I had a really rough workout today — probably the roughest one I’ve ever had. I guess that’s what happens when I go a week or two of no activity and then try to get back into the swing of things all at once. I mean, not that I’m not already an embodiment of men’s physique that everyone swoons over! As I was catching my breath and contemplating this reality, it dawned on me that this was a special year for me.

I wrote down my 10-year work goal, 10 years ago this October. It was a plan I had to become JOB OPTIONAL by 2016 — where everything I planned on growing and doing would finally offset all my expenses by the end of October 2016. In that exercise, I wrote out my ideal day of leisure and day of work, and as I approached this deadline this prompted me to look back on what I had written.

What I didn’t realize those long years ago, is that lifestyle changes, including starting to enjoy life more and having a family would increase those expenses tenfold, and I find myself not quite at that target I set for myself. AND YET, I am super close.  In looking back, I can’t believe all the crap I’ve been put through, the struggling, the successes and MANY failures I’ve had to get to this point — but holy cow, I’m SUPER close to the end goal I made. What an awesome feeling.

This is exactly why I set laserlike targets and goals for myself and my business every January and February. Even if I just come CLOSE to meeting the targets, I have achieved what I set out to do. And what an amazing, almost incredulous thing for absolutely anyone — to visualize something in your head, write it down on a piece of paper, set up an action plan, and literally get it done, every single year, every single month, every single week and boil it down to every single day.

I’m exceedingly grateful for everyone in my life who believes in me and who works alongside me on these goals, and for everything we have achieved together — especially all those who know the struggle, who know what sacrifices have been made by us entrepreneurs, who KNOW the long days and loneliness and the strife when things don’t go as planned — or when your world is completely shaken. THANK YOU, my colleagues, fans, and my team, for believing and for continuing on in our great mission to better neighborhoods all across the East Coast (for now), one at a time.

How are you doing on your 3, 5, 7 or 10-year target for yourself? Oh, you don’t have one?  Make that your first step — get out a notebook or open a new document on your computer and write out your ideal day of work in 5 years, as well as your ideal day of leisure. Once you’ve visualized it, break it down into goals and action steps, which we’ll discuss in a future post.

; – )

In whatever you’re doing — slaving away at a corporate job, slaving away at your own business, working hard to build a legacy, or loving/playing hard with your families, kids, and friends — go seize the day, friends!

“Make it Legit.”  #ShutUpAndDoIt