. Not every trend works for everyone, and there are many other ways to achieve financial goals, says Markley.
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