I run into this a fair bit too. I've found a bunch of coping mechanisms - but I'm my own unique snowflake so these may or may not work for the rest of this cohort.
First, I do try to focus on what I have now. Yes, I have a job - but I also have my family, my hobbies, my interests, my undying love of good craft beer, etc.
Second, I have a plan for FIRE. I check into it often - perhaps sometimes an unhealthy amount but hey, it's one of my hobbies too. In doing so, since last June, I've shaved my expected FIRE date from 2032 (hence my handle on this forum) to 2029 and may,
may just get that down to 2028. If the market does spectacularly well, maybe even 2027?
I also love dreaming about the future. I love planning things. I've got a huge road trip being planned for 10-12 years from now. I've already started planning ideas for my 20th anniversary with my wife (in 2020, which is cool) and I have a google calendar dedicated to all things future. As, I suppose, only calendars are really good for. I've got my kids birthdays marked out with important milestones (13th, 16th, 18th, 21st). I've got my and my wife's 50th. I've got check-in's for the FIRE plan (updating various docs one a month/quarter/year depending), I've got anticipated "increase my savings rate" dates when I should be getting raises. I've got the the '250s' marked out as well. Starting last year, every 250th day from 5000 days down is marked on my calendar. I love seeing those things pop up in my emails. Oh! Just 4,750 days to go! That's a huge number! But it keeps going down.
I also have this stupid countdown enabled, which I'd like to point out, is at exactly 4500 days as of 3pm EST today.
I've even done what you're contemplating with the couch, in a way. I found $25 in my account a few days before payday that I wasn't planning on spending. So I threw it into my Roth (I'm not even close to maxing it out). Hey, I figure every day in retirement will cost me about $120, so there's a few more hours I just bought myself.
Feeling a bit low that the goal seems so far away today.
I might try and scrape some money up from down the back of the sofa and add it to my savings today so i feel a bit closer.
Maybe i need to focus on gratitude for the life i have today, rather than dreaming too far ahead and feeling a little bit disappointed when i return to where and when i am now.
Perseverance will win out .