Saturday, December 13, 2014

2015 Goals


Here are few of the goals I would like to achieve during 2015.

Financial

Create a strong hybrid FI plan incorporating
  • Dividends/Interest
  • Safe withdrawal plan (SPY and cash)
  • 72T early distribution from my 401k
  • Side hustles that do not include a traditional W2 job
Open a Lending Club account and build up $10,000 in loans
Reach $18,000 in forward passive income in my taxable account
Receive $16,000 in passive income in my taxable account
Avoid more speculative investments with unstable dividends (this will be difficult)

Build the following positions by year end
  • 100 shares of Exxon
  • 400 shares of Coke
  • 150 shares of Procter & Gamble
  • 700 shares of AT&T
  • 800 shares of General Electric
  • 100 shares of Chevron
  • 100 shares of Johnson & Johnson
  • 100 shares of Pepsi
  • 300 shares of Altria
  • 100 shares of Caterpillar
Reach 100% savings rate during at least 2 months this year

Health goals

Run a half marathon
Run at least 20 miles each week
Buy a bike and start riding (pretty vague I know)
Eat more grilled chicken and fish
Kayak on the lake more often


Education goals

Read at least 30 books on various business topics investing, retirement, sales, real estate, passive income, motivation, personal improvement

Start seriously researching side hustles in case I unplug from the work force prematurely
Read past Chapter 1 in my Microsoft Office 2013 manual
Take a couple of college courses on any subject excluding math, physics, chemistry, or any other subject that is subject to cause long term psychological damage (maybe photography, marketing, real estate, or stock market analysis)

Fun goals

Attend all 8 Houston Texans home games (I used to go to every game for 8 years)
Attend at least 2 Longhorn football games in Austin
Attend a weekend baseball series at Disch Falk field in Austin
Take a long road trip through Colorado with the wifey
Take a long road trip through California along the PCH (again with the wifey)
Learn how to play guitar
Transition back to a 5 day workweek
Spend more time drinking cold beer in my hammock (Must achieve 5 day work week first)
Build a new deck for the backyard
Learn to play golf
Install indirect lighting throughout the house
Enter 20 different 5K and 10K runs in different cities


Professional goals

Continue to build a world class and dominant sales team
Promote at least two of my hand picked sales proteges into management
Increase sales by 10% and net profit by 25%
Increase Linked In contacts to at least 1500 people
Earn $250,000 from my day job
Spend more one on one time with sales associates (Not a negative like many may think)


Blog goals

Create an About page
Learn to create graphs (without throwing the monitor through the window)
Use the HTML button without destroying the blog
Add more information to the month end summary (Income, expenses, networth)
Create a few more entries each month

44 comments:

  1. Some pretty awesome goals MDP, both financially and in life. Certainly keep us posted with your P2P Lending pursuits. I know I've had great success over the last five years of investing in P2P Lending, and love when others share that positive experience.

    I'm curious what side hustles you might pursue given the depth and nature of your lifestyle goals? Not a whole lot of time! I'm presuming this site will likely be one of your side hustles.

    Needless to say, 2014 was a incredible success, and I'm happy to have been able to follow along on your journey thus far.

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    Replies
    1. W2R,

      I have always been intrigued with Lending Club/Prosper, but I have never pulled the trigger. I once signed up back in 2007 without funding the account. I haven't really looked too deeply into what side hustles I may try. Probably some buying and selling (of what I don't know) and part time work from the house. I'll keep my ideas posted as I develop them.

      MDP

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    2. It is nice that you have made some good detailed goals. However, aren't you potentially shortchanging yourself by saying " I want to own 300 shares of MO" in the event that the stock gets overpriced? I think it is nice to want to own shares in great companies, but you should not do it blindly just for the sake of achieving a goal - the ultimate goal is to get enough dividend income from sustainable sources, that grows over time & which you don't overpay for.

      I do like the fact that you have health and fun goals - the journey has to be enjoyable, since every moment is precious. Plus, without health ( physical and emotional), FI will be no fun.

      Good luck in your dividend investing journey!

      Dividend Growth Investor

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    3. DGI,

      Good question about the allocation. I think that I was trying to paint a broad "ideal" portfolio. I ultimately will try to buy what I feel is a good value. All of the companies I listed are excellent to own for income. Looking at MO's price in the mid $50s, I will not be adding anytime soon. :-) I might trade these shares for more PM.

      MDP

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  2. great goals.good luck to you in 2015

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  3. Your goals put mine to shame! One day though...

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    1. DFD,

      Until I was 30, I didn't even have goals. :-) Keep making steady progress and amazing things will happen in the future!

      MDP

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  4. Damn, those are some goals. I wish you the best man, because you'll need to be a rockstar in several aspects of your life. Looking forward to reading about your journey. Have a great weekend
    -Bryan

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    Replies
    1. IS,

      Haha! I may have overloaded my plate at the buffet. That's ok. If I miss a few so be it. I really want to focus on the important ones which are less hours at work and the passive income goals. I will probably have varying degrees of success with the others.

      MDP

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  5. Wow!!! Those are some fantastic goals and put to shame some of the goals I have. All the best to to you...you are aiming high as everyone should.

    R2R

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    1. R2R,

      I couldn't agree with you more. Without a starting point (written goals) very little progress is made.

      MDP

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  6. Incredible goals and a wonderful balance between work/play/investing. Just curious, if you (when you) hit the forward dividend target, how many more years left until early FI?

    All the best!

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    1. FI,

      Right now, I am focusing on leaving the workplace sometime during 2018. A lot can happen (both good and bad) in the mean time. I will continue to take it one day a time. I have slowly changed my thought process from living on dividends alone, to a withdrawal/income retirement plan. I can't wait to map out the plan!

      MDP

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  7. Great goals MDP and a great 2014 for you! i am working on building my list for 2015 aswell, a few more weeks ( and a few drinks ) to figure out the final bits. cheers T

    ReplyDelete
  8. Would say add Dr Pepper to the mix and Time Warner. Dr Pepper has been adding great products and HBO adding online streaming is going to be a money machine.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous,

      I am so kicking myself for not choosing DPS last fall when it was in the mid 40s with a 3.5% yield. Now at 70 I feel like it has gotten away from me. I still watch it and would love to own some shares.

      MDP

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  9. Great set of goals. I am looking to open an account in P2P lending as well in order to diversify the passive income. Need to research more on that.

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    1. DGJ,

      I will be interested to see your progress goes with P2P lending. I really don't have a plan laid out but I will probably use a mixture of high/low interest rate loans for additional yet riskier returns.

      MDP

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  10. MDP,

    Great list of goals there. Extremely robust across the spectrum of both financial and personal. :)

    Wishing you the best of luck with all of them. You seem to be really driven, so I'm sure you'll exceed even your lofty expectations.

    I'm curious, however, as to how you'll attain a 100% savings rate? Even spending $1 for the year means you didn't save 100%.

    Best of luck!

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DM,

      I guest I should clarify the 100% savings rate. I meant I would like to be able to save 100% of my day job income which in turn means my passive income would cover my expenses. I would like to be able to do this a couple of times this year. We'll see how it goes.

      MDP

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  11. Whoa, slow down there MDP. Are you trying to buy the entire market. =)

    But, good job with your current goals. Just remember not to rough yourself up like this year. =)

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    1. BDI,

      Haha....No I just want a little more than my fair share. :-) You are right about not getting too carried away. That is why I am slowing things down for a couple of months to regroup and restrategize.

      MDP

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  12. Wow great list of goals. Love that you not only listed financial goals but health goals and fun goals. Kayak on the lake sounds a lot of fun. I love kayaking myself but only have done sea kayaking so far.

    Spend more time drinking cold beer in my hammock -> I totally should have this on my 2015 goal list!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Tawcan,

      There are few things better than a sunny day with a cold beer relaxing in a hammock. I hope to have quite a few of them next year and for many years to come.

      MDP

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  13. Boom. Have some of that!

    I love to see these type of goals MDP. You've listed a huge amount of goals to focus on for 2015. I think it's important to spread the areas in which you set these goals, which you've most certainly done!

    $250k a year! Wow. I really like the professional goals about getting your team promoted. I've been inspired by that and will endeavor to do the same.

    Good luck with single one of your goals for 2015!

    Huw

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    Replies
    1. Huw,

      Thanks for the support and you are correct about spreading the goals around different areas of your life. Unfortunately for most of my life I have focused more on professional goals than on other areas of our life. I am finally trying to find a better work life balance. I still have a way to go before things are ideal.

      MDP

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  14. MDP,

    Your goals are all pretty awesome. I too have my eyes set on Lending Club, and would love to continue to build a stronger stock portfolio - even half that strong.

    As a scientist I got a real chuckle out of your education goals, "Take a couple of college courses on any subject excluding math, physics, chemistry, or any other subject that is subject to cause long term psychological damage (maybe photography, marketing, real estate, or stock market analysis)."

    Even with my education background I have to agree with you there, those can definitely dropkick your ego and punch you square in the brain. Biology (botany specifically) isn't all that bad.

    - Dividend Gremlin

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    Replies
    1. DG,

      Lending club is something that I have been meaning to explore. I currently own some shares of a high yield bond fund, but I like the idea of creating my own loan portfolio.

      I spent my first two years in college studying Mechanical Engineering while in college and quite honestly it was beyond my scope. I enjoyed some of the classes, but once I reached Thermodynamics, Mechanics of Solids, and a few other nightmare classes, I threw in the towel. I never did take any "fun" classes in school and it is one of my biggest regrets.

      Maybe I can take a study a few enjoyable courses even if they are only online classes.

      MDP

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  15. MDP,sweet list of goals! If you hit 1/2 of those, you will be ahead of 99% of new years goal setters. Looking forward to watching you divide and conquer in 2015!

    Cheers, AA

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    1. AA,

      Thanks buddy! I probably got a bit carried away. I just started writing down some of the things I would like to do this year. The investment and health goals are feasible in my mind and the fun goals would be a cherry on top.

      MDP

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  16. MDP,

    Nice! Obviously it looks like a slowdown from the investment standpoint on dividend purchases, but I see you'll shift that to other things - lending club, etc..

    I like the instrument and spending time with associates, as well as road trips = clutch.

    20 road races is a lot MDP, just warning you, but you live in an area where you probably could, where as in Ohio (Cleveland) it gets too cold and you really have only 5-6 months of prime running weather, so races are limited without tearing down the body. You can do it, just make sure you recover and rest.

    I like your goals on "positions" in companies to get to a round/whole share amount, makes it interesting, I like it.

    Definitely lofty goals, but I am sure you will get the pen ready to cross them off your list, best of luck and keep us updated at least quarterly, if not - monthly on the goal status!

    -Lanny

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    1. Lanny,

      As always, I appreciate the support and encouragement! As far as the running goes, when I was a the track this morning it was a very moderate 60 degrees. There are a few days in January and early February that can be in 25-30 degree range. The hardest runs for me are when it is 83 and 100% humidity at 6am in July and August.

      MDP

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    2. I really love how your goals are so so so comprehensive, and get really fun at the same time! I really need to sit down with my husband and work through some more goals for both of us in many different areas.

      I wish you the best of success with each and every goal you've set!

      Cheers!

      Delete
    3. M,

      Thanks for the well wishes! I wish you success with your goals as well. Make sure you write them down and more importantly review them often.

      MDP

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  17. Love this list of goals, especially the non finance ones. Investors can be too focused on financial planning for the future and forget about today.

    I too am wanting to run a half marathon. It'll be my first time doing that.

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    1. PMU,

      Good luck with your half marathon goal! At times I get too focused on FI goals and forget why I am trying to reach them. Sixty minutes of sunny day running when its 60 degrees reminds me of what life is all about.

      MDP

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  18. wow!! those are fantastic goals with $16K in dividends.

    Good luck in your goals!
    PIM

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  19. MDP,

    This is a solid and holistic set of goals.

    If you need any help with creating charts or just about anything in Excel, let me know and I would be more than happy to help you. A career in Finance has kind of made me the king nerd of excel.

    Looking forward to following your blog and your journey.

    Cheers!

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    1. GYFG,

      Accomplishing financial goals are obviously important. Equally important in my mind is health and education. Without sounding like a state of the union address, I would like to see improvement in both the areas as well. I appreciate your offer with the charts as my computer skills hover just over complete suckitude!

      MDP

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