Rich Life Habits: Interview – 1
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This is the first of the interview series where we ask people some of their most successful habits and some lessons learned along the way.
If you’d like to share your story with the Rich Life Habits community, please reach out here.
This interview was conducted in early April. The picture was by the interviewee.
Questions are in bolded italics and the answers are right below the questions.
Background
How old are you? Do you have a spouse/partner? Do you have any children?
I am 61.5 y/o. I have a wife, 2 grown boys with wives and a grandson
What part of the country do you live in? (ex. Suburbs of mid-Atlantic city, rural mid-western town, downtown west-coast city)
We live in the Mid-Atlantic of Central Maryland. The area is suburban
How would you define “a rich life”? What does “living a rich life” mean to you? Can you provide any examples of how your definition evolved to what it is today?
A life with balance between work, play, and family. Achieving a rich life with financial stability. Being able to have enough money saved to balance work, my wife, my kids, and my parents
What are some daily/monthly/yearly habits that have helped motivate you to reach your goals and how have they produced results for you?
Financially– putting away 30% of each paycheck to cover extra IRS taxes. Daily and weekly exercise. Setting goals for exercise and exercising with a partner. I ran 5 marathons and I trained with the same partner
Professional:
Business or Career part of life, aka your job
What are some habits that have helped you in your career/professional life? Can you provide some stories/examples of the habits?
Doing the most important things first. The book by Stephen Covey “The 7 Habits of Highly effective people” is a good resource and has examples
What are some habits that you wish you didn’t have during your career/professional life? Can you provide some stories/examples of the habits?
Trying to be a perfectionist
How much time do you devote to your career/profession (work)? What is your work-life balance like?
I’m retired now so I am able to devote all of my time to what I want.
Family & Friends:
Those people you love unconditionally even if they drive you crazy // Like-minded people you choose to spend time with
How have you been able to keep healthy and long-lasting family & friend relationships?
To keep things working there has to be some give and take.
Why have some of your family & friend relationships not lasted?
Following the lines of my previous answer, not giving and receiving equally.
What habits (actions done repeatedly) have you used to keep family & friend relationships going?
The best friendships I’ve kept up with are those that I connect with regularly.
Physical:
The body
At what point in your life were you the most physically fit? Why?
I was age 40 and I was in the middle of marathon season training.
What was your schedule/life like during that time-period?
5:30 am runs, being at work by 8:30am working to 6:00 or 6:30 and eating all the time. Had to replace all those calories I burned.
What habits did you use during that time-period?
Lots of time management. While running took up a lot of my free time, I had to balance all of my other obligations.
Mental:
Intellectual and cognitive parts of the brain
Are you able to stimulate your mind as much as you would like? Why or Why not?
Yes, I do a variety of activities ranging from athletics, playing cards, and working with my hands. I am currently working on sewing my first custom-designed quilt.
Spiritual:
The soul of a person
How do you spend the time when you are doing things for yourself? How does each of these make you feel afterward?
I zone out. This allows me to clear my mind and it helps to relax me.
What is your preferred practice to clear your mind?
Taking a long bike ride with a book on my ear piece.
Financial:
The monetary situation
What habits do you use to keep your budget under control? What software/tools do you use if any?
Save 30% of each paycheck, pay off every credit card bill every month. I keep it all straight using Quicken
How have you been able to increase your net worth? By earning/saving/investing more? How? Please provide examples.
Investing in stocks and bonds regularly and starting at a very young age