Featured Finalist – Deanna
Featured Finalist – Deanna
Deanna and I share at least two traits: the desire to be funny – we’ll let you be the judges on ‘ability’ 🙂 – and a desire to be successful.
See for yourself! Here’s Deanna’s post …
I get so frustrated with “saving for the future” – what about now?
Now is the time my kids are going to remember. Now is the time *I* am going to remember. Right now our children’s memories are going to be filled with mommy and daddy working. A lot. A whole lot. Yes, blah blah blah, I want a safe and secure retirement. Yes, blah blah blah, I want to be debt free.
But I also want to live NOW! I want to travel. With my children. While they still think I’m cool. I want to hire a housekeeper, because I hate cleaning but love a clean house.I want to use a lawn service, so weekends aren’t spend with yard work rather than family time. I want to work less. I want my husband to work less. So we can find the time to see if we even LIKE each other. I want the NOW and the TOMORROW.
That’s what it boils down to, I want the NOW and the TOMORROW – I want it all. Is that really too much? I’ve done the right things. I did what grown-ups told me I’d have to do in order to have a good life. I went to college. I married a college educated man. I bought a house. I had my 2.5 kids or whatever the average is, and I have the doggie, the minivan filled with sporting equipment, the HOA and the green lawn. But is this the life I want? Filled with work and not enough hours in the day just to pay for this all?
I also want my kids to learn that it isn’t all about work – the progression we seemed to chose (or fell into?) isn’t the be-all-end-all. They don’t have to spend their childhood in school, go to college, marry well, have a good career and then work until they are in their 60s before they can start living their life.
They have options. I have options. I’m ready to start exercising my options.
And that’s where this project comes in. If I don’t take risks, nothing will change. If I keep doing what I’ve always done, I’ll keep getting the same results that I’ve always gotten! If AJC can teach me to earn 7 million dollars in 7 years (or more or in less time), then I can have everything I want. I don’t want to be “rich” in that I want expensive things, or to impress people. I want the freedom that comes with money. The freedom to travel without worrying about how to pay for it.
The freedom from worrying about bills, retirement, the kids….life. With money in my bank, I can work smarter, not harder. I can find ways to make my money work for me, rather than me working for my money – (enough cliches for one post?) – I can have the life I *THOUGHT* I was creating. And I want it more than anything. So here I am. Jumping through the hoops. Maybe I’m actually DOING something for a change.
Even if I don’t get selected as a final seven, I still see this process as a step in the right direction. If I want the life I want, then I am going to have to be the one to create it. And I have to start now.
Wow! For a moment there I thought I was reading a post by my wife. She shares Deanna’s views completely.
I have always been the forward looker/planner in our family and I have us on a path for success right now, but I have come to the realization (through my wife and now echoed by Deanna) that the time required to execute my present plan is too long. Life will be almost complete by the time I can enjoy it on my terms.
I’m participating in the activities you’ve laid out thus far on 7m7y.com. I’ve already realized positive impacts on my relationships as a result of the introspection you’ve proposed. I look forward to continued positive effects on my life and my plan. I’m onboard for the big win.
Maybe I’ll figure out a way to build a time/life/success accelerator. 🙂
Jeff