The Simple Life AND Adventurous Life - Simple steps to achieving it all

As the winds of life take our sail, often we feel we have almost no control over its direction. Too often it is because we are not at the steering wheel. We might THINK we are in some kind of control but in actual fact you have been sailing way too passively and you may be headed towards the perfect storm, failing to notice your passiveness.

You have one life to live and by the time you figure out that all of the complications you have created are worthless, easy to remove and that every aspect of your life could have been working simply and abundantly, it may be too late. This is designed to reverse the damage.

I don't believe life was meant to be lived passively and to complain that things are not going our way. Yes I believe in enjoying the simple pleasures in life, but I don't believe that the simple life involves around laying dormant, raising children, relying on government handouts and complaining of a lack of sleep.

I also don't believe that the drive to and from work is a time to just sit there, drive and waste. I don't believe that a lunch break is just a time to go sit somewhere and eat. I don't believe that down time at work is the perfect opportunity to check Facebook or read the newspaper.

I believe that certain aspects of life must be heavily planned and experienced in order to not only enjoy all that this world has to offer, but to assist your children and those around you to enjoy them too. I believe that by heavy planning and by using down time effectively, we can not only enjoy the simple life, but we can live a life of pure excitement and adventure, soaking up every moment in life much more efficiently and abundantly.

Did you know that if you were sailing the oceans and you set your heading for Japan and you accidentally miscalculated your heading by just one degree and that as you sailed in that direction, you may just miss Japan altogether? Why? Because a one degree off course direction becomes 30 miles off course, and then 300 miles off course and then 1000 miles off course VERY quickly. The further you travel one degree off your compass course the further away you get from your intended destination. And I believe that this happens all too often in our own lives and we end up wondering what happened to all of those years.

I believe that a large reason for this is that we fail to plan for the big things we want to achieve, places we want to see, businesses we want to build and the body we desire to have and we casually look ahead and say to ourselves, "Well, that's good enough. We'll see how we go and check our bearings later." Often, this makes a course correction almost impossible.

And we call this the simple life. We keep our "Let's see how we go." attitudes and tell ourselves that we are just living the simple life and we are not. This attitude is not a simple life but a very stressful life. It leads to financial hardship, ill health, life regrets and psychological imbalance that has many people suffering from depression.

So I have laid out some simple steps that I believe help you chase the adventure and still stay simple. It only requires you push a little harder.

To keep things simple, you can divide life into three categories:

1. Health
2. Wealth
3. Relationships

I believe that you can concentrate on one successfully and you can divide your time in balance between two, but all three suffer if you try to throw your time and money at all three. I have proven this time and again in my own life.

For example, whenever I have been at my fittest and I am making greater financial gains, my relationships suffer. My girlfriend has felt neglected or I am not calling home often. My friends see much less of me and I am much less inclined to be selfless towards my partner. It is all about me and improving my own life. And to a point, this is a great strategy. We all need to take care of number one at some point.

But when I have given all of my time to my relationship, the other two suffer. My health slides. I eat more, for example, at romantic restaurants and look for loving, relaxing, non-exercise oriented things to do. Or alternatively I will spend time with my friends and if they have some bad habits, some of them may roll off onto me.

Of course, I feel amazing when I feel loved by my partner. But then, over time, because I have failed to pursue those other vital areas of my life, there is the risk of losing her attraction or not having the health to go where my friends go or even the money to go wherever I want to take my girl. The funds have become tight.

So pick two areas of life and split that time into balance.

If you're lonely, hit the gym and concentrate on your relationships with others. This will make you feel great. The opposite sex will admire your physique. And you will be working to become more charismatic, to compliment your looks.

But let's imagine your relationship has come to a tragic end, perhaps through a divorce. Well, some people have the destructive tendency to attempt to jump into another relationship to fill the void that now exists, when a better focus would be to health and building great finance. This is the perfect time to concentrate on those neglected areas of life.

If you are in your initial phases of working out a new life plan, I believe you cannot do this when toxic people are around you and you also feel toxic. It is time to spend some honest time alone, and that is OK!

Entrepreneurs want to change the world. Many think in terms of making a million dollars in their first year of creating a new online website, or starting a blog believing people will be drawn to read every word. They think of spending money to make money and this inherently gets them even deeper into a financial hole.

Others hit the gym for two weeks and give up because it feels too strenuous and they are not seeing results quickly enough. They tell themselves they just can't do it or just can't keep up, or just don't have the time suddenly.

Or perhaps others try to lump the opposite sex into one category called, "Losers" and so every person they meet is automatically guilty of a crime and must prove themselves innocent. They believe going on hundreds of dates will help them prove that they are right, instead of going on just a few dates and taking the time to see the good in others.

So you need a simple plan.

Don't try to change the world or the opinions of others. Don't try to invent something new. Do not be innovative. Don't think out of the box. Think completely IN THE BOX. It is ok! You can think out of the box later!

Here is an example of a SIMPLE plan for somebody who needs an extra stream of income.

Imagine you want to take a great vacation to a place you have never been and you dream of escaping the rat race. Imagine you need start up capital to build that dream website. Well, apply for a night job, working three extra hours a night, three days per week to supplement your income. There is no shame in it. Dreams come at a cost. What would you be doing otherwise in those hours?

It is such a simple plan.

At the gym, decrease the weights, slow down a little on the treadmill and take a little longer. Get up half an hour earlier in the morning and half an hour later in the evening. It adds one hour to your day each day.

Change your diet slightly. Instead of putting sugar on your cereal, try...PROTEIN POWDER! (Yes I said it!)

Change up your eating times so that you can experience fat loss through intermittent fasting.

'Upskill' your education. Are you absolutely sick of your job but very afraid you will not find other work in the current economy? Take some online courses you can do in your own time, on the weekend. Just one every couple of months. You will find new opportunities await you when you become certified in different areas.

Perhaps you want to learn the stock market. Well, just a few hours every weekend will get you there and when you have saved enough money from your extra job, you will have learned how to invest that income well.

Try going on just one date every two weeks. You may find that you are not attracted to anybody. That has happened to me many times. I just feel that they don't add value to the life I am trying to build. But eventually I have also created brand new friendships. And you can too!

I have learned that in any given situation, there is nothing you can do that doesn't require you to throw some money at it. And so now that you know your focus and you have created a simple plan, it is time to budget for it.

Some people, when in great financial stress become way too frugal and it is a downward spiral to the bottom rung of life. But smarter people know that when the chips are down, it isn't time to simply stop spending money but it is time to reduce spending and divert real spending into areas that will help them build their dreams. And so here is a short list of things you can budget for that will give you the NEXT EDGE:

• Gym membership with a commitment to train
• Protein powders, multivitamins and health products
• Skin care and hair products.
• Audio programs, DVD’s and books.
• Hobbies that give you a sexual value to the opposite sex such as a sporting activity, which can be quite attractive to others and a potential new love
• Audio on learning languages
• Certified courses to 'Upskill'
• Fashion wear, shoes, jackets, t-shirts, shirts. Remember, first impressions count, especially when going for a new job!
• A good dentist. (Smokers...your teeth are becoming yellow and rotting.)

Do you realise that you can in fact lower your weekly food bill by $50 or more by spending the money on protein powder instead? Seriously! Also implement intermittent fasting.

Do you realise that by looking more successful you have a greater chance of a higher paying job? So spend a little more on that work outfit.

Do you realise you have a greater chance of finding love internationally with the skill of a second language? Pick one and go for it.

Also, listening to the right audio courses and attending the right seminars expands your previously closed mind to new possibilities that you never saw before.

What can you add to this list? An education on how to create your own website maybe? Why pay somebody when you can create your own and learn a new skill that others might pay you for??

It is time to divert the limited resources you have.

Many people are lost in their own tiny world of despair. Living week to week they just can't find a way out. Well, if you have made it through the first three simple steps, you can then begin to dream again.

So how does this happen? Well, it begins by using the Internet and searching for options.

I am an avid Scuba Diver and when I found myself happily single, I knew it was the perfect time to pursue a goal of becoming a Scuba Instructor! Not only did I know I would have so much fun diving, but I knew that with enough dives, I could be paid for this passion!

But where did I realise this passion? Youtube! That's right! Part of finding a purpose to life is seeking adventure and when you have found the adventure you want, you can begin dreaming about it, willing it into existence.

Perhaps you want six pack abs. Well, Youtube is the perfect place to find all of the advice you need. Perhaps you want to explore other countries. Allow Youtube to show you some amazing destinations and reviews by others who have been where you want to go.

Once you have watched enough videos and you are dreaming of those beautiful places, bring them up in conversations with friends and family. You will find that most of them want to dream with you! They will tell you, "Yes! I would love to go there too!" or, "You are so strong willed for sticking at the gym. I know you will stick with it."

Positive reinforcement of your dreams through sharing those dreams with others begins to bring those dreams into reality.

It is then time to begin PLANNING.

Now, whatever your focus has been, you should be at a point where you can begin planning to really take things to the next level.

You see, life is not just about setting goals, but it is also about living the dreams. And often we rely on others to come with us in our dreams. But many times we need to take that journey alone. Perhaps you cannot find love in your own country. Well, I bet you have been dreaming of that amazing vacation. Or perhaps you have your sights set on climbing that mountain or entering that competition, when previously you KNEW you were not capable.

Here is where you plan.

After watching all of your Youtube videos, take notes and then search the Internet for pricing. If, for example, the dream is travel, begin organising your own flights AS IF YOU WERE ACTUALLY GOING! Put an itinerary together, with flights and accommodation. Calculate the total based on real world, current prices. It feels SO good to plan!

Many people stay dreaming, but by actualizing through planning, you can see how easy it is to use simple technology to bring your dreams to life.

I had imagined that a luxury liveaboard trip to Micronesia to Scuba dive Truuk Lagoon would be way out of reach. i thought that there would be no way I could afford it. But flights from Manila were only $1000 and the full trip was $3600. So let's say $4600, booking six months in advance, how long would it take to save if just putting away $100 per week? One year! But with your second job earning you an extra couple of hundred per week, it all becomes VERY PLAUSIBLE.

Now, you may be at my point, where you don't need that second job. You have spent your time wisely and have spent the time learning how to build a great website and get it to page one of Google. Well by now you have learned the benefits of passive income, which is making money while you sleep because people buy from your website. Now, don't think in the millions. THINK SIMPLY. Think in terms of making your website make just an extra $200 per week. No pressure.

Everything must be 'doable'.

Never create a plan based on unrealistic pressures. Get a calculator out, total the cost up and then divide it over one year, divided over 52 weeks, This will give you the total you must be saving each week to make your dreams come to life. It will also inspire you to make that money you need because it is now realistic.

As you are just an individual, not a corporation, you should be happy in knowing that all you need to generate is between $200-$500 in extra income, whether it be through different passive wealth strategies, or through a second job. DOABLE. Even an extra $100 per week can go a long way!

KEEP IT SIMPLE. KEEP IT REALISTIC.

You will be faced with MANY challenges on the way to your new life.

• You may injure yourself
• You may be allergic to the very best supplements
• The economy may be so down that you cannot find a second job
• People may be telling you that your goals are bad ideas
• People will be giving you their advice, dragging your mental state down into an abyss
• You may suffer the loss of a loved one before the dream holiday or ON that holiday
• Your car may break down
• The electricity bill may come in way too high

But you must NEVER BACK DOWN.

You may feel the world is against you. But don't back down. You may feel alone, but I would say that you were previously in the company of some wrong people. You don't need the love of a low quality man or woman.

Imagine yourself fighting against a cyclone and beyond the wind, on the other side, is your dream come to life. That ultimate body, the new, constant streams of abundant income, that new love who will be loyal to you always, that world adventure, the paid off credit card or the paid off mortgage.

The wind will eventually turn and blow you in the direction you wish to go. But while all of its challenges attempt to blow you down, fight it with all your might by keeping calm and firm in your resolve. Nothing will hold you back because your goals and dreams for a new adventure are simple and realistic. It all is doable.

Is it just a page a day on that book you want to write? Within 365 days, you will have 365 pages. Doable!

Have you ever seen a bunch of tourists show up, jump off the bus and then just look at the attraction through the lens of their camera? How many of them do you see simply looking at the attraction with their own eyes and not through the lens?

Too often we want to get to the adventure. We want to be at the end or we want to have achieved before we have really even begun.

Along the way, through your life adventures, don't forget to slow down and take the time to really get to know the people you meet. Stop for a moment to feed the stray dogs or communicate with the animals. Stop and give some change to a busker, and really listen to their talent. It's FREE except for your donation.

Look out the window if you are on the bus, instead of watching a movie on your phone. Stare out the window of the plane and observe the brilliance of natures ability to form complex patterns with the clouds.

Stop and observe others at the gym and see if they need a spot. Perhaps you will learn a thing or two about motivation. Perhaps somebody who is very overweight will inspire you because they show up at the gym every day, when you don't.

Stop and observe how the money is made and how you spent it so that you don't keep making the same financial mistakes. Observe your spending habits.

Slow down and have a deeper conversation with your parents or your children. Too often we are striving for greatness and we fail to see just how far we've come or how others who love us feel we have left them behind.

Enjoy the experience and savor each moment in its simplicity.

You don't need to spend a million dollars to have a million dollar experience. Bu slowing down you will see many things that others fail to see every, single day.

Smile through it all, because you are here to be happy and feed love and happiness through the generations. Spread your positive stories and inspire others to do the same.

And do it with simple adventure.