I saw a post last week from marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk that inspired me to write this blog…
In past years & decades, I haven’t taken enough time to reflect on all that changed. In fact, because I haven’t done that each year, I’m sure my reflection over the past decade will be missing some big, important things. But, not only do I want to reflect, I want to project. I want to cast a vision for what I want my life to look like in 2029. Heck, I’ll have a 9 year old! Wow!
I want you to do it, too.
It’s amazing how much can change in a decade and I don’t want to leave it to chance. I want to actively create my future and design the life I want. I want that for you, too.
This is about where I started the decade, physically. These pictures are between 2010-2013.
I was living paycheck-to-paycheck, even though both me and my former husband were making decent money.
I was severely depressed and had constant anxiety around my job.
I used food as an anesthetic. I slept as much as I could.
I was unhappy, unhealthy and certainly not wealthy.
And, a lot changed. None of these changes happened quickly. Over the last decade…
- I paid off over $130,000 in debt
- I lost well over 100 pounds
- I launched Primal Potential
- I got divorced
- I lost a lot of friends
- I moved back to New England
- I build a custom tiny house and lived in it for a year
- I bought an incredible investment property in a city I love
- I fell in love
- I wrote & published a book
- I got certified as a CrossFit Level 1 Instructor
- I bought a new home for myself & my family
- I paid cash to fully renovate it
- I built an office (and paid cash for it)
- I launched a second business
- I got chickens and a puppy
- I set records in my revenue and my personal earnings
- I made tons of new friends
- I got pregnant
The changes to my physical body have been the least interesting part of the last decade.
I’ve become happier, wiser, more strategic….I’ve become a better friend, a better thinker and a better listener.
I’ve also been through hell. I’ve been lied to and stolen from. I’ve been in lawsuits and through countless misunderstandings. I’ve had my heart broken.
Things have been hard and they’ve been totally worth it. It blows my mind, just what can happen in a decade and how completely life can change.
Here’s the thing: if you had asked me 10 years ago if any of these in the cards for me in the next 10 years I would have said NO WAY. I didn’t see these things coming. I didn’t believe they were possible.
That’s why I want to encourage you to THINK BIG. It’s OKAY if it doesn’t seem feasible or probable. That doesn’t mean it’s not feasible or not probable. We can ALL exceed our own expectations!
I can’t help but wonder what might be different if I was more intentional about the design of my life at the start of the decade. So, I’m doing that for this next decade. I’ve gone really deep in my personal journals but wanted to share a few of my thoughts here about my vision for the next decade.
By 2029 I will…
- Write 3 best-selling books
- Have 4 children
- Help 40 people on my team become millionnaires
- Have a CrossFit box on my property
- Launch a financial literacy charity for kids & teens
- Vacation with friends and family every 6 weeks
I’ve journaled extensively about how my work-life and home-life will be. I’ve journaled about the time I’ll spend in service and the richness of the relationships in my life. I’m giving thought to specific financial goals and what each of these things will take.
I’ve asked what I’ll need to stop doing, start doing and keep doing to bring these targets into reality.
I’ve asked myself how I’ll know when I’m on or off track.
I’m sharing my detailed goals with friends and family.
Bottom line, we all have the opportunity to take control of the design of our lives.
Let’s get excited about creating the lives we want instead of settling for the lives we’re living.
Don’t wait until January 1st.
Don’t doubt what is possible.
Refuse to play small.
Allow yourself to dream.
And now, get to work!