So this is it…
2017 is here. I think it is safe to say it is the year that everyone has been waiting for. The new year brings a new sense of hope and prosperity and here is how I am preparing for 2017.
The Top 100 List
It started with the “The Top 100 List”. These were the top 100 things that I am proud or grateful for in 2016. Despite the amount of negativity that has been buzzing about, I can say with certainty that there were a ton of things that happened in 2016 that were breathtaking, beautiful and magical. I became an aunt; I had the chance to snowboard Whistler; we had two family reunions in Vancouver and so much more. My list took some time to review as I went through my photos, journals, and Facebook feed but it was well worth the reflection and time.
“The Wheel Of Life”
The next activity I complete is called the “Wheel of Life.” In the “Wheel of Life,” there are the areas of career, health, fun/recreation, environment, personal growth, family and friends, significant other and environment which are all reviewed and scored. You define what a 10/10 is for each of those categories (something I learned from a Life & Business Coach) and describe what a 10/10 looks like. You then determine what you would rate your current situation and what will bring you to a 10.
After defining the categories, I go through the quarters of the year and plan out what I will tackle each quarter to get to that 10/10. I use these as benchmarks throughout the year to stay focused on my goals. This activity is time-consuming, but it makes the year easy to map out and balanced with accomplishments throughout the year. I also start planning vacation time around our goal number of trips per year and start thinking about where we will travel. Planning ahead is beneficial when trying to work around to busy schedules, black out months for vacation and family!
Vision Board For 2017
I then build out my vision board for the year. I think it is important to dream about the future to stir things up and make yourself a little uncomfortable. I like to read through luxury housing magazines, think about what my perfect day looks like (swim in my pool overlooking the ocean, plan my vacation in Bora Bora, etc.), and tackle how I am going to add to our “retirement fund.” These goals then get saved on a vision board on my desktop on my laptop.
Our “retirement fund” goal came from calculations of how much interest we would need to accumulate monthly to live comfortably. We calculated that we needed 3 million dollars to meet our monthly budget and still continue to do the things we love; 4 trips a year, a house on the water, etc. The great thing my husband and I both realized this year is that we love what we do (hence why we are okay to live in different provinces) and even if given the opportunity, we would still be doing what we are doing now. Both of us are growing and challenging ourselves, and there is magic in that.
Although 3 million dollars could seem like an overwhelming goal, most millionaires have six sources of income. When you break that down into mini streams, every project helps. I once read that most millionaires have made their money in businesses, real estate, royalties or the stock market. Even the best-paid CEOs only make up to $250,000 per year, so multi-streams seems like the best way to guarantee a high return outside of your 9 to 5 job.
As a good friend of our says, starting a business or project is like setting a ship out to sea; you don’t know what returns it will bring but at least you have a ship out at sea. I love this philosophy, and I think it helps break down becoming a millionaire into bite-size pieces. Every little endeavor helps get you closer to that goal.
I would love to share any of my goal templates with anyone that is interested, and I wish you all the best in 2017 and beyond! May it be your best year ever!
