DREAMS, GOALS AND ADVENTURE BY AUTHOR MICHAEL D. DITTON

DREAMS, GOALS AND ADVENTURE

 

Dreams, Goals and Adventure is a series of personal stories, the ups and downs of someone who inspires to reach all of the dreams set forth and how sometimes a life event creates a situation requiring a major adjustment. It is stories others will be able to relate to with the life adventures each and every one of them have experienced, both good and challenging.

For those following his tour, Michael is offering a special price on the Kindle eBook format of DREAMS, GOALS, AND ADVENTURE at a reduced cost of just 99 cents!Readers can also get a FREE copy of Michael’s GOAL SETTING BASICS in the eBook format. For one or both of these special offers just CLICK HERE!

Author Michael D. Ditton makes a stop here today as part of his Dreams, Goals, and Adventure Blog Tour through MC Book Tours.

 

WELCOME MICHAEL TO WRITER’S GAMBIT!  

I asked Michael two questions and these are his answers. 

 

1. When someone hits rock bottom facing hardships, where do they start to rebuild to create a life of quality without visible resources to fund that restart?

 

One of the most difficult challenges is to think about a positive outcome of your future while at rock bottom. More importantly than the funds to restart, is the mindset that you can do it. That with determination and doing what it takes, you will succeed.

 

Setting goals, albeit small ones, ones you can manage, will guide you to the life you desire. If the goals are too lofty, especially while licking your wounds, you will set yourself up for failure. By setting and accomplishing smaller goals, you will rebuild the confidence needed to start working towards bigger goals.

 

For example:

 

Maybe it’s earning more money: What can you do? Can you earn more in the position you are in? How? Maybe it’s a second job.

 

How do I not spend as much? Am I buying things I really don’t need? I used a Want vs Need process every time I shopped. If it truly was a need, I got it. If it was a want, I walked away and thought about it. I almost never missed it. BUT, sometimes I earned it so I later returned for it. (Reward for accomplishing a goal, maybe). I also kept a daily journal of every single penny I spent. It was mind blowing at how frivolous I was even when I thought I was thrifty.

 

Then I started to save. At first, I put 10% of each check away into savings before paying the first bill. I was amazed at how I was still able to pay all the bills and still eat. Then after a while, it went to 15%. After which it was budgeted in per month, per material item, per need, for a reward, for a  necessity, to reach a goal.

 

Good support helps too. Family, friends and/or a loved one.

 

To this day, I have a $100 bill I keep in my pocket, a benchmark, with the date 4/97, that was the date I reached my crest of struggling and started on the road to Financial Independence. I had come a long way in 5 years.

 

Make sure you understand the meaning of Financial Independence:

 

Financial Independence means

having control over your time

without worrying about

the ability to pay your bills

 

2. What is your next great adventure and what steps have you already taken to get there?

 

LIFE….is an adventure

 

When I decided to sail around the world, I put a 5-year plan in motion. I had to adjust a little but I still managed to leave in 7 years.

 

I have done the same for the next series of adventures.

 

In May I plan to set up a new “base camp”, home, and Big Island Hawaii won the vote after considering Alaska, California, and Mexico as well. Through a process of Pros and Cons, I picked the one that best suited my needs.

 

Later in the year, I will Co-Host a couple of 10-day adventure retreats on Big Island.

 

Summer 2018 I will spend 3-4 months traveling Europe with my girlfriend.

 

After returning from there I plan to build my own retreat center in Hawaii with grounds so spectacular you will never want to leave.

 

The balance of the 5-year plan is still forming as I experienced a MAJOR life changing event over the past couple of years and pretty much had to crumple up the plans I had and start fresh with new ones.

 

This is known as adjusting. Goals are meant to be adjusted at times. That is ok, that is life. Just know when you need to adjust them.

You will know when it keeps you going in a forward movement versus stagnant or backward. As a cruising sailor we used to say, our plans were like throwing jello against the wall. It may stick for a bit but it will most certainly change.