What Do You Do When You Get There?

[Perry]

Well, that's good and an excellent
outcome. Long may it prevail.

[Wayne]

Goals change over time.
Sometimes they change because you realise you don't actually like the outcome
(Many have a goal of a life style block then realise how much work they can be once there.)
Goals like travel can change in the style of travel - better hotels and case rather than backpack.

You need to realise that to change the goal is not a failure but another learning in the adventure we call life.

[Damap]

And of course are they really a life goal or just benchmarks along the way. But you are right. A goal of being financially free sounds great but if you have no life activity planned once you can stop work what was the point!

[Wayne]

One of my goals has always been 'to be free to choose'.
If I work I do so because I want to rather than have to.
We travelled 4 months this year. Choosing to spend the equivalent of a deposit on a small house (not Auckland) was hard at times.
But on a river cruise so many people (mid to late 60's) said they wished they had done it earlier when they could bike the Rhine.
Balance - enjoy the journey but remember to stop to smell the roses.

Now to plan next years trips.

[Davo36]

I just live the simple life.

Not having to get up at any particular time, not having to get on the motorway are worth millions to me.

I now meditate each day and try to enjoy the day to day stuff like cooking the meals, cleaning up after our tiny bosses and so on.

I don't go in for fancy clothes, meals, cars, places etc.

[Eugene]

Yeah our bosses aren't tiny any more but fantastic to be able to spend time with them and help them out

[flyernzl]

Freedom to (within reason) do what you want to do when and where you want to do it.

As has been often said, it is better to be wealthy and unhappy than poor and miserable.
Even better to be wealthy and happy.

The secret, in my view, is to set your financial goal, reach it, and then have the fortitude to stop there.

I have seen and heard of so many people who cannot stop when they have reached their goal. Often they continue in the game and then come a cropper, finding themselves back at the starting line once more.

[Keys]

Often they continue in the game and then come a cropper, finding themselves back at the starting line once more.

Absolutely

[artemis]

When i started investing - property and shares in a very small way - I was a working solo parent. Found myself stuck in a horrible working situation but could not change for quite some time due to responsibilities. So my motivation was to be in a position where I could walk out if it happened again. Got there after quite a long time, frugality, a lot of self education and hard work.

Trouble is, I can now spend up but don't really know how! Frugal habits don't just disappear into thin air.

[Wayne]

Trouble is, I can now spend up but don't really know how! Frugal habits don't just disappear into thin air.

And keep it that way.
Spending up won't make you happy.
But do take the odd little treat now and again.

[Leftette]

Are you kidding? Spending up is ACE! Why just last weekend I passed by a Corvette for sale in a caryard with a price I couldn't believe. I stopped, had a closer look and a test drive and came THIS CLOSE to deciding I'll have that. In the end practicalities saw sense, but it was nice to get very close to a totally random act of selfish indulgence.

[Wayne]

But you didn't spend up - coming close is still dreaming.
Just DO IT!
Go back there now and DO IT.
You know you want to DO IT!

[PTILoveYou]

Are you kidding? Spending up is ACE! Why just last weekend I passed by a Corvette for sale in a caryard with a price I couldn't believe. I stopped, had a closer look and a test drive and came THIS CLOSE to deciding I'll have that. In the end practicalities saw sense, but it was nice to get very close to a totally random act of selfish indulgence.

It's a sign from above that you need a fancier upgrade than a Corvette ;-)

[PTILoveYou]

Sometimes happiness is not about how much you have to spend.

It's also about the journey you have taken, and the success/failures you have achieved/overcome, and the stories to tell.

Also happiness come from ambitions, goals, and hope.

I heard somewhere that a dead man is a man without dreams or hope, or goals and things to look forward to doing.

If long ever lasting happiness can be achieve by mere getting rich, why did all those mega lotto winners all end up where they were (sometimes even worse)?

You know the first thing I would buy if I win lotto? Anti-depressants, because all my ambitions and dreams of getting wealthy and don't have to work all the sudden become reality, and I have nothing to look forward to after that!

[Wayne]

I heard somewhere that a dead man is a man without dreams or hope, or goals and things to look forward to doing.

A dead man is one who isn't breathing.
I do know what you are trying to say though.

If long ever lasting happiness can be achieve by mere getting rich, why did all those mega lotto winners all end up where they were (sometimes even worse)?

Probably nothing to do with happiness - more to do with lack of money sense.

You know the first thing I would buy if I win lotto? Anti-depressants, because all my ambitions and dreams of getting wealthy and don't have to work all the sudden become reality, and I have nothing to look forward to after that!

That really is sad - you need a better goal that 'to be rich'.
You need to have a big think about what being rich would really look like.
Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

Remember that money isn't the root of all evil - it is the love of money that is the root of all evil.