Sunday, November 2, 2008

Who am I?

I'm a fresh out of college, a bachelor degree in Computer Information Systems, 22 years old, single guy, with a 23 year plan. I started saving in 2006, when I was 20, by investing into a company 401(k) plan and starting my own Roth IRA, and even opened 3 529 accounts at age 20 (for my future kids). At age 21, I opened an investment account and started buying mutual funds and stocks.

I have been through college debt-free through scholarships, essays, grants, and my hard earned savings. After my tuition waiver ended after the first two years, and reduced aid from FAFSA, it was money out of my pocket. My mom definitely helped me out some by letting me stay at home the first two years and a semester’s tuition. I am also the first generation to have graduated from college in the USA in my family.

I am a very ambitious person. I sold books door to door in Florence, Alabama during the summer of 2006 for Southwestern, and in this program, I learned my weaknesses and how to overcome them. I learned about planning for my future and going out and making my desires happen.

I am semi-retiring at the age of 40. I know I would be able to retire earlier though unlike Madison DuPaix at My Dollar Plan (Congratulations on your left the rat race/left the corporate world/quit my job/semi-retired/problogger/stay-at-home-mom/took a leave of absence) I would like a larger retirement through compounding a lot of earned income longer.

I am going to list my happiness, ambition, and financial goals by age. I already have a lot of objections from people, and many who doubt I will be able to do what I say. A lot of "what ifs..." as well. Those people are great, it’s great to have excuses for why I choose not to do something, I use having excuses as the reason I get things I should be doing done. Phew, hard to read the sentence. What I really mean is this, I am suppose to work out, part of my schedule, and I make excuses of why I choose not to work out, from being too tired, or too sore. After evaluating those excuses, I jump up; pack my gym bag, and start driving and workout because I have excuses.

Happiness, ambition, and financial goals

Age 21
Graduate College (Done)
Age 24
Get a CPA certificate
Age 24(-30) Purchase a house (if the expenses of buying the house is equal to renting a house of the same size, time frame is 24-30 in age.)
Age 25 Engaged
Age 26 Married
Age 27 Start my own business
Age 28 First child
Age 29
Second child
Age 30 Third child
Millionaire in assets
Age 35 Deca-Millionaire in assets
Age 40 Semi-retirement (means many different things to many people)
Age 45 Billionaire in assets

Some of these goals may seem silly, and some maybe. When I tell people them, I get many questions and situational comments from, "what if you don't find the right person?" to "it’s silly to plan those events in your life." My reply? Something I learned selling books and impacting kids in Alabama.

If I am trying to throw the rock as high as I can, it’s better to aim for the moon and hit a bird (on accident he he) then aim for the bird and hit the top of a tree?

The main meaning to this? Aim high, aim higher, we may never reach our end goal, though we'll be at a higher place then if we didn't aim at all. From this, when they mention what a waste of time or how silly it is to plan events I ask them this:

What does an architect do? Plans, drafts, the design of a building. What would happen to the builder if he didn't have those plans? My goals and ambitions are a guideline, not a strict end all plan where everything needs to happen according to it, it is a guide. While my goals are not an architect’s plans in how everything SHOULD be done, it is my guide.

My main point:


Most everything is our choice and where we choose to be in life is no different. I know many would disagree with this, though come with me for one minute. Let’s say we chose to play the lottery. Let’s say we choose the numbers 34, 35, 32, 2, and 19. One week later, we choose to view the results, and they just happen to be 34, 35, 32, 2, and 19.OK, some say its luck, some say its chance, though I say, didn't we choose to take all those actions and those numbers?

I know the example I mentioned is farfetched and even silly in some ways, though I know everyone understands the purpose. I also understand, there may be things where we have no choice, what I learned during those situations are, accept it and move on. There is no need to lay around worrying about something which happened, its best to find a solution and move on.

I'll be writing about different aspects of choice and happiness throughout this blog. I'm sure many will disagree with my view point, which is great; anything I write is not code everyone should follow, only a different view point. I love reading about every ones view points about these things and many others topics.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is interesting when you say everything is our choice. I was talking to Kevin and Faizah about how you can make someone love you or make them enjoy something as long as you yourself are confident in how you do it. All the person sees is your confidence and they are reassured and thus comfortable. Comfort is where the aim should be, not trying to over-impress them. I realized that is how the entire world works when I tried it at work.

I will still make fun of your goal plan list, but the reasoning behind it is solid. Say that like this "Sawwwwwlidddd" and make hand gestures while you say it.

Your blog is nice. To the point, somewhat funny, sensible, insensible. Seems like Bobby. Kind of silly at points. I recommend choosing your bold words with more discrimination.

Cheers,

-Safdar.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on having such a plan. You sound so much like me when I was in my early 20's. I'm 31 now.

I set out to have a net worth of $1 Million by 35 and semi-retirement by 40. I'm well on track, and hit $1 Million net worth some time ago (although the financial crisis did take its toll).

Keep working towards you goal and you'll reach it. Good luck.

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