10 elements of my ideal year
Ideal days, ideal weeks, etc. These short-period dreaming started to suffocate me. I wanted a longer term thinking, so hear it is. One entire year.
No need to transform. No need to 10x or something silly. No need to grab headline. Just one solid year with good amount of savings, good dinner with good people, and doing good deeds.
1. Fix one habit
Add. Subtract. Adjust. Whatever. Significantly improving one umbrella habit in a year would be good. Quit smoking. Stop snoozing and get into a reasonable sleeping schedule that can be followed consistently. Start calling your parents during the weekends. Better posture. Something screams inside me when I think that I will have done just this one habit for an entire year but some habits stay on the yearly resolutions because they take a prolonged commitment consistently renewed rather than bursts of determination.
2. Save the equivalent to get me 2 weeks of living expenses at 5% accumulation.
Somebody who need $1k per week would need $2k that passively accumulate from investments alone. That would mean $40k saved that year. In 10 years, that covers about 25 weeks worth of living expenses holding, of course, the living expenses constant.
Different people, different stroke. Obviously this amount would be diversified in accounts other than this imaginary 5% simple interest bearing account. However, this is for the peace of mind. I can mess up a major prospect or go travel because for god's sake we're not getting any younger. But as long as I do the minimum that I can agree with myself, I don't have to feel like I am irresponsible.
3. Demonstrably added one useful skill to my skillstack
So long as this new skill is demonstrable, I should be content. This isn't some inner growth. It's a tangible skill that makes me more useful. It doesn't have to be work-related but it should be more challenging than making perfect soft-boiled eggs (It keeps on paying, a year and counting).
4. Met 1~3 great people I resonate with.
No need to agree on everything. Just some people who share core values. Since COVID lockdown, I have grown weary of relating with people virtually. This isn't for networking or any other external motives. It's just to feel connected with other human beings irl.
5. Either added an extra income source or doubled the existing.
If it didn't double, then I should have done less of it and focused on more sustainable work.
6. Made significant improvements in my avocational endeavors
Currently that would be BJJ and writing short-stories.
7. Addressed at least one consistent headache
This one coincides with some of the above. For the sake of my happiness, I'll take one less recurring headache than 2 more pleasure source.
8. Took an extended trip for at least a week.
I had a month where I could have done this this year. I was in-between jobs, and the Achilles tendon injury precluded just about all exercises when coupled with my wrist injuries. Why... Why... WHY...
Note to self: next time I am unable to train due to injury AND I am between jobs, JUST BOOK A TICKET!
9. Spent time with my parents at least 4 times
2 major holidays, dad's birthday (everyone else's birthdays are in the same month), and in May.
10. Extended my life by at least 3 mo.
You can see how the brainstorming process got me from the modest and linear thinking to science fiction by #10. This one sounds Sci-Fi until we actually consider "silly" habits we have though. Quitting smoking last year probably added many more than 3 months for me. This year, maybe... committing to no work after dinner helped me with this?
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