I Have A Dream

At the close of yet another busy year, I start to look long and hard at the highs and lows of business, and the tough times and special celebrations in my personal life. Vacation time couldn’t come quick enough, as I hold on to the vision of sleeping in, eating out and putting my feet up. Although I have an exciting little trip planned, I can’t help but think about my bucket list destinations that seem to slip beyond reach as I settle for the realistic options that my pocket can afford. Why do we do this? Life is for the living! And if we don’t drive ourselves towards those experiences that we crave and dream about, what’s the point in earning to spend?

I set aside a weekend morning to get started on my bucket list, and to work out exactly how I’m going to there. And I would like to share this with you in the hopes that you too, start working on yours. You deserve it! So make it happen.

Dream Big

Want to climb Kilimanjaro, spend 2 weeks at a luxury game reserve in Africa or backpack through Bali? Write it down or print out a picture to stick on your fridge or computer to keep your goal as a constant visual motivation.

Financial planning

Contact a travel broker to get a rough idea of total cost, and be generous in adding on an amount that ties in with your time frame to reach your savings amount.

For example, one of my dream goals is my birthday bucket list to sail Croatia with a team of ten fabulous friends. For the next five years, we have committed to a monthly deposit in an interest account that we increase every year.

Sacrifice For Satisfaction

Saving for something long term requires dedication. There will be times when you will have to choose between spending on instant gratification expenses and saving for your dream goal. Stay strong, and sacrifice the small things to ensure that saving satisfaction towards your dream destination. You will get there! And it will be worth it!

Align Your Lifestyle

Dig deep and do some research about where you want to go.

Is it Africa? Take some time each week learning about the different animals of the bush. Get a book on birds, watch documentaries and invest in a good pair of binoculars. This will not only keep you excited and motivated, but will also enrich your experience.

Is it back packing or scuba diving? Don’t leave this to doing your courses or training on your vacation! You want to maximise your time enjoying every minute of your trip, so start planning now. Complete the necessary courses, incorporate the required fitness regime into your routine, or research top tourist tips and tricks and things to do to plan your trip around.

Learn the language

Although you probably won’t necessarily need it, learning the local language and about the culture and traditions will also keep you motivated towards your goal, as well as affording you an incredibly deepened and intimate experience. Greeting locals in their home language is a sure way to connect with people on a personal level that is meaningful for you as the tourist, and the locals who will be impressed and flattered with your genuine attempts to communicate with them in their native language.

Researching the local culture will ensure that you are aware of certain dos and don’ts which could prevent possible cultural clashes. This could be anything from appropriate dress codes and etiquettes to religious ritual respects that one should familiarise oneself with. Knowledge of these basics will ensure that you are always mindful and respectful of a foreign culture, and its people.

Invest in good camera

You don’t want to be documenting your dream holiday on your smart phone alone. Look into getting a great camera, a GoPro, or waterproof casing if need be. And remember to take extra memory cards too! You want to have albums of images and videos to share with friends and family upon your return, to spice up your Facebook and instagram pages to motivate others, and for yourself, to keep the past memories alive, and to inspire new ones.

So get planning! Make 2017 your most productive year yet! Stay the course, keep up the momentum and hold onto the dream. Use your career to motivate you. It is your stepping stone that, with careful and consistent planning, will afford you your dream goals. Change your mindset and view work as working for you to get you what you want. Get inspired!

Contact the creative team at simply graphic to help you on your way.