Recently I've started thinking about the importance of acknowledging multiple top-level goals. At times I've tried to describe my life goals as a dependency tree of priorities, but eventually decided that framing it as such, with a single root node, does not do justice to the human experience. I want some selfish things, and also some very altruistic things, and those can coexist because I'm not a singularly focused machine. I have different moods and am influenced by the people and culture around me, and I admit that I cannot fully control my environment.
Perhaps this is too abstract an answer, but maybe it helps a bit. I'm 35, and am still working on more concrete answers. In many ways my thinking has not changed much since I was 21.
I want to do no harm to the world (or as little as possible from the environmental perspective). I want to spend my time on intellectually stimulating, meaningful work that is of real consequence to others. I want to be in love with someone, and have deep relationships with a variety of people. I want to be wealthy enough that I can live in comfort as I get older (although I feel that some level of frugality is healthy, physically and mentally). I want to enjoy the natural beauty of the world, all the more because much of it will be gravely damaged in my lifetime.
My goal is to live the life I want to live knowing that what I want will change over time. My biggest drive right now is to gain financial independence through both lowering my cost of living, a high savings rate and continuing to grow my income. I work full time as a software developer but have also started a business on the side with a partner. That is part of my strategy of increasing income. Recently, I've realized that business, while bootstrap profitable, is not going to grow as fast as I want so I am going to start another business (and I expect this cycle will continue until I reach FI -- it may continue beyond that as it is fun).
So my goal is overall happiness with financial independence being a key part of it. I should note that I do not strive to be excessively frugal -- just cut where it doesn't impact myself or my partner. I've also elected to have children and I think that contributes positively to my overall happiness although it can be expensive and they can take a lot of time (so I think that is very much an individual choice).
Yeah, FI is a huge one. But it’s tricky - at the end of the day it’s just a means to more life goals. If you won the lottery today, that’d mean you’d have to come up with a new life goal for tomorrow.
Live to learn, feel fulfilled, and give back to bring or sustain positivity in my surroundings.
Material view: Live in a home and land that can sustain itself, OR improve the environment I live in.
Capital view: Live relatively cost free, or generate enough income to allow me to support family if I, or they, fell into a rough time.
Lots of money is nice, but I think it's more important to be able to give to others, or those you care about. There's no point in striving to be ultra rich if you only bring negativity or are completely self focused.
My goal is to be able to spend my life spending time with my family. Have them never have to worry about money. Hike the Appalachian Trail. Get in the best shape of my life and take 4 weeks of vacation a year. See the world.
Eventually I'd also like to be an angel investor and help entrepreneur's achieve their dreams too.
My method to achieve that is very unsexy. I am simply working hard to fully fund my retirement account.
Right now I am funded well enough to retire at 60 if I contribute nothing more -- I'm 33 -- but I want enough to be able to retire immediately. Which would be about $6MM USD.
Not so I don't have to work (I'll still work anyway) but so I can be picky about who I work for / what projects I work on. Probably even self-fund some of my own idea.
To help with that I've accumulated as much equity in startups as I can muster through hard work and making the value I added good enough to earn substantial equity.
I got to think about this for months after I made a hit ios app (everything is relative but should be fine economically for many years).
I landed in something like "creating things that humanity hasn't yet created."
Ideally this should be real technical inventions or scientific discoveries that makes our lives better or extends the knowledge of who we are.
However I'm not smart enough to even start doing this within say nanotechnology, physics or cosmology.
I am now working on a science fiction film that also aims to raise awareness about ai security (very indirectly but still). If I can contribute to that discussion starting in society at the same time as I'm doing something I love, and people can enjoy watching, I'm very happy.
I ask this because honestly, I don’t know, and that’s kind of interesting. I’m in college now, and I want the basics: to have a good job, be married. But other than that, the future is kind of vague and uncertain. But that’s ok.
Work for an space exploration company, and work on software for flight guidance or testing. Currently I have mostly web dev experience. Being self-taught, unemployed and with my experience being snubbed it's gonna be a very tough road ahead.
Probably going to get some back-lash, but screw you guys, it's MY life ;)
If I achieve nothing else for the rest of my life, to live long enough to see all of my kids choose a relationship with the Lord would be more than enough. It's not really a goal in the traditional sense I suppose, since I have only so much input on what they grow up to believe. But it's the #1 reason why my wife and I make the (not burnt, but time, money, attention, patience, etc.) sacrifices we do every day for them.
found a city on mars and endow it with values and institutions that will, long after I am dead, become a new Rome; the absolute pinnacle of human civilization
[+] [-] gwking|8 years ago|reply
Perhaps this is too abstract an answer, but maybe it helps a bit. I'm 35, and am still working on more concrete answers. In many ways my thinking has not changed much since I was 21.
I want to do no harm to the world (or as little as possible from the environmental perspective). I want to spend my time on intellectually stimulating, meaningful work that is of real consequence to others. I want to be in love with someone, and have deep relationships with a variety of people. I want to be wealthy enough that I can live in comfort as I get older (although I feel that some level of frugality is healthy, physically and mentally). I want to enjoy the natural beauty of the world, all the more because much of it will be gravely damaged in my lifetime.
I think I have made some progress on all fronts!
[+] [-] mottomotto|8 years ago|reply
So my goal is overall happiness with financial independence being a key part of it. I should note that I do not strive to be excessively frugal -- just cut where it doesn't impact myself or my partner. I've also elected to have children and I think that contributes positively to my overall happiness although it can be expensive and they can take a lot of time (so I think that is very much an individual choice).
[+] [-] gallerdude|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] blabla_blublu|8 years ago|reply
On the professional front, I would like to switch to a different team and seek new challenges!
[+] [-] gallerdude|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tohmasch|8 years ago|reply
Material view: Live in a home and land that can sustain itself, OR improve the environment I live in.
Capital view: Live relatively cost free, or generate enough income to allow me to support family if I, or they, fell into a rough time. Lots of money is nice, but I think it's more important to be able to give to others, or those you care about. There's no point in striving to be ultra rich if you only bring negativity or are completely self focused.
Mind/body: Be fit and healthy, stress free.
[+] [-] throwaway2016a|8 years ago|reply
Eventually I'd also like to be an angel investor and help entrepreneur's achieve their dreams too.
My method to achieve that is very unsexy. I am simply working hard to fully fund my retirement account.
Right now I am funded well enough to retire at 60 if I contribute nothing more -- I'm 33 -- but I want enough to be able to retire immediately. Which would be about $6MM USD.
Not so I don't have to work (I'll still work anyway) but so I can be picky about who I work for / what projects I work on. Probably even self-fund some of my own idea.
To help with that I've accumulated as much equity in startups as I can muster through hard work and making the value I added good enough to earn substantial equity.
[+] [-] thyselius|8 years ago|reply
I landed in something like "creating things that humanity hasn't yet created."
Ideally this should be real technical inventions or scientific discoveries that makes our lives better or extends the knowledge of who we are.
However I'm not smart enough to even start doing this within say nanotechnology, physics or cosmology.
I am now working on a science fiction film that also aims to raise awareness about ai security (very indirectly but still). If I can contribute to that discussion starting in society at the same time as I'm doing something I love, and people can enjoy watching, I'm very happy.
[+] [-] gallerdude|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] flockonus|8 years ago|reply
Thorough life seek working with inspiring individuals who love what they do, and eventually you'll make sense of what your inner purpose seems to be.
[+] [-] randomsearch|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] klez|8 years ago|reply
What are you doing to achieve your goal?
[+] [-] tohmasch|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ccajas|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bausshf|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Xeoncross|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hikarudo|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jonjonBoy|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] twodave|8 years ago|reply
If I achieve nothing else for the rest of my life, to live long enough to see all of my kids choose a relationship with the Lord would be more than enough. It's not really a goal in the traditional sense I suppose, since I have only so much input on what they grow up to believe. But it's the #1 reason why my wife and I make the (not burnt, but time, money, attention, patience, etc.) sacrifices we do every day for them.
[+] [-] gianouts|8 years ago|reply
Work: Personal goals + Enable the people I work with to excel in their roles.
[+] [-] freebornjohn|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nunez|8 years ago|reply
[+] [-] arun_dev|8 years ago|reply
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