As you read yesterday, I’m sharing my Ten Pillars of Lifestyle Design over the next several days. Yesterday, I shared Pillar #1 – Start Your Master Dream List.
Today I share Pillar #2 – Define Your Preferred Future. What is your Preferred Future? Quite simply, it is your dream life. If you could live any kind of lifestyle at all…if time and money were no object…what kind of lifestyle would you choose?
I encourage you to get a piece of paper, or the computer, and project yourself one, three, five and 10 years into the future. How old are you? What is your life like? What is most important to you? How have your personal, family and career circumstances changed? What goals have you achieved?
Be as realistic and objective as possible. This isn’t the time to dream that you can go from making $30,000 this year to making a million next year. I know people have done it…and I’d be the last person on earth to stop you from dreaming it and doing it.
But one of the reasons many people fail at achieving their dream life is that they set unrealistic expectations, and they simply give up before long.
Here’s a sample Preferred Future description:
The year is 2014 and I’m 42 years old. My family lives in a 4 bedroom home in the country, with a pool. We have a few horses and ATV’s which we ride on throughout our five acre property. My photography hobby now supports our family as a business. I sell my work through my website, at art shows, and a few retail locations. We’re able to travel as a family to interesting sites across the country where I want to shoot pictures. My spouse and I have a great relationship – we’re madly in love with each other. Our three kids are a blessing and I have a special relationship with each one. We now give away 14% of our income to causes we believe in (included in this is the 10% we give to our church). We are debt-free (including the house). The financial stress we used to feel is gone. Financial freedom feels WONDERFUL!
Next, review what you wrote. What stands out to you? What things, from all that you’ve described, are most important and why?
Then ask yourself: “How are my current life/work experiences helping me achieve my future?”
Lastly, ask “What changes do I need to make so that whatever I do is leading me to the realization of my future?
That’s Pillar #2 – Define Your Preferred Future. Tomorrow we’ll cover Pillar #3 – Clarify Your Life Purpose.
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