Since turning 39 last Sunday, I’ve been thinking about what I’d like to focus on over the next year and I’ve come up with my four before 40 list.
I was going to list 40 things I’d like to do before I turn 40, but I know myself well enough to see that this would reduce my enjoyment of the journey, potentially turning it into a tick-list exercise. So I’ve decided to focus on just four things.
I seem to think that Bill Gates said we overestimate what we can do in a year but underestimate what we can do in 10. So I’m in good company with my mindset that less is more. (Even though I am struggling to keep my list this short).
The four before 40 list
The majority of my goals on my four before 40 list are linked to finances. Although I’m sure there’ll be lots of other lovely adventures along the way.
If I achieve them, they have the potential to be life-changing. So I really want to strive for them, or (dare I say it) exceed them.
They’re not too prescriptive, so I have a bit of leeway to play and experiment, which is always good. Afterall, it’s important to have fun along the way.
1. Hit 10% FI – Yes, I’ve finally calculated my FI number and ignoring what I’ve already put into my pension, my FI fund is currently at 4.85%. If my income stays the same as it currently is, it’ll be a challenge to hit 10% but I’ll give it my best shot.
2. Develop another passive income stream – My investments are my only truly passive income stream at the moment. I’d like to focus on developing another one this year. I suspect there’ll be plenty of opportunities to trial different methods which will be great fun.
3. Set up a side business – Following an intriguing moment of synchronicity with my fiancee (which I’m sure is worthy of a blog post at a later date) we’ve decided to set up a joint business venture. It’s a bit of a mini-experiment and we’re currently in the very early stages of setting it up but I’m excited to see where it goes.
4. Learn to use Pinterest – Now I feel like I’ve finally got my head around Twitter, I’d like to get to grips with Pinterest. I might buy a guide to help me along the way but by this time next year I want to feel comfortable with using the platform. Hopefully, it will help me achieve my other goals too.
The key to achieving your goals
Setting goals can be very exciting but as life becomes busy it can be easy to lose sight of them. So there’s a few things I’ll be doing to help me stay focused.
Make them visible – I’ll be pinning my goal list to my fridge and keeping a copy on my bedside table so that I see them daily.
Weekly review – Another strategy I’ll use is to review my progress on a weekly basis. Sometimes it feels like we’re not making progress, but once we take time to reflect we can see that we’ve take lots of tiny steps in the right direction. A review will also help give me a gentle nudge if I begin to stagnate.
Journaling – It’s amazing what presents itself when you create some space to write every day. Journaling will help me gain clarity and track my progress. It will also serve as a useful brain-dump at the start of each day so that I begin from a place of clarity.
Being accountable – Sharing my goals and the progress I make is a great way to stay focused. Making yourself accountable is incredibly motivating.
Reduce drift – Now that I’m aware of ‘drift’ and the amount of time we can lose to it, I’ll be more mindful of how I spend my time. That doesn’t mean that I wont relax, but it does mean that I’ll be spending less time mindlessly engaged in the endless scroll of social media, which seems to be my current boredom buster.
Throwing down the gauntlet
So in my 39th year on this planet, I’m throwing down the gauntlet and aiming to make it extraordinary. I’m excited to see what happens and what life changes the next 365 hold in store.
When do you usually set goals? And what are your top tips for achieving them? Let me know in the comments below. (Pinterest tips are also very welcome!)
Image courtesy of Markus Winkler on Unsplash