On Lifetime Goals - Update #1

Many moons ago (well, actually it was one hundred forty-one moons ago unless, as defined for purposes of that expression, one "moon" is one lunation, in which case it was 4 or 5 moons ago), I published this entry publicly declaring a lifetime goal.

The end of this calendar year seems an appropriate time to publish an update. Some progress was made. Unfortunately, most of the progress was the product of savings of earned wage income and repayment of debt rather than as a result of the generation of investment cashflow. But progress is progress, nominally speaking.

So, once again ... for those of you keeping track at home, here's the comparison of the goal and the current progress towards the achievement of the goal, dating from December 31, 2005 (with principled estimates of how our family balance sheet will look on December 31, 2005):

• Minutes alive = 17,674,560.
• Net worth = up about 29% since March 31.

The change in minutes alive represents a 3% (on an annualized basis) increase since March 31, 2005. The 29% (also annualized) increase in net worth since March 31, 2005 is faster than that. Thank goodness. For the sake of achieveing the Lifetime Goal, that is imperative. Recall, however, that in order to achieve the Lifetime Goal by the age of 50, our family's resources need to be compounding at over 35% per year. So we are falling further behind that benchmark...

These long-term goals are interesting beasts. Complacency regarding progress towards the goal is probably counterproductive. But excessive anxiety is too. A for the love of a happy medium.

Happy New Year!