Elijah’s goals are pretty formal and technical. He’s my very own techno-dork. 🙂
My goals are probably more long term than his, mainly because he’s been learning and researching all this web marketing information since January and now I’ve got to play catch-up.
My main goal is to post a blog on a weekly basis. This has been quite the challenge as of late with family barbecues, activities with friends and trying to take advantage of the summer – but I am vowing to be better at it.
It’s my one long term goal that keeps me going everyday. The one thing that gets me out of bed at 6 am and motivates me to keep giving in to the grind. I want to travel. I want the freedom to see the world and experience all the places and people I read about and see in magazines and on tv.
My best friend just moved to Vancouver. On Saturday she and her boyfriend set out to drive across the county, camping along the way. The past couple weeks I’ve spent helping her get organized and talking her down from her freak-outs. The whole time, both of us forgetting that she was going to stay. It felt like she was going on a trip across the country and that she would be back – a vacation. (It’s really hard being left behind. When I think about it I get really jealous because I want to be the one traveling and experiencing the country I’ve called home my whole life) The stress comes because neither of them have jobs when they get there. Of course there are prospects and they have a game plan but there is nothing set in stone. If the money runs out, they’re screwed and will have to take whatever job they can get. Which really frustrates me because they are extremely intelligent and educated people, but in order to live their dream they will have to give into the man to pay the rent.
Now imagine, if you will, being able to make that trip or move, and all you needed is your laptop. Not having to worry about who is signing your next pay check because it’s you. You would be able to veer off course because it doesn’t really matter when you show up at your destination. Or why show up at all! If you were to buy a Winnebago you could just travel everywhere , and live in your car . . . I think I’m getting a little ahead of myself so lets look at a another, more realistic, scenario.
In his book, The Four Hour Work Week
The funny thing is that whenever I tell people my dreams they look at me like I’m six years old and just told them that I want to be an astronaut. This concept about mini-retirements is so taboo that I almost don’t say anything for fear of having to explain myself. We as a society are so programmed that there is only one way to live life that we forget about all of the other things out there that are available to us. Growing up in my house, I was taught that I had to go to college (taking something practical of course) get a good paying, permanant job (with health benefits) buy a house (with a mortgage) get married and have babies. This is all well and good, and realistic but I’ve never been one to do what I’m told. My parents were smart and boring. They both worked for the government for 35 years and now have very little to show for it. Especially my dad, who passed away shortly after his retirement and never got to fulfill the dreams he was putting off. He was a talented musician and one of the smartest people I’ve ever met and he sacrificed it all for the 9-5. My parents are my influences, they taught me how to be smart, and responsible and proactive. Indirectly, through his premature death, my dad taught me that life is too short. I don’t intend on wasting anymore time. I’d like to know what you guys and gals think about the concept of mini-retirements – it’s not as impossible as you may think!
Veronica