I have joined a 30-day Productivity Challenge and wanted to share my journey with you and invite you to join me. Click here – https://30dayproductivity.com – if you want to join me. I think that this could be a lot of fun, especially completing it as a community.

Today’s productivity challenge is a bit more challenging and gives us several options:

(1) build our own video game character, considering skills, challenges, and quests;

(2) describe in explicit detail what our life will be like in ten years, complete with an ideal day; and

(3) answer three prompts based on what our life will be like in five years if we continue the path we are on, if we were to take a completely different path, or if our fears and limitations (money, social, other people’s opinions) were not relevant.

What is interesting is that in 2019 I did a combined option 2 and 3, with both focused on a timeless concept. In other words, I described in explicit detail what I wanted my life to be like without any fears of limitations, and with the addition of feeling that every area of my life was one of abundance.

Now, I opted to do mine in a list format and I revised it over the course of several weeks. I focused on several categories, including physically, mentally, financially, educationally, and relationally. For example, I included such things as: freedom to set my schedule, a nice vehicle with less than 100,000 miles, a Master’s degree, stocked freezers and pantry, adult toys like a boat, camper, and motorcycle, and I even put down how much income I wanted each month.

Then life got crazy, I got divorced, Covid appeared, and things just fell to the wayside. I forgot about my written journal and recently discovered it after moving and remodeling my home office.

And guess what – most of the things that I wrote down have come about! I have a great job that I can do from home that gives me the freedom to set my schedule. Two years ago I purchased the truck of my dreams. I earned my Bachelor’s degree and two Masters; now I am working on my Ph.D. We have plenty of food. We have a boat. We have a camper. I earned my motorcycle license and even bought my own Harley-Davidson Heritage. And our household income exceeds the rather conservative amount I wrote down.

While the idea of creating my own video game character sounds intriguing, I actually don’t play video games. So, since I had so much success with the approach that I did before – without even knowing it – I think I will use a similar approach this time. I will think about what I consider to be my dream life, as of today, looking forward. I will focus on these specific areas, now that I am applying Tiago Forte’s PARA process.

(1) Physical health;

(2) Mental and emotional wellbeing;

(3) Financial goals;

(4) Education;

(5) Relationships.

Will you join me in designing your dream life? If so, which option will you choose?