Thinking About My Perfect Day

The past few weeks have been filled with graduation celebrations and a much-needed vacation.  For those of you who did not read my recent article titled I Graduated Fellowship. Now What?  I suggest you do.  That article parses out my jubilation and anxiety now that I have finally completed all of my medical education.  After a decade of tireless work, I have reached the mountaintop.  I elected to take a few weeks of vacation before I return to campus as faculty.  With my mornings offering a leisurely pace, I have had time to reflect on my personal, professional, and financial goals.  One dream I have been fixated on involves a possible future day in the life of a more financially free me at 40.  I thought it would be a great exercise to write down what this theoretical day in the future might be like.  Here are my reflections thinking about my perfect day.

My morning routine

I generally wake up around 5:30 AM no matter what.  Alarm or no alarm, it tends to be when my internal clock goes off.  I think this was something that developed during medical school.  All those early mornings studying before class seemed to have left an impression on my circadian rhythm.  This day is no different. 

The next few hours are filled with freshly brewed coffee, light reading, and writing.  The mornings have always been ‘my time.’  My wife enjoys her beauty rest and my children will sleep a bit later if I am quiet.  Now… is ‘daddy’s time.’  It is in the early hours that I truly have uninterrupted time.  This time is usually inundated with emails, but I save all that for work.  Now I protect this time to put my thoughts on paper.  As The Motivated M.D. has evolved over the years, I have been able to write more and outsource the technical work.  It has been nice to have some quality time with my coffee and my thoughts. 

Getting the family out the door

As always, the kids are up around 7 AM.  By now my daughter is 8 and my son is almost 7.  They are hungry and busy as ever.  My wife tends to roll out of bed at this point too.  The next hour is a blur.  Faces shoving food in their mouths, the kitchen looking like a bomb went off, and the dog diligently mopping up any missed scraps. 

Eventually my wife throws a kiss my way as she makes it out the door with the kids.  I am left to clean up the mess.  Honestly, I don’t even mind.  I like things clean…real clean.  I’m happy to be the one making sure our home maintains some order!  With the family out of the house I take the dog for a walk.  Here I catch up on podcasts, listen to music, and catch up on social calls.  If I am lucky, I may even have a chance to dictate more thoughts regarding my next blog post while we walk. 

Off to work

As I finish cleaning up, showering, and throwing on scrubs, I make a few last-minute notes to myself and I am out the door.  You know, I never tire of my drive in.  It is beautiful every single time.  This is something I have never taken for granted.  I love where I live.  The scenery is beautiful!  I am surrounded by a bustling city, vibrant culture, and coastal nature at its finest!  I have been fortunate enough to remain in my academic position all these years.  Who would have ever thought I would still be practicing pulmonary and critical care medicine at the same hospital this far out of fellowship?

Now in my 40’s I have been able to drastically alter my career outlook in the healthcare field.  My early 30’s were plagued with anxiety, frustration, and concern over my financial situation.  Yes, I did have a financial plan that I executed, but nothing could lessen the weight I felt from my medical debt.  Between building confidence in my career to reaching an attending salary and paying off my debt…my enthusiasm has been revitalized!

A different mentality

I now set foot on the hospital’s campus eager to help patients.  Where did this vigor come from?  It came from freeing myself from the shackles of debt.  With my debt eliminated I can now work because I want to work, not because I have to (ish…).  Sure, I have not reached fat financial independence, but I have enough to sustain a very modest life (if I wanted to retire).  I also have taken comfort knowing that I have no debt to leave my loved ones in the event of the unexpected. 

The rest of the day is a blur of consults, procedures, family meetings and education…not to mention the documentation!  However, throughout all of this process, there is an air of ease.  I am working now because I have fallen back in love with ‘being a doctor.’  My mind is no longer clouded by the weight of debt and financial uncertainty.  Ahhh…this feeling still has not gone away.  I pray it doesn’t. 

Cruising into the weekend

As I wrap up my work and head home, my drive is filled with thoughts of weekend plans all washed over a background of financial podcasts and music.  I have a few projects left to complete.  There are some flower boxes that need a fresh coat of paint.  I did promise my wife I would finish them after all.  Maybe we will get some time on the beach?  Pizza night this Saturday will be delicious.  I have researched an idea for a fig and prosciutto pie on the grill that should be ‘to die for!’

I am excited about being able to put one final edit on my blog post before I publish and start to brainstorm ideas for my next post.  In my new found time, it has been great to write more than one post a week.  Not because I have to, but because I continue to find so much joy from the process of writing.  Over the years, the blog has evolved from being strictly about personal finance to discussing overall financial philosophy and experience.  As our family grows, new financial opportunities arise.  These opportunities continue to humble and educate me.  It has been great being able to share with my community my thoughts, experiments, and actions through the lens of a financially motivated physician.  The constant interaction with others learning to navigate the complexities of physician finance has been therapeutic and rewarding. 

A beer on the porch

As the sun begins to dip down over the horizon, the kids are fast asleep and my wife is already starting to doze off on the cough.  Can I be honest?  Ever since becoming a parent there is nothing I love more than using my kids as the excuse for my 8:00 PM bedtime.  Getting a good night’s sleep is a game-changer at this age.  But this beautiful Friday evening I have one thing planned before bed…and I am sitting here on the porch doing it. 

Enjoying every moment

See, one of the greatest things about my current position in life is this moment right here.  Reveling in my accomplishments.  Not the gaudy ones that hang on my wall…but the real ones.  The ones that really matter.  The fact that I have a roof over my head.  Yeah, it is not a McMansion, but it is a beautiful home, and more than enough for our family size and fiscal goals.  It offers me a spectacular view.  Again, we may not be oceanfront, but the smell of the tide coming in over the marsh is close enough to reach my nose.  I have my loyal dog curled up on the floor next to me as the sweat from my IPA drips slowly onto the ground next to him.  My beautiful family is safe and secure inside, dreaming about what adventures tomorrow will hold.  And me, I am perfectly content. 

See, honestly, I have been waiting all day for this moment.  In my middle age, I have found joy in reflecting on all the things I have in my life.  I too still daydream about my ‘wants’ but I find myself doing that less and less.  The things that matter to me know are all within arm’s reach.  My marriage has only gotten better with age.  My time with my children is worth all the money in the world….and there is still something quintessential about the taste of a local brew to kick off the weekend.

Back to reality

OK…back to reality.  I’m not 40, I am actually 33.  I have not paid off my debt nor have I remotely reached financial independence.  This was an exercise I wanted to try that I originally saw in Costa Rica FIRE (featured in Physician on Fire).  I find it can be helpful to exercise our imagination as we build towards our goals.  There is nothing wrong with a little daydreaming as we think about our future selves.  What will it be like when we finally reach our goals?  What happens when you throw in a dose of reality?  Do those goals change substantially?  When you extrapolate your current goals over the next decade, do you think their achievement will feel as substantial as you anticipate? 

Notice how I discussed relatively little (compared to my other posts) about money, or its complicated grip on my life.  When I am 40, I will (hopefully) have gained years’ worth of financial education and experience.  Yet, I want to have so much of my finances on autopilot that it no longer significantly affects my day-to-day life.  I want my retirement accounts to be maxed out.  I want to automatically invest after each pay period.  My children’s 529’s should already be full and coasting through to college.  That is why this exercise was so important to me. 

Take home points

This writing forced me to reflect on what matters.  Yes, my goal of intelligent financial choices and independence will always heavily influence the decisions I make in my life.  However, as I grow, I find myself seeing money more and more as a means to an end.  I want to use the financial superpower that my wife and I have (as a dual physician household) to secure the quality of life I want… at a time I want.  Now, I am also a realist… I understand that we often make plans and the world laughs.  My future will be no different.  I realize that life will continue to throw curveballs my way.  There is nothing we can do as it applies to the change’s life will bring.  All you can control is how you will respond.  If you align your actions with the goals you make, then no matter what the future holds, I feel strongly that you too will get your perfect day.  Cheers!  As always…

Stay Motivated!

The Motivated M.D.

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What is your perfect day like? Does it even pertain to money at all? We would love to hear from you in the comments down below!

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