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A few years of being out of school, in the working world, and playing the game of life has me reflecting on my current goals and where they stand against what I wanted when I was younger. I’m still passionate, hungry and want the taste of success, but I can’t deny that my goals have been altered a little since my younger years.
Fitness
I have run marathons, triathlons, and other obnoxious races that require you to brag about them on social media. I’ve been in great shape because of these races, and I was also really, really fat before I started. Now, I’ve finally found a happy medium (as opposed to extra-large). If I could buy muscles, I would, but I’ve reached a point in my life that it doesn’t matter to me how much I bench or how much I could charge for the gun show. I’m happily engaged, and with that comes a bit of complacency. I still work out regularly, but now it is for “maintenance,” and the ability to have an extra donut on Saturday morning. Like the King of Queens Kevin James once said, “My only fitness goal now is to not jiggle when I brush my teeth.” So far so good.
Money
We have all heard of the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Wolf of Wall Street and movies like it were great fantasy escapes for anyone in a cubicle. Who wouldn’t want to throw fun coupons at the FBI? Every young kid growing up wanted to have mansions, boats, and expensive sports cars in their driveways, but again, as I grow up and battle the real world, my goals have changed. With a mortgage on my hands, and a ring on my fiancée’s finger, my money goals have shifted. I now just want the ability to tip bigger, buy a round at happy hour without worrying about the Mint “over budget” notification, and maybe get the shrimp topping on my steak on date night.
The Corner Office
Throughout college, it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. All I knew was I wanted to wear a suit every day like my dad, and sit in the corner office in a downtown office building. I’m in love with big cities. While I’ve achieved my dream of working downtown (currently battling the heat/humidity and traffic of Houston), I am now comfortably situated in a cubicle. Hey, at least I have a window view. But, as I interact with the higher-ups, I realize the corner office might not be for me. I am ambitious, but also don’t want to live at the office. My goal now consists of taking two or three more steps up the ladder and staying there. I’d rather spend time with my fiancé, and when the time comes, my future children. Something about playing catch and watching dance recitals appeals to me more than a few more higher digits in the bank account.
Sometimes I am concerned with changing what I want in life, worrying that I am giving up, or am becoming lazy, but then I realize that success is whatever you define it as. And to me, that is being happy, and I’m now on the road to that destination. Cheers. .
Respond
Having to order the chicken on date night because you can’t afford the steak, much less the shrimp topping. Oh, and “date night” is actually just taking Chili’s To Go back to the 1 BR apartment to watch Netflix alone. PGP.
I don’t just have the liquor, I AM the liquor.
But Jim, you’ll always have the liquor. You and Randy in a rough patch?
Well said Porter, well said.
Be happy with what you have and where you are, or you’ll never be happy.
Complacency at its finest.
Amen
My dad always said: “I’d rather have a hotdog in the bleachers than a filet mignon in the owner’s box.”
Your dad obviously was never in the owner’s box
Please, please don’t be that guy that yells “Free Bird” at random public events/shows.
I’d rather be broke, much less have higher digits in the bank account, than watch dance recitals.
Don’t have kids and you should be all set.