Annual Goals
Vai is incredibly disciplined and likes to challenge himself as much as possible. He does this by creating a list of goals at the start of every year. These goals serve the purpose of keeping Vai health and fit, happy go lucky, driven in life and noble in mind. To ensure he takes these goals seriously, Vai shares them with all his friends and family at the start of year and then assigns a financial punishment to every failed goal. This money is donated to a charity of Vai's choice at the end of the year; a win-win situation :)
2020
After a great 2019 for my goals, it's time to continue the tradition. So to keep me motivated, time to share my 2020 goals!
2019
A goal is a dream with a deadline - Napoleon Hill
2018 was a great year for my goals and it's time to continue the tradition. So to keep me motivated, time to share my 2019 goals!
2018 was a great year for my goals and it's time to continue the tradition. So to keep me motivated, time to share my 2019 goals!
2018
Life happens fast. Gotta work hard and take what you want before it's over. 2017 was a fantastic year for my goals and it's time to continue the tradition. So to keep me motivated, time to share my 2018 goals!
Once again, I'll have four kinds of goals; Fitness, Happiness, Progres and Charity.
Once again, I'll have four kinds of goals; Fitness, Happiness, Progres and Charity.
2017
Life happens fast. Gotta work hard and take what you want before it's over. To keep me motivated, time to share my 2017 goals! Starting this year, I'll have four kinds of goals; Fitness, Happiness, Progress and Charity.
2016
Life happens fast. Gotta work hard and take what you want before it's over. To keep me motivated, I'm gonna share my fitness goals again in 2016.
2015
Feels like this was ages ago. This was the first year when I started to publically share my goals in an attempt to hold myself to account publically and really push myself to achieve.
12th August 2014 (my Birthday)
Growing up, there was so much I wanted to do. So many things - big and small, that I wanted to achieve, to conquer. But life happened so fast, that many of these just fell through the net.
After doing reasonably well at high school, I continued to university where I graduated with a 1st class degree in M.Eng Aeronautical (engineering) in 2011. Before I could decide what I wanted next, there was already some financial pressure and an urgency to get moving. So I started to work in the aviation industry as a fleet engineer. After a year, I took up a job for an investment bank.
The work I do is fine (and frequently interesting), the people are awesome and the pay isn't bad either. Still, somewhere within me, I feel something is lacking. There's more to my life than working long hours to raise the share price of an organisation by half a penny.
So I've decided to take a break. I'm taking a full year out of work to do an MBA. For one full year, I'll have the chance to plan what I'm going to do with the rest of my life.
And in parallel (while I'm out of the hamster wheel) - I'm going to take the opportunity to chase a few of my childhood (and recent) dreams.
And I'm going to try and achieve it all, by my birthday next year.
Some of these are quite trivial, others more challenging. Most will mean Nothing to 99% of the population - but growing up, this is what I always aspired to be able to do.
Any support you can offer - training, tips, contacts, strategy or even words of motivation are most appreciated.!
Growing up, there was so much I wanted to do. So many things - big and small, that I wanted to achieve, to conquer. But life happened so fast, that many of these just fell through the net.
After doing reasonably well at high school, I continued to university where I graduated with a 1st class degree in M.Eng Aeronautical (engineering) in 2011. Before I could decide what I wanted next, there was already some financial pressure and an urgency to get moving. So I started to work in the aviation industry as a fleet engineer. After a year, I took up a job for an investment bank.
The work I do is fine (and frequently interesting), the people are awesome and the pay isn't bad either. Still, somewhere within me, I feel something is lacking. There's more to my life than working long hours to raise the share price of an organisation by half a penny.
So I've decided to take a break. I'm taking a full year out of work to do an MBA. For one full year, I'll have the chance to plan what I'm going to do with the rest of my life.
And in parallel (while I'm out of the hamster wheel) - I'm going to take the opportunity to chase a few of my childhood (and recent) dreams.
And I'm going to try and achieve it all, by my birthday next year.
Some of these are quite trivial, others more challenging. Most will mean Nothing to 99% of the population - but growing up, this is what I always aspired to be able to do.
Any support you can offer - training, tips, contacts, strategy or even words of motivation are most appreciated.!
1. Hand walking (from 1997)
...so when I was a kid, I once saw a video of a guy who could walk on his hands. Not normal I thought, but really cool. He managed to impress everybody, (including the chicks). I remember thinking to myself - I'm gonna be able to do this one day, and then I'll be able to impress everyone!. Of course, I grew up and in doing so, acquired common sense which prevented me from spending time honing this talent.
But, what the hell - I'm gonna practice, until I can do this, and make the child within me proud.
But, what the hell - I'm gonna practice, until I can do this, and make the child within me proud.
2. Beating Mario (from 1995)
Who hasn't played the classic Mario on atari? Whether you are serious gamer or not, we all grew up loving this game.
As a guy who calls himself a keen gamer, I'm embarrassed to say, I've never beat this game. The furthest I got was level 4, when the bad cloud guy threw some hedgehog things over my head and I died! Sniff..
I'm gonna go around the globe if I have to, but I'm gonna find a playable version of this game, and I'm gonna play it, till I beat it.
Princess Peach- your savior was delayed 15 years, but don't lose hope. Thou shall be rescued.
As a guy who calls himself a keen gamer, I'm embarrassed to say, I've never beat this game. The furthest I got was level 4, when the bad cloud guy threw some hedgehog things over my head and I died! Sniff..
I'm gonna go around the globe if I have to, but I'm gonna find a playable version of this game, and I'm gonna play it, till I beat it.
Princess Peach- your savior was delayed 15 years, but don't lose hope. Thou shall be rescued.
3. Armwrestling (from 2002)
Ok, so growing up, I was either the, or amongst the, smallest guys in the class. This often meant, I was the weakest too. In my days, strength was tested through a friendly over the bench game called arm-wrestling (or where I come from - Punja). I remember I wanted to become the strongest guy around - which of course never happened. I ate plenty of milk and almonds (doodh-badam) to gain strength (the Indian way).
I studied the art of arm-wrestling and followed professional competitions (the fore-arms on those guys were huge!). And I did my best to bulk up - (it aids leveraging). There's still a lot of work to do, and I ain't done until I know I'm the strongest guy around. I realise this is unlikely to happen, but if I chase the impossible, I might get close one day.
I studied the art of arm-wrestling and followed professional competitions (the fore-arms on those guys were huge!). And I did my best to bulk up - (it aids leveraging). There's still a lot of work to do, and I ain't done until I know I'm the strongest guy around. I realise this is unlikely to happen, but if I chase the impossible, I might get close one day.
4. Human Flag (from 2006)
Image shows Jason Statham (from Transporter, The bank job, Expendables series) doing a human flag.
The first time I saw someone do it, was around a decade ago, and I thought to myself - how hard could this be? So I tried. The answer turned out to be "very".
I've never been able to do it till date. I'm advised it requires immense upper body and core strength.
I don't have it yet.. but I will in one year.
The first time I saw someone do it, was around a decade ago, and I thought to myself - how hard could this be? So I tried. The answer turned out to be "very".
I've never been able to do it till date. I'm advised it requires immense upper body and core strength.
I don't have it yet.. but I will in one year.
5. Black Belt (from 1993)
The oldest dream!!
I started Shotokan Karate at my school when I was only five. By the time I was six, I had earned my first belt. Thanks to the international nature of my parent's job, I travelled to several exotic destinations - many of which were in the far east, where I was exposed to many forms of martial arts. I grew increasingly fond of them, as I watched martial artists break through wooden logs and perform cool aerial kicking manoeuvres. I trained in a number of disciplines, but could never stay at a place long enough to follow through till the end.
What is the end? Well, for me, it's attaining the black belt.
Today, I'm a working professional and own a range of black belts stored in my wardrobe, but these are faux leather, and only hold my pants up. I'm still to earn a martial arts black belt.
I know this will take years of regular attendance and effort, but I intend to make good progress in 2k14.
I started Shotokan Karate at my school when I was only five. By the time I was six, I had earned my first belt. Thanks to the international nature of my parent's job, I travelled to several exotic destinations - many of which were in the far east, where I was exposed to many forms of martial arts. I grew increasingly fond of them, as I watched martial artists break through wooden logs and perform cool aerial kicking manoeuvres. I trained in a number of disciplines, but could never stay at a place long enough to follow through till the end.
What is the end? Well, for me, it's attaining the black belt.
Today, I'm a working professional and own a range of black belts stored in my wardrobe, but these are faux leather, and only hold my pants up. I'm still to earn a martial arts black belt.
I know this will take years of regular attendance and effort, but I intend to make good progress in 2k14.
6. 180 Split (from 1995)
Looks painful, I know.
The movie is Bloodsport (1988). This shows one of my all time favourites - the muscles from Brussels, Jean Claude Van Damme doing what he does best - the 180 degree leg splits.
I've never been able to do it, but I was much closer to a 180 degree angle when I was six than I am now. I haven't practised for over ten years. I'm being advised it's impossible to acquire this degree of flexibility now. Let's see.
The movie is Bloodsport (1988). This shows one of my all time favourites - the muscles from Brussels, Jean Claude Van Damme doing what he does best - the 180 degree leg splits.
I've never been able to do it, but I was much closer to a 180 degree angle when I was six than I am now. I haven't practised for over ten years. I'm being advised it's impossible to acquire this degree of flexibility now. Let's see.
7. Entrepreneur (from 2009)
In the past half-a-decade years of my working life, I've realised what makes me tick.
It's doing my own thing, my own way; being my own boss. Nothing else gives me the same satisfaction.
I've had a few failed attempts, but I haven't given up yet.
I don't know what I'm going do do - but I'm going to do something, and I'm going to have to do it soon
It's doing my own thing, my own way; being my own boss. Nothing else gives me the same satisfaction.
I've had a few failed attempts, but I haven't given up yet.
I don't know what I'm going do do - but I'm going to do something, and I'm going to have to do it soon