{"data":{"id":"c78d1864-ded2-4df6-8867-e2353abc2a4f","updated_at":"2024-04-04T17:57:46Z","template_id":"73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3","localized":{"blocks":[{"id":"62a4a1f8-0551-4cc8-b538-09d345914c16","kind":"richtext","template_id":null,"content_html":"

Every year between Christmas and New Year’s I spend some time reviewing my past goals and setting new ones for the years ahead.

Doing this annual review allows me to manage my happiness proactively. I focus on where best to invest my time, money and energy on the people and things that really matter to me.

I make a list of all the special events that will be coming up – birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions, holidays – and plan ways to make them unique and memorable. I have found that family experiences are where you want to invest your time because the payback in terms of happiness is huge. Trust me on that.

It's been ten years since I was forced into retirement by the bank and I can’t believe how fast time has flown by which is concerning. I will be turning 70 in 2024 and there is still so much I want to experience and accomplish while I’m still in my “go-go” years.

Following is my annual top ten list. It’s a list outlining some of the things I would like to accomplish before hanging up my skates.

Lose belly fat and be able to look good in a large size golf shirt by the end of the year. No more XL’s for this guy!

Do five chin ups

Start training for a possible Ironman Cozumel attempt in 2025. I’m still not sure if I want to go as there are a lot of other things I want to do with my time and money and I’m not getting any younger. But having said that I want to be race ready if my mind says go.

Fish more. I love fishing and it makes me happy so why not do more of it?

Celebrate my 70th birthday in Vegas in October. I’ve never been there and my family will be flying in from all over the world. It will be a fun time and give me a lot of great memories.

Provide as many free retirement seminars as possible in the years ahead. One of my ways of giving back to the retirement community.

Finish the new book I’m working on with my friend Simon.

Take the Contessa (my wife) to Hawaii something I promised her when we were married and still haven’t gotten around to.

Give away 2,000 copies of my books in 2024. This is a fun goal stay tuned for more on this.

Live a retirement worth writing about. I want to be a good retirement role model and inspire as many retirees as possible to do the same.

One positive thing I’ve noticed about my top ten lists is that there has been a gradual change in emphasis from “getting to giving.” I’ve spent most of my life chasing after money and I had a hard time stopping.

Thankfully that is behind me now.

My list is no longer focused on just me but rather on how many people I can help and make happy with the time I have left.

Being able to help make one retiree’s life better gives me an incredible sense of purpose, and makes me very happy.

Afterall, being happy is what a successful retirement is all about.

Related Articles;

Download your free copy of the book Longevity Lifestyle by Design

"}],"locale":"en","visual":{"type":"image","url":"https://assets.boomingencore.omerloclients.com/a4d70f9fffb7ec9166c4b4b185fb9886dfece2d9047215c12f73e39c060b62fb.jpg","caption_html":null,"credit":null,"caption_text":null,"gravity":"center"},"lead_html":"At the start of every new year, Mike Drak takes a look at where he's been and where's he is going for the upcoming year.","subtitle_html":null,"title_html":"My Yearly Annual Review","author_ids":["925fc6c8-c4a7-4e71-9250-811d55bacc8c"],"lead_text":"At the start of every new year, Mike Drak takes a look at where he's been and where's he is going for the upcoming year.","seo":{"description":null,"title":null},"subtitle_text":null,"title_text":"My Yearly Annual Review"},"_links":{"template":"/api/public/docs/v2/templates/73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3","_self":"/api/public/docs/v2/contents/c78d1864-ded2-4df6-8867-e2353abc2a4f"},"canonical_domain":"boomingencore.com","published_at":"2023-12-30T00:00:00Z","category_ids":[],"visibility":null,"canonical_url":null,"show_published_at":false},"assocs":{"categories":{"1515aa8b-b46d-4cbf-8635-ecbddf1f34e2":{"id":"1515aa8b-b46d-4cbf-8635-ecbddf1f34e2","updated_at":"2024-03-06T16:55:39Z","localized":{"name":"CONTRIBUTORS","locale":"en"},"svg_icon":null}},"templates":{"73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3":{"id":"73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3","key":"article-with-sidebar","updated_at":"2024-04-29T03:23:10Z","localized":{"name":"News with sidebar","locale":"en"},"_links":{"_self":"/api/public/docs/v2/templates/73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3"},"enabled_fields":["title_html","subtitle_html","lead_html","visual","authors","blocks"]}},"block_templates":{},"profiles":{"925fc6c8-c4a7-4e71-9250-811d55bacc8c":{"id":"925fc6c8-c4a7-4e71-9250-811d55bacc8c","kind":"person","updated_at":"2024-04-06T16:16:09Z","other_name":null,"localized":{"locale":"en","description_html":"

Mike Drak is a Senior Contributor at Booming Encore and the Author of the best-selling book Victory Lap Retirement, Retirement Heaven or Hell and Longevity Lifestyle by Design. Along with being an Author, Mike is also an award winning blogger, retirement coach and public speaker and has made appearances on BNN, CBC Radio and iHeart radio. He is a thirty-eight year veteran of the financial services industry and lives with his wife Melina in Toronto, Canada.

","description_text":"Mike Drak is a Senior Contributor at Booming Encore and the Author of the best-selling book Victory Lap Retirement, Retirement Heaven or Hell and Longevity Lifestyle by Design. Along with being an Author, Mike is also an award winning blogger, retirement coach and public speaker and has made appearances on BNN, CBC Radio and iHeart radio. He is a thirty-eight year veteran of the financial services industry and lives with his wife Melina in Toronto, Canada. ","summary_html":null,"summary_text":null},"profile_type_id":"9822821d-c96a-4ece-a318-c42ca4715c88","first_name":"Mike","last_name":"Drak","pronoun":null,"avatar_image_url":"https://assets.boomingencore.omerloclients.com/community/da8953e0-d9ff-4dc3-b11c-9274bf17aa59.jpeg"}},"profile_types":{"9822821d-c96a-4ece-a318-c42ca4715c88":{"id":"9822821d-c96a-4ece-a318-c42ca4715c88","key":"contributors","kind":"person","updated_at":"2024-02-27T21:26:34Z","localized":{"name":"Contributors","locale":"en"}}}}}