I’ve been thinking about the “long game” since last week’s post. With a big birthday for me this weekend – both digits are turning over – I’m in a reflective mood.

If the long game is, say, to peak at 60, I’ve only got ten years till maximum awesome. We tend to overestimate what can be done in a year’s time and way underestimate what we can accomplish in five or ten years. What if I were intentional about thinking through the kind of person I hope to be in ten years? What would be ideal at 60, in a range of categories? Health and vitality, family, work, friendships, accomplishments, lifestyle, daily routines…?

I’m going on vacation next week and will use some of my time at the beach reflecting on this and discussing it with my wife and daughters. What kind of person do I want to be? What do I want my life as a 60-year-old to look like? How can I fulfill my potential as a husband and father and friend? What can I contribute? How can I awaken possibility in myself and others?

In the spirit of showing my work, here’s a mind map I started on today. Once I have some goals in mind, I’ll work back towards creating some systems, some habits to lead me in that direction. Systems and process trump goals, of course, and I can begin immediately acting as if I am the kind of person I hope to be.

Why not invest time in planning for the long view? Why not design the ideal you for the next decade or more and begin crafting habits to realize that vision?