Goals and Money

Money and goals, they're kinda tied together. For me they're stuck to each other because most goals require money in some way, even if the goal is something free. I want to take a long, long hike up the east coast. Walking doesn't cost much, food while hiking is cheap- even if I go bonkers and start eating cheese. Macaroni and cheese, ramen, beans- these are all cheap foods. Nuts, veggie jerky, and dried fruit are a bit more expensive, but not hugely so. But to take that trip I either need to be able to pay my debts and day-to-day stuff while I'm gone, or I need to have my debts paid off. That's a lot of money.

Other goals cost more. Travelling around the world is done by backpackers on budgets as low as $10,000 a year. Wild, innovative trips. Dream fulfilling, castle building trips. But again, you need to have money to go, and pay any bills left behind while you go. Vet school is... yeah, hugely expensive. It doesn't really allow for things like taking years off for travel, which is probably part of why I'm not 7 months from graduating like my past classmates are. Still paying for it though. Owning and running a cool hostel, giving travelers a chance to spend time someplace they couldn't afford to visit otherwise. Now that's a goal with some money attached to it.

Then there are people I've known through work at Walmart. One lady, who is very nice, had very low goals. I asked her what her dreams were, what things she wanted to do before she died. These were things that would make her feel like she'd lived a full life. All three were things that are *very* easy to do- with a little bit of money. Stay in a nice hotel, eat at a nice restaurant, go to a society party.

Those were her life goals. That was the coolest thing she could think of to ever do, ever. Having done all three, I gotta say, she can aim higher. Plus there is nothing worse than being the outsider at a society party. She could pay for the whole batch after a year just by quitting smoking.

So we started working on her. Why were those her goals? Is she sure she doesn't just want to be rich? It's better than trying to figure out where the rent is coming from, but it's not easy. I think she has more goals now. Bigger ones. Would she have been better off with smaller goals? Maybe. But you can hate your life just as much if you have low or no goals as you can if you have huge, world changing goals. And if your goals are bigger then possibly, just maybe, your self worth will go up too. After all, dreams and goals are things you reach for. Even the ones you don't think you'll ever get a chance to do.

So that's why I'm here. I want to be able to chase dreams. I want other people to be able to chase their dreams. I want my goals, and other peoples too, to get bigger and more exciting. I want to be free. And that's a goal too.

What are your goals? What are the dreams you dream when you're alone in the woods, or the library, or watching planes coming in over the highway, or curled up on the couch with your SO or dog?