Kevin McAuley Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Up until my recent decision to move to Australia (as discussed in my previous post here) I have to admit that when it came to school work, university and my career I have often been guilty of pretty much coasting through life. Sure, I have done alright in school, thanks to pushy teachers and caring parents (apologies to you both!) that wanted to see me do well, and then I headed off to University like I was supposed to but my primary intention was simply to have a good time and party as much as I could! I was never one for setting goals, organization or planning. I was the guy the day before and assignment was due freaking out in the library and pulling an all-nighter just to throw the work in two minutes before the deadline! As I have got slightly older I realize that approach is no longer going to cut it and I have recently noticed that setting even simple goals has helped me organize, save and prepare for my impending trip and I want to continue taking this proactive approach because there is so much that I want to do, see and achieve down under that just hoping it will happen is not good enough and without a plan I know I am less likely to make it happen. In truth, the goal that I went to university with hasn’t really changed much. I still want to have a good time and I believe life is to be enjoyed. I guess that you do too or you wouldn’t be reading this post and you wouldn’t be heading to Australia for what you believe will be a more enjoyable and rewarding life as well. What has changed for me since University though is that I realize having an amazing time isn’t always just about parties, there is so much else that I want to do and achieve that for me are both exciting and rewarding so here are some of my goals for moving down under: I have a dream job I want at the moment that if I landed would really help me achieve my longer term business aspirations so that is a key goal for me right now. I want to live by the beach where I can surf every day. I want to get my fitness levels back up. I want to learn a new sport (possibly Ozzie Rules!) I want to do, see or experience at least one new thing every day and I would like to document this and write a book one day! Ultimately my goal is to live my “Dream Day”. Your dream day is what you would do if you could do whatever you wanted and mine looks something like this… Get up nice and early before everyone else and have a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit. Head to the beach and watch the sunrise while catching waves in crystal clear blue waters. Work for a few hours on my business helping people and earn $1000-5000 per day for that. I want to use some of my money to make a difference and help others access opportunities that have been denied them. Meet friends for lunch and laughs. Finish the day off with a BBQ and a couple of cold beers! If my dream day seems unrealistic to you that is ok, it’s a dream day remember! The point is that life is all too short. I intend to live my life in pursuit of my dream day and whether or not I ever live out every single aspect of it I have made the commitment to always try to get closer to it. I am starting with a scaled down version for now which consists getting a good job close to the surf (so I can surf everyday) and then rent an apartment right on the beach so I can start my day with a quick surf before work then use my evenings and weekends to explore and see as much of Australia as I can. So far all is going good with plenty of Skype interviews and real interviews lined up for my arrival. All being well I will land my dream job, with sponsorship potential, fairly quickly. Then all I have to do is get a beautiful, low cost apartment that’s close to transport and right on the surf in Sydney… That should be easy right?! [YOUTUBE]<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OSYtQy9EqTA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>[/YOUTUBE] What does your dream day look like? How could you in some small ways move closer to living a life of dream days starting right now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tandcmum Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 at the moment my goals are to make it over to Oz, find a nice long term rental, settle into my job, for hubby to get a job or be self employed, get the kids into a nice school and to enjoy our new life and get out and do some exploring then i am happy to sit back and relax for a wee while before hopefully being able to buy a home Not very exciting is it? I guess if i had to look at dream things i would like a pool at my house and perhaps own a horse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I have a dream job I want at the moment that if I landed would really help me achieve my longer term business aspirations so that is a key goal for me right now. Would be nice. I want to live by the beach where I can surf every day. Within 20km will be near to me. I want to get my fitness levels back up. Definately yes; I want to learn a new sport (possibly Ozzie Rules!) Definately yes, i think i know them already, its not hard to follow. I want to do, see or experience at least one new thing every day and I would like to document this and write a book one day! Nagh .......... Too busy living it up in the sunny warm sea and sun. Ultimately my goal is to live my “Dream Day”. Your dream day is what you would do if you could do whatever you wanted and mine looks something like this… Get up nice and early before everyone else and have a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit. No Head to the beach and watch the sunrise while catching waves in crystal clear blue waters. Later in the day. Work for a few hours on my business helping people and earn $1000-5000 per day for that. Who are you, Donald Trump? I want to use some of my money to make a difference and help others access opportunities that have been denied them. Your not a Tory then. Meet friends for lunch and laughs. Sounds better. Finish the day off with a BBQ and a couple of cold beers! Defo. I played golf with my son, in the sun today and afterwards we had a beer and my wife and daughter came up and we had a meal, sitting outside and it was marvellous and .............. its rare we can do this here in the uk and i want a life like this and Australia will allow me this cheap luxury, those in Australia don't realise how lucky they are, some do and us living in the uk cherish days like we have had today, with family, in the sun, outdoors chilling out and .............. thats what my goal is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Taxi Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Enjoyed your post, my day would be much along the same lines. I love planning! It's a really good point to remember that when visualizing your dreams, make sure you don't just visualise the 'destination' ie. clean surf/hammock swinging in the breeze/succesful business. Be sure to also visualise the steps needed to get there, pitfalls and all, picture in coping with failure or distraction. That way you are somewhat prepared and less likely to stumble and fall at the first curveball lfe throws you along the way. One other thing, and one I have to work hard at, is making sure you don't become too busy planning your dream life to forget to enjoy the 'here and now'. I wish the very best for the future, see you in the surf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Suz2011 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Great post. My goal is to see my two sons age 12 & 13 happy and settled in a new school having met new friends. It would also be nice for them to realise that moving them to the other side of the world for a better quality of life was the right decision. Time will tell, watch this space. Suz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest37336 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hi Kev. As far as goals go in Australia I can with hand on heart I have none left so to speak. My only objective now is to feel 'SETTLED' again. Been backwards and forwards far too many times to mention, but each time I arrive in Australia it is just a case of feeling settled. Had to come back to the UK for personal and health reasons, and whilst I do not regret my decision (because it was for someone I love dearly) I still do EVERY day feel a huge gaping hole in my being is all mate, not sad and the like, just an emptiness that can't be explained away in such a post as this. I have no objectives to live by the ocean, have a pool, huge house, blah, blah, blah, just an enormous sense that I want to feel totally settled once again, and if this means pitching a tent in the middle of nowhere, then bring it on. As I said, my mindset is not one of unhappiness and/or sadness, (my family would not let me besides,:yes::biglaugh:) just that everyday without fail I can guarantee that at one point my thoughts will drift off to Australia and what it has done for me. Could be as simple as walking in a wood in the UK and thinking of the rainforest, finding myself walking down the aisles of Tesco and seeing a tin of Tuna caught in OZ, (silly I know), or seeing an insect on a flower and thinking of the hours I used to spend hunting creepie crawlies all over OZ. So, though long winded Kev, I have no materialistic goals, just a goal of achieving 'absolute' happiness and contentment again mate. Cheers Tony.:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjgibbs Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 My goals Never really had any before I come out here, but have been quite lucky in life. Had already visited Oz a few times travelled most of Europe been to the states even climbed Sydney harbour bridge. Now I loads. Not an any particular order To save a life. To get my Diploma To get PR To get citizenship To own an r32 r33 and an r34 To own a speed boat To get married To have kids To live a happy health life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brideycollette Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Love the post ! Hmmmm my goals for australia i guess because i'm a parent its my goals as a family first . I have many lol a few that stick out are *To experiance the bush with my children ( roughing it as i call it ) sit under the stars somewhere so remote and just say to the kids just listen to that ( can't beat the sounds of oz bushland )! *To have chooks !:laugh: * To swim with the most beautiful marine life with my family *To learn a new skill towards a career ( not sure what yet , but working on it ) *to give my kids the experiance of travelling around oz etc and for them to experiance as much as possible about life so that one day they say to me " i'm off now to travel the world , thanks " and to think to myself yup they are ready for their new and wonderful life , and know that mum and dad are happy for them to leave and enjoy . :chatterbox:could go on n on Bride x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brideycollette Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 oops and my dream day would be get in my 4wd and just drive , scuba dive drive somemore and have no place to be at a certain time ! :laugh: i can do most of that except i always have to be home for the chidren lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 My goals are really very simple: 1. Finish my research higher degree (& hopefully uprate from Masters to PhD), and in the process improve my research and academic writing skills. 2. Finish renovating my home. 3. Make sure we pay the bills to keep our home. 4. Never, ever, put material wants above more important aspects of my life. 5. Be the best academic, clinician, educator, friend, wife and relative I can. 6. Improve my violin playing to the point where I'm less embarrassed about it than I currently am! I don't feel that I need grand dreams or a big plan that I visualise; maybe I'm someone who just coasts along. I do like to live in the here and now, and take time to 'smell the roses'; because all the photos in the world don't mean as much to me as the memories I have of the best days I've had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Get up nice and early before everyone else and have a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit.Head to the beach and watch the sunrise while catching waves in crystal clear blue waters. I get up early nearly every morning and go for a ski paddle with a few mates followed by a coffee before work. At this time of year it's a bit difficult as the sun doesn't come up till around 07:00. May have to miss a few weeks. Work for a few hours on my business helping people and earn $1000-5000 per day for that.I want to use some of my money to make a difference and help others access opportunities that have been denied them. Good plan but never been able to manage this bit. I'm a bit like you but a lot older. Did just enough to get me through school, an apprenticeship, work as a fitter for a few years and then back to uni at 31. Still did just enough to get through and had a pretty good party time. However, it all paid off as I work in IT now and wouldn't fancy the hard graft as a fitter at my age. Meet friends for lunch and laughs. Very do-able here. Just been out for a lunch time run with a mate down to Cottesloe. Finish the day off with a BBQ and a couple of cold beers! You could do that every day of the week here, if you wanted. Good luck with your planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Nothing grandiose tbh,no dream lifestyle or anything,just a comfortable life for me and her,less traffic to fight thru every morning,a bit more space to breathe,to sit and enjoy the big starry skies,it would be good if jan could just work part time to allow us to get a dog lol,maybe enjoy a bit more of an outdoor lifestyle,walking down by a clear blue ocean etc. Its deffo nothing to do with material betterment,i'm going over expecting things to be harder financially,"especially" if we buy a hse(not sure on that one yet),so basically just better surrounds and not to feel as claustrophobic as where we live now,with houses crammed on top of each other etc,so simple things,any lotto wins etc will be a bonus,and even then i'd probs just buy a hse with an extra bedroom and a pool for jan,im too old in the tooth to worry about keeping up with the joneses and their 5x2 with olympic pool,nah just "hopefully" a little bit more content with our surroundings,thats all we need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lara24 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Really nice thread..... Dream of: Getting visa Hubbie getting good job in Perth Settle our family of 3 in our new country Make some new friends and build a social life for all 3 of us Buy a yacht and teach my young son to sail Have my parents decide that Oz is so great they want to move over too...... That's about it, hopefully some of it will come true in the next 12 months. Lara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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