As a visionary, it was very hard for me to live in the moment. I could see so many opportunities with my creative imagination. It took a moment in July 2016 to realize at the height of my professional career, you don’t have to dream. If your dream is big enough to be a lifelong effort, it will give you something to do with your time, but by the time you reach it, you’ll be almost dead, so it won’t matter. Rather, be micro-ambitious. Put your head down and work with pride on whatever is in front of you… you never know where you might end up. Just be aware that the next worthy pursuit will probably appear in your periphery. This was advice from Tim Minchin, who made me think about how fast life is passing me by and all the things I’m not taking the time to enjoy.
Having a BIG HAIRY ASS GOAL is important, but it’s also just as important to break down these goals into smaller pieces and make the ride memorable and fun!
Since I discovered this great advice, I redesigned my schedule to include six months’ worth of planning: Fall/Winter Season and Spring/Summer Season. Wow, did my life turn into something different. I would fill my calendar with all the people I wanted to visit, the great events I wanted to attend, and plan it within my six-month seasons.
Once I committed to a time frame, people or events, my calendar came second to the seasonal items I had planned for. It didn’t take long for me to figure out that it wasn’t a big deal to let people know that Thursday didn’t work out, and we would simply plan for the next available day on my calendar.
It was great. I was fulfilling my life, commitments, friendships, and still crushing the unflattering items that required my attention.
People who know me best have heard me say I’ve worked for three lifetimes, and I have also achieved what people can only dream about. I committed to myself that I would fill my life after 40 with more fun, connection, and adventure.
Life is empty and meaningless, and it’s up to us to fill it, like Tim would say! Fill it.
So, what are some of the things you wish to fill it with? Have you put any thought into it or made any seasonal plans? Do you hear music that you feel you need to march to? Is there anything you wish or wanted to do?
- Married the most popular and hottest girl in Highschool in the biggest Cathedral in my home town!
- Start a business (Started several) one or two were very successful
- Ride in a gondola in Venice
- Kiss under the Eiffel Tower
- Place love lock on the love bridge – Cadenas d’Amour
- Fly My Harley to Greece and ride the countryside of Europe with my ridding Buddies.
- Visit the Mona Lisa in The Louvre
- Eat a croissant in Paris
- Work on the Biggest building in Western Calgary
- Built and ERP System
- Developed Course to Teach and Train people
- Throw the biggest parties in your friend Group
- Take a river tour of the Eiffel Tower
- Buy a little house in the old country
- Visit to China and have done business there.
- Be a landlord and own rentals
- Visit the Palace of Versailles in France
- Drove a Ferrari in Dubai
- Get dressed up and attend the Opera in Europe
- Blow your own glass
- Zip line through a canon in Mexico
- Learn to scuba dive
- Go white water rafting
- Swim with dolphins
- Go on a jet ski
- Drive a race car
- Ride a camel
- Take a 6 month trip
- Own an exotic car (Lamborghini)
- Live in another country for a year
- Climb a mountain
- Drink beer at Oktoberfest
- Have a six pack
- Run a 10K marathon
- Walk the Great Wall of China
- Visit the Taj Mahal
- Visit your favorite movie location (Visit Jordan’s lost city of Petra)
- See the Grand Canyon
- Adopt a child
- Fly in a hot air balloon
- Ride my Harley to Miami, Florida and meet my family there!
- Hunt the Northern Lights
- Had Lunch at the legendary Hotel California
- Drove a Ducati to Lake Como, Italy
- Stand in the Sistine Chapel
- Scuba dive into an underwater cellar in Croatia
- Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
- Road trip across the United States with my soulmate
- See Christ The Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Explore the Colosseum in Rome
- Shop up a storm in Milan
- Visit the red dunes of Namibia’s Sossusvlei
- Sail in San Francisco Bay under the golden gate Bridge
- Visit The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt
- Party the night away in Ibiza
- Catch a Broadway Show in New York
- Visit the annual Oktoberfest in Munich
- Have lunch on the great wall of China
- Explore the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh, India
- Watch the sunset in Santorini, Greece
- Visit New York during after mass of 911
- Go Island hopping around Greece
- Explore a winery in Italy, Croatia and California
- Sail to The Statue of Liberty
- Take a photo in front of the Hollywood sign
- Visit the Acropolis of Athens
- See the religious Angkor Wat in Cambodia
- Being apart of the largest and most iconic project in our community
- Visit the holy Wailing Wall in Jerusalem
- Roll the dice in a Las Vegas Casino
- Travel back in time on Easter Island, Chile
- Visit The White House
- Soak up the spirit of New Orleans Mardi Gras Festival
- Ride on a red bus in London
- Spend St Patrick’s Day in Dublin
- Watch the Tour de France roadside
- Built one of the largest coating contracting companies in Alberta
- Opened & operated a retail / wholesale paint store:
- Feel the mist of the Niagara Falls
- Dance under the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, Japan
- Built a paint manufacturing factory.
- See a show on London’s West End
- See the sunrise at Shwedagon pagoda, Myanmar
- Visit Buckingham Palace and see the Changing of the Guard
- Chill out at the lovely beaches in San Cabo Lucas
- See a Bull fight
- Run with the bulls in Spain
- Go skinny dipping at night
- Watch the sun rise and set in one day in the mountains
- Formula One in Dubai and drive Ferrari on the track!
- Watch a baseball game at a classic stadium
- Watch the Monaco Grand Prix from a boat in the harbor
- Attend a big sporting event of your choice
- World Cup
- Formula one
- NBA finals
- NHL – Flames
- American Baseball game Red Soxs in Fenway Park
- NFL 49ers Final game
- Make $1million
- Fly first class on a international flight
- Manufacture and sold Emotions eau de perfum by Danijel Anton
- Create a my own men’s fashion clothing line.
- Speak at an events.
- Learn to paint art
- Learn photography
- Learn to make Bosnia Rakia
- Dance on a stage with the love of my life.
- Create a yearly scrapbook
- Journal everyday for a year
- Make your own jewelry
- Write your life story or a Book about a topic I’m passionate about.
- Learn a language (Italian)
- Learn a musical instrument ( Mix as a DJ)
- Build a house
- Learn to ski like a pro
- Learn to surf
- Learn to roller blade
- Skeet and Target Shooting
- Paint balling
- Dance lessons
- Write a blog
- Attend Drawing Classes
- Learn to ride a Harley across country like a pro.
- Golf on a pro golf course.
- Learn Yoga
- Win the lottery, buy a ticket to win!
- Go Horseback Riding
- Learn to bowl
- Play Squash
- Join food club cooking class
- Grow a Vegetable, Fruit, or Flower Garden
- Visit a Karaoke Bar
- Attend Music Festivals
- Have Fun With Mixology and Creating Cocktails
- Write a Family and Friend Cook Book
- Join a toast master club
- Join a master mind forum
- Tailgating at a NFL game
- Take a bubble bathwith waaaaay too much soap**
- Ride a Segway
- Create your own holiday – celebrate it every year. (Our Anniversary of our honeymoon)
- Break a world record.
- Make pasta completely from scratch
- Grow my hair super long
- Grade 6 Master Chess Player (Calgary Chess Club Champion)
I was once told by a friend of mine that he felt sorry for me because I don’t have any hobbies and I work too much. I actually left that visit from his home feeling a little sad, but looking back at that moment now makes me laugh a little. He only knew a portion of how I filled my meaningless life.
“The Purpose of Life Is to Live!”
– Alan Watts
Life will have its ups and downs, but you get to fill it up with what makes you feel great. So keep filling it and enjoy the music that you are marching to.
Sincerely,
Your friend,
Danijel Slisko
