I know I am a little late to the game on this one. Probably should have started doing this way back on new years day – but instead I was just happy being curled up in front of the TV with my fiancée and dog. I am not saying that this was a bad thing of course – it was a perfect way to spend New Years as usually we are at some house party or out on the town. This year was a nice refresh – a testemant to the transition into maybe leaving that all behind?
Anyway I am getting off topic here. I am currently sat at my laptop at 7:00 AM after waking up for the first time at 5:30 in the morning. See, I have taken it upon myself to start a new morning routine after seeing a post on LinkedIn by Matt Grey. You can seee the post below.
The Master Plan
You see, my plan is to use the app Finch to implement these healthy habits (and others). I have been using this app now since early February and so far I have achieved all the goals that I set (minus the odd one or two). The app incentivises you to work towards your daily goals by keeping your companion (an adorable penguin) alive and happy.
It kinda of reminds me of those old tamagochis that I reemember from my youth. Yet instead of watching everyone freak out over the death of their virtual pet – this app allows you to form healthy habits. As apose to the attention seeking tamagochis from yesteryear.
Using this app I plan to implement the goals that I plan to set for myself over both the short and long-term. By planning the larger goals and then breaking them into small tasks – I can incrementaly work towards them daily. Not only will this reduce anxiety about “am I doing the right thing” or “what is the purpose of all this”.
Small Increments for Huge Success
In the past, I have used teqniques to overcome huge challenges and projects by breaking them down into more managable work packages. Yet without the accountability of these journal entries, I have often fallen at the first hurdle.
The secret to success is not the goal setting. The problem was I would often do a complete life overhaul and end up overwhelmed by all of the huge changes I had made. The mind is both clever yet inherently lazy it seems. The key to success is small yet impactful changes that are consistantly carried out over a long period of time.
Stacking tiny wins daily leading to large results over a long period. You can see that from basic maths.
1.00 to the power of 365 = 1.00
In other words if you don’t change or do that one thing you set out to do eaach day – nothing will change in your life. However…
1.01 to the power of 365 = 37.7
By just doing that one thing everyday you can make huge change over the period of 365 days. Consistancy is the key to success and ownership of ones life.
It All Starts With A Misson and Purpose
Back to the goals.
In order to set meaningful goal for myself I must start at the very top. What is my Life Misson and Life Purpose. By answering thse two questions I can align my long-term goals to reach something beyond my life time. A north star that is just out of reach within my own lifetime. A Misson that is beyond my lifetime that I can continue to work towards throughout my life. In making such a mission statement – I am able to continue to work towards something that is meaningful to me that drives me to do more with the time I have.
In the famous words of Simon Sinek “It all starts with the Why”. Why am I doing these daily habits. Why am I purpusing the projects that I have set out to achieve. The Why that continues to drive you to live, learn, love and laugh. The Why fires a rocket up you to get up and go everday.
I think to answer this question wee need to delve into the opions of those that are dead…
Bare with me on this one. It will all make sense in a minute.
The Top Five Regrets of The Dying
In the book “The Top Five Regrets of The Dying” by Bonnie Ware we are able to avoid regret in life. We can do this by observing those that have died before us and ensure that we don’t make the same mistakes that have left them wondering “What if” in their final moments. These are:
- “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
- “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
- “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.”
- “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
- “I wish that I had let myself be happier.”
There are three key lessons that can be drawn from these regrets:
- That the quality of your life is directly correlated to quality of your relationships. This includes the amount of time that you spend with you family and loved ones. Intentional time where you are present with these people that are willing to spend their precious time with you. This lesson ties directly into regrets two three and four. By neglecting (working to much), not expressing your feelings to those that are the most important to you and taking the steps to maintain your relationships – you miss the point of life.
- That you need a plan of what you want to do with your life. This enables you to avoid the first of the five regrets ensuring that you are in the drivers seat of your own life. If you don’t fill your time with what you want out of life other people will fill that time for you.
- That you need to have contentment and apprciation for what you already have. It is great having goals in life – I would even go as far to say that it is a must (as it directly relates to regret number one). Yet, we must ensure that we are content with our current situation – if we are not we must make drastic changes to reach this state. As the saying goes “the grass is greener where you water it”. Avoid the common pitfall of “the grass is always greener” mentality. Do not fall into the trap of the never ending hedonistic treadmill where you always want more and are never content with what you have. You are enough all ready.
My Misson Principles and Purpose
So what is my Why? My Misson Principles and Purpose (or life pillars). Well I will try and put this into words below.
I want to live a life without regret. In order to do this I must:
| Mission | Description | Associated Regret |
|---|---|---|
| Set goals that align with my mission statement. | To ensure intentionality with my time, I must set daily, weekly, quarterly, yearly, 3-year, and 10-year goals. | Regret 1 |
| Always be present when with loved ones and those in my life. | By ensuring that I am present with loved ones and setting intentional time with them, I can ensure that I have fewer yet high-quality relationships that bring me joy in life. | Regret 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Spend as much time with loved ones as possible. | Ensuring maximum time spent with loved ones fosters quality relationships, minimising potential regrets. | Regret 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Have a large family that is always there for one another. | Prioritise family time to build strong bonds and create a supportive network for a fulfilling life. | Regret 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Be adventurous. | Incorporate daily adventures, whether through travel, learning new skills, trying new foods, or exploring hobbies, to infuse life with novelty and excitement. | Regret 1 & 5 |
| Appreciate what I have and never take anything for granted. | Cultivate gratitude for the present moment and the blessings in life, mitigating the potential for regret over missed opportunities or unappreciated experiences. | Regret 5 |
| Build something that outlives me and allows more time for passions. | Create a business or project that provides purpose and income while allowing for automation and time allocation towards loved ones and personal growth endeavours. | Regret 1 & 5 |
| Keep learning & growing. | Continuously expand knowledge and push boundaries to achieve personal growth and self-improvement. | Regret 1 & 5 |
| Help a group of people and be kind to others. | Strive to help others in need, starting with close relations and expanding to the local, national, or global community, fostering kindness and making a positive impact. | Regret 1 & 5 |
| Maintain My Health As Long As Possible | Ensure that I focus on my health and fitness to remain able to fulfil the life pillars I have set out. | Regret 5 |
| Make enough money to finance other pillars (~£4,000/month) | This will allow me to achieve the other pillars. To live we have to pay for it. | Regret 1 to 5 |
As you can see I have linked each of the life pillars back to the most common regrets that people experience upon death. I guess you could also call these pillars, my plan to live a full life one that I will look back on with warm memories. One where I can say that I gave it my all and I can now pass on with the knowledge that I lived a full life.
My 10 Year Goals
Okay so now that I have put together my misson statement and purpose we can move on to putting it into a plan working from the longest time period to the smallest.
Here is my 10 year plan as linked to the life pillars I have set out:
| Life Pillar | SMART Goal |
|---|---|
| Set goals aligned with mission statement | Refine and evolve my personal mission statement to reflect my growth and aspirations, setting long-term goals that align with my vision and values, and reviewing them annually for adjustments. |
| Always be present with loved ones | Cultivate deeper and more meaningful relationships with loved ones by prioritising regular family vacations or gatherings, aiming for at least one major event each year. |
| Spend as much time with loved ones as possible | Create lasting memories with loved ones by planning and participating in significant family experiences or milestones annually, fostering stronger bonds and connections over time. |
| Build a large, supportive family network | Strengthen family ties and support networks by organising and attending regular family reunions or gatherings, aiming for biennial or annual events to bring relatives together from across the globe. – Have two + kids. – Have more dogs. |
| Be adventurous | – Continue tasks outlined in the three year plan. – Embrace adventure and exploration by committing to at least one major travel expedition or challenging experience every other year. |
| Appreciate and cultivate gratitude | – Continue tasks outlined in the three year plan. – Deepen my practice of gratitude and mindfulness by integrating daily gratitude rituals and reflection exercises into my routine. |
| Build something impactful and lasting | – Continue tasks outlined in the three year plan. – Target £20000 monthly passive income. Become financially free and able to dedicate more time to the other life pillars. – Focus on other meaningful projects such as the development of a charity. – Buy a petting zoo that supports charities in the local community. |
| Keep learning and growing | – Continue tasks outlined in the three year plan. – Invest in continuous learning and personal development by pursuing advanced education or training opportunities, completing at least one significant educational milestone every five years. |
| Help others and practice kindness | – Continue tasks outlined in the three year plan. – Expand my philanthropic efforts and community involvement by dedicating time and resources to causes I’m passionate about, making a meaningful difference in the lives of others on a larger scale. |
| Maintain My Health As Long As Possible | – Complete the spartan shield. – Continue tasks outlined in the three year plan. |
| Make enough money to finance other pillars (~£4,000/month) | Attain a consistent monthly income of at least £4,000/month or more through diversified income streams. – Invest at least £1000 per month on autopilot. – Invest at least 7% into a pension per month. – Own four BTL properties. |
3 Year Goals
| Life Pillar | SMART Goal |
|---|---|
| Set goals aligned with mission statement | Refine and solidify my personal mission statement, setting ambitious yet achievable long-term goals for each year and reviewing them quarterly. |
| Always be present with loved ones | Foster even deeper connections with loved ones by scheduling regular extended family vacations or gatherings at least twice a year. |
| Spend as much time with loved ones as possible | Create lasting memories with loved ones by planning and participating in significant family events or experiences annually. |
| Build a large, supportive family network | – Strengthen family bonds and support networks by hosting and attending regular family reunions or gatherings, aiming for at least one major event per year. – Get married. – Have my first child. – Get dog number two. |
| Be adventurous | – Continue tasks outlined in the annual plan. – Challenge myself to pursue adventurous experiences that push me out of my comfort zone, aiming for at least one major adventure annually. |
| Appreciate and cultivate gratitude | – Continue tasks outlined in the annual plan. – Deepen my practice of gratitude by incorporating daily mindfulness exercises and gratitude rituals into my routine, fostering a positive mindset and outlook. |
| Build something impactful and lasting | – Continue tasks outlined in the annual plan. – Target £5000 monthly passive income. |
| Keep learning and growing | – Continue tasks outlined in the annual plan. – Completing at least one significant educational milestone every three years. |
| Help others and practice kindness | – Continue tasks outlined in the annual plan. – Expand my involvement in philanthropic initiatives and community service projects, dedicating time and resources to making a positive impact on the lives of others. |
| Maintain My Health As Long As Possible | – Take part in a spartan challenge. – Continue tasks outlined in the annual plan. |
| Make enough money to finance other pillars (~£4,000/month) | – Achieve a monthly income of £7500 /month through a combination of full-time employment, side businesses, and investment returns within the next three years. – Invest at least £700 per month on autopilot. – Invest at least 6% into a pension per month. – Purchase first BTL Property. |
1 Year Goals
| Life Pillar | SMART Goal |
|---|---|
| Set goals aligned with mission statement | Refine and expand upon my personal mission statement, setting measurable goals for each quarter and reviewing them monthly. |
| Always be present with loved ones | Dedicate regular quality time with loved ones, aiming for at least one meaningful activity or outing per week throughout the year. |
| Spend as much time with loved ones as possible | Prioritise family gatherings and events, aiming for at least one major family gathering or holiday every quarter. |
| Build a large, supportive family network | Organise and host family reunions or gatherings at least twice a year to strengthen family bonds and foster a supportive network. – Buy my first house to start a family. |
| Be adventurous | – Continue those plans set out in the 90 day plan. – Plan and execute at least four significant adventures or experiences throughout the year, aiming for one per quarter. |
| Appreciate and cultivate gratitude | Continue daily gratitude journaling, aiming to record at least three things I’m grateful for each day without interruption. |
| Build something impactful and lasting | – Continue tasks outlined in the 90 day plan. – Target £1000 monthly passive income. |
| Keep learning and growing | – Continue tasks outlined in the 90 day plan. – Enrol in advanced courses or workshops to deepen knowledge and skills in areas of interest, completing at least two by year-end. |
| Help others and practice kindness | Increase involvement in community service or volunteer projects, dedicating at least 50 hours throughout the year to helping others. |
| Maintain My Health As Long As Possible | – Continue tasks outlined in the 90 day plan. – Prioritise health by committing to regular exercise, healthy eating habits, and preventive healthcare appointments throughout the year. |
| Make enough money to finance other pillars (~£2000/month) | – Increase monthly income to £2,500 / month within the next year through additional employment opportunities and business ventures. – Invest at least £500 per month on autopilot. – Invest at least 5% into a pension per month. – Build emergency fund to 6 x monthly expenses. – Save £2000 for BTL Property. |
90 Day Goals
| Life Pillar | SMART Goal |
|---|---|
| Set goals aligned with mission statement | Draft a clear personal mission statement and establish measurable goals that align with it, reviewing and adjusting them regularly over the next 90 days. |
| Always be present with loved ones | Dedicate at least 3 hours per week to uninterrupted quality time with loved ones, ensuring active listening and engagement in meaningful activities. |
| Spend as much time with loved ones as possible | Plan and prioritise weekly meetups with friends and family. Plan one date night per week with my partner for the next 90 days. |
| Build a large, supportive family network | Initiate monthly family meetings to facilitate open communication and strengthen bonds, ensuring active participation from all family members. |
| Be adventurous | – Plan and execute two adventurous activities within the next 90 days. – Try something new daily. – Join a new community and attend weekly. – Go to a new place once every two weeks. – Take a nature walk every Sunday. – Add one thing to my bucket list once per week. |
| Appreciate and cultivate gratitude | Start a daily gratitude journal, recording three specific things to be grateful for each day over the next 90 days to promote positivity and appreciation. |
| Build something impactful and lasting | – Write 4 articles per month for all websites. – Create at least two social posts a week for each website. – Create at least two products for two of the websites. – Write for my newsletter once per week. – Find a Strategy Mentor. |
| Keep learning and growing | – Read one book a week for the next 90 days, applying new learnings to daily life. – Practice Spanish daily. – Practice guitar at least twice per week. – Find a Growth Mentor. |
| Help others and practice kindness | Dedicate one hour a week to some kind of volunteering. |
| Maintain My Health As Long As Possible | Commit to a regular exercise routine and balanced diet for the next 90 days. – Lift weights 4 times per week. – Badminton once per week. – Swimming at least once per week. – Meditate for at least 5 minutes daily. – Trach calories and macronutrients daily. – Get at least 7 hours sleep per night and wake a 5:30am daily. – Take a morning walk daily. – Quit vaping (if i can). |
| Make enough money to finance other pillars and investments (~£2000/month) | – Secure a full-time job within the next 90 days to generate additional income, aiming for at least £2000 per month after tax. – Explore potential investment opportunities such as buy-to-let properties, investments and automate finances. |
Weekly & Daily Goals
Okay great. Now that we have put all of these plans together we need to get down to the implementation. Here is where I will schedule very specific tasks into the Finch app.
Here are the daily goals that I will add to the app to ensure that I remain on track to acheive the goals that I haave set out to achieve over the next 10 years. I know its a long time and we can never predict the future, but if you don’t have a north star to aim towards than you are directionless. Just writing out these plans and getting them from my mind onto paper has vastly decrease any anxiety that I had.
Finch will operate as my guide to achieve these. In Finch I will also schedule reviews of the overarching plans above. These reviews will be as follows:
| Timeframe | Review Schedule |
|---|---|
| 90 day plan | Every month |
| 1 year plan | Every quarter |
| 3 year plan | Every year |
| 10 year plan | Every year |
And here are the daily Finch activities:
Pillar 1: Set Goals Aligned With Mission Statement
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Create Plan For Tomorrow | Daily |
| Create Weekly Plan | Weekly |
| Review 90 Day Plan | Daily |
| Review Annual Plan | Quarterly |
| Review Three Year Plan | Annually |
| Review Ten Year Plan | Annually |
Pillar 2: Always Be Present With Loved Ones
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Practice Active Listening | Daily |
| Recuce Wasted Time Spent on Social Media (30 Minutes) | Daily |
| Turn off Phone Notifications | One Off |
| Avoid Talking Over People | Daily |
| Always Be Open to Other People Perspectives | Weekly |
Pillar 3: Spend as much time with loved ones as possible
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Go On A Date Night | Weekly |
| Do An Activity With Friends | Weekly |
| Call A Friend | Weekly |
| Call A Family Member | Weekly |
| Compliment & Praise A Loved One | Weekly |
| Plan A Family Gathering | Every Other Month |
Pillar 4: Build a large, supportive family network
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Post Something In Family Chat | Daily |
| Check In On One Family Member | Weekly |
Pillar 5: Be adventurous
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Plan Two Adventurous Activities | Every 6 Months |
| Try something new | Daily |
| Add one thing to my bucket list. | Weekly |
| Join a New Community | One Off |
| Participate In The Chosen Community | Weekly |
| Take a nature walk every Sunday. | Weekly |
| Go to a new place | Every Two Weeks. |
| Do One Thing On My Bucket List | Every Three Months |
Pillar 6: Appreciate and cultivate gratitude
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Gratitude Journal | Daily |
| Say One Thing I Am Greatful For Before Bed | Daily |
Pillar 7: Build something impactful and lasting
I will mange and monitor these daily goals in Evernote. This is where I am creating my “external mind” where I dump all of the ideas and things I have leaned from readeing. I will talk more about this in another article that I will link here when it is done.
The idea will be to incorporate the following activities:
– Write 4 articles per month for all websites.
– Create at least two social posts a week for each website.
– Create at least two products for two of the websites.
– Write for my newsletter once per week.
– Find a Strategy Mentor.
However because tasks within a business can change on a daily basis I want to manage it outside Finch. As a user of the app over the last month it seems that this app is more tailored towards building habits. It also works well for any goals that occur more than once and can be built into a routine.
This works perfectly for those pillars that require consitanty over the long term. This applies to all of the activities listed above other than “Find a Strategy Mentor”. However, I chose to keep this on this list as it will eventually turn into Finch activity once I can schedule a bi-monthly call.
Pillar 8: Keep learning and growing
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Read one book. | Weekly |
| Recuce Wasted Time Spent on Social Media (30 Minutes) | Daily |
| Find a Growth Mentor. | One Off |
| Practice guitar (20 Minutes) | Twice A Week |
| Practice Spanish (10 Minutes) | Daily |
| Apply Reading Into Life | Weekly |
| Enroll In A Course | Every 6 Months |
| Join A Master Mind | One Off |
Pillar 9: Help others and practice kindness
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Volunteer | Weekly |
Pillar 10: Maintain My Health As Long As Possible
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Meditate for at least 5 minutes. | Daily |
| Badminton | Weekly |
| Lift weights | 4 Times Per Week |
| Swimming at least once per week. | Weekly |
| Track calories and macronutrients. | Daily |
| Get at least 7 hours sleep per night and wake a 5:30am. | Daily |
| Take a morning walk in nature. | Daily |
| Quit vaping. | In 90 Days |
| Enter Spartan Challenge 5k | In One Year |
Pillar 11: Make enough money to finance other pillars (£4,000/month)
| Finch Task | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Secure a full-time job. | In 90 Days |
| Automate finances. | Dependent On Job |
| Apply To A Job That Intimidates Me | Every 3 Months |
| Invest at least £500. | Monthly |
| Invest at least 5% into a pension. | Monthly |
| Place £500 in emergency fund. | Monthly |
To these Finch Tasks there will be amendments as goals are reached. For example in reference to the emergency fund – once the total of 6 x Monthly Expenses is met – this task can be removed and replaced with something like “Place £500 in BTL Fund”.
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
By bringing all of this together and using Finch as my “10 Year Daily Coach” I am able to ensure I am insetivised to carryout the tasks set each day. By doing this I can ensure that I continue to work towards not only my 1,3 and 10 year goals – but more importantly my life vision and purpose.
This not only removes anxiety over me doing the wrong things. But it also gives me a sense of purpose in the things I am doing. Ensuring that I am intentional with my time. And even more importantly avoiding those biggest regrets that most people find themselves saying when their time is up.
On that note.
Take Care.
