How to resolve conflicting personal goals?

Question

I made 3 personal goals about 3 years ago.

1. I should have a girlfriend and have sex any time I want
2. I should weigh 100 kg, push out 70kg bench press and have a good physique
3. I should have 1 million dollars in my bank account.

I started to work simultaneously towards my goals. I enrolled into a good university and studied a lot to pass exams with good grades. I started going to the gym and to parties to learn about women. About one year ago, I achieved my 1st goal. I got a girlfriend. I also achieved my 2nd goal about 6 months ago and I was in a really good shape. Then I decided to get serious about my 3rd goal as that's the only one left.

Here's where the problem starts. I focused on my studies throughout university, but I realized that if I ever want to have a shot at goal 3, I have to do a lot more. I started reading professional books in my free time, joined startup communities and started projects on my own. Unfortunately, this means that goal 3 requires a lot of my time, and it's increasingly likely that goal 1 and 2 will become unfulfilled simply because lack of time. I can't go to the gym that much and I can't go to parties and spend time with my girlfriend that much. To me, it appears that the only way I can achieve goal 3 is by studying and working my ass off.

I'm beginning to think that I should have started with goal 3 first and I made a mistake. Is it possible to become a millionaire by starting a company, have a great relationship and be physically in top shape at the same time?

Answer 1

A goal must have a time element. Set a reasonable time so you don't over stress yourself. Keep in mind how much time and energy you have available.

Goals that you have already achieved need to be changed to "maintenance" goals. Maintenance goals require less effort than establishing them for the first time. You need to setup an efficient system to maintain them. The system must use minimum time and energy while maintaining the level you need. This is really the fun part because you need to use experimentation to find out the optimum way.

People achieve goal 3 in many ways. Examples are working for start up and cashing stock options, setting up a business, and investing savings. The goal may be reached by combination of ways. Divide the goal into smaller goals and achieve one by one over time.

Additional thought - Since you have a partner, you may find it easier and more enjoyable to work together on achieving your combined goals.

Answer 2

There are lots of ways to have a million dollars in a bank account:

1. Consider a currency where a million of it may be just a few dollars in your home currency. Granted this is being a bit technical on the goal, but if you objective is to check it off this is a way to do that no?

2. Win the lottery. While the probability may be rather low, it is greater than zero.

3. Consider working as a financial adviser where you consider your assets under management to be your bank account. While this may be stretching the idea, it is worth considering what context and assumptions are you placing here.

4. Consider getting a large insurance policy on a relative near death. This way you'd get the windfall of the million bucks after the person dies or at least that is my understanding of insurance policies.

Becoming the head of a drug cartel or managing an illegal business enterprise may also be ways to acquire large sums of cash. Remember, you didn't state how the money got to be there, just that it was there.

Are your goals one time events or are they characteristics of your life? For example, are you wanting to maintain having a girlfriend, good physique and financial independence? Just another thought here.