Last week, I wrote about setting boundaries as one of my strategies for better work-freedom balance. I mentioned at the time that boundaries are one of three things that are helping me manage the inner conflict I have where I highly value both freedom and financial security.  Bascially, I want to make sure I don't end up in the same situation I was in this winter where I was feeling stressed, demotivated and like I had lost myself.

So what are the other two things? Well, I’ll leave #3 till next week and focus on #2 today: Goals and a plan to achieve them. 

As most of you would know by now, I’m a big believer in the idea that we all need to find out own path in life, that one size does not fit all when it comes to finding happiness and achieving what we want in life. However, I also believe that almost everyone can benefit hugely from setting an inspirational goal and making a plan for achieving it. 

There is just something about having a big, audacious goal that inspires and motivates us.

Picturing ourselves as we achieve the goal and how proud we will feel, is an incredible motivation to keep working towards it – especially when things get tough.

But I also believe that even the most inspiring goal isn't worth much unless it comes with a realistic plan for how we will achieve it. We will all have our personal goals that are unique to us. Our plans, and how we go about executing them, will also be different. But I believe the principle of setting a goal and making a plan to achieve it can help just about anyone to be happier (which is why I wrote a book about it). 

So, following my own advice, I decided I needed a new BIG, inspiring goal and a plan to make it happen. I realised that, after almost three years of living in the moment and total freedom, it was time to look ahead and make a plan for the future. I needed a goal that aligns with my values. In other words, I needed a new WHY. 

More specifically, I needed a new answer to the question of; WHY do I work and safe money? 

I know I value financial security, but that alone just wasn't inspiring or motivating enough – especially when it was colliding with my other top value: freedom.

So I thought about where I want to be in 3-5 years? What is a goal or dream I have for the future that I can work towards. 

I love living in my van! But there is one thing that is starting to bother me more and more; The fact that I never control my environment. The nature of this lifestyle is that I spend pretty much all my time in shared, public settings. I increasingly find myself craving more stability and more control over my environment. In other words: In the long-run, I want my own place.

My dream is to be able to buy some land somewhere in a few years and put a little house on it that will become my base.

I think I will always have a mobile home and will spend some of my time travelling, but I love the idea of having a place to call home that I can go back to anytime and where I don’t have to compromise with others. 

I don’t dream of anything fancy. Vanlife has given me a taste for simplicity, and I intend to hold on to that. But one thing that's really important to me is that the place will be peaceful and quiet. That means a small section in town won't do it for me. My dream is to own land big enough to create my own little world and not to be bothered if my neighbours want to play loud music all day because I can't hear it.   

I also want it to be comfortable. I don't want anything luxurious (except maybe an outdoor bathtub), but I want my place to be warm, comfortable and safe. And I dream of having the opportunity to make it mine and create a home with a lot of character.

This is the kind of dream that inspires and excites me. 

I can picture myself living there in my small but comfortable home, drinking coffee while enjoying the view of nature and the peacefulness around me.  

The good news is, this dream is totally achievable for me. However, it does mean that I have to work towards it. 

With the help of a financial advisor and a good friend who is training to become one, I designed a plan that will help me achieve this goal within 3-5 years. Most importantly, it's a plan that doesn't mean I have to give up my freedom ­– I just need to balance work and freedom.  

I've worked it out so that, if I work an average of 22 hours per week, I can get there in 3 -4 years. If I work less, it might take a year or two longer (also depending on how well my investments are going), but it will still be an achievable timeframe. An average of 22 hours per week means I can work almost full-time over the winter months and then less over summer, leaving more time for travel and adventures. Of course, all of this is based on continuing to live in my van and keeping living costs down, but I'm more than happy to do that.

Having this goal and plan in place has been a total game-changer for me.

I have a plan in place that considers both my need for freedom and my need for financial security, and I have a goal that is inspiring and achievable. I still get stressed with work sometimes, but now I know why I'm doing it, and I know that achieving the dream will be worth it.

Got a dream that requires money?

I’ll end this blog post with a tip for those who maybe find themselves in a similar position right now. If you have a dream that requires a certain amount of money, I highly recommend talking to a financial advisor and getting their help with putting together a plan. It's been incredibly valuable and helped me not only clarify my goal and how I can achieve it but has also helped me realise that I’m closer than I thought if I take advantage of some smart investment strategies. 

I was lucky to have a friend who is a financial advisor and another one who is training to be one, so I felt confident I was getting trustworthy advice. If you don't have someone you trust, don't be shy to talk to a few different ones. Here in New Zealand, they generally offer advice for free, in the hope that you make investments through them or buy products like insurances – but there is no obligation to do so. I'm not sure what it's like in other countries, but to be honest, I would have happily paid for the advice I got in putting my plan together so it might be a worthy investment if you do have to pay for it.