If I Were a Rich Man!

I have talked in this blog about visioning and futuring. The idea of both actions is to imagine a World or our lives as we think they should be in months, years, and decades. When we attempt to document our vision or future, we often limit ourselves based on time, money, or skill set. Today, instead, let us put aside any limitations and talk about my unencumbered vision for the future. I hope this will inspire others to conduct a similar exercise, especially as we move to the penultimate week of the year.

Education

1. Learn and regularly use Spanish, Chinese, and Russian.
2. Obtain a second doctorate in cyberpsychology.
3. Read all the books in the Great Books of the Western World series.?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books_of_the_Western_World)
4. Learn to mountain climb.
5. Learn to cook a gourmet meal from Gordon Ramsey.
6. Learn to play the guitar.
7. Get selected to be a contestant on Jeopardy.
8. Learn how to fly a plane.
9. Learn how to program artificial intelligence.
10. Learn how to skydive.

Profession and Research

1. Become a Chief Information Security Officer.
2. Join a think-tank for cybersecurity policy as a researcher.
3. Develop an AI capable of making risk-based decisions for decision-makers.
4. Appear on a list of the most influential cybersecurity professionals of my time.
5. Be awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.
6. Discover something about computing or cybersecurity that ends up in a textbook.
7. Become a professor of cybersecurity at a prestigious university.
8. Write a #1 New York Times Bestseller in non-fiction.
9. Speak as the keynote at RSA Conference.
10. Become a paid professional cybersecurity speaker.

Philosophical or Religious

1. Definitively discover the meaning of life and have everyone agree I am right.
2. Reach a state of self-actualization.
3. Develop a political system that results in no opposing viewpoints.
4. Establish an economic system that equitably distributes wealth and works globally.
5. Quantitatively determine the true answer to the question, “How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop.”
6. Learn Kabbalah.?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah
7. Have a one-on-one private discussion with the Pope about how to unite all religions.
8. Determine if we are truly alone in the universe.
9. Answer the question of whether predestination exists.
10. Interview someone who has had an actual, near-death experience.

Travel

1. Visit every continent.
2. Sail around the World on a single trip.
3. Visit Greece, Italy, England, France, and Spain.
4. Fly on a space shuttle.
5. Travel from the Dead Sea to the summit of Mount Everest in a single trip.
6. Visit Australia.
7. Visit Iwo Jima.
8. Visit every US Civil War battlefield.
9. Go on a food tour of every major cuisine of Asia.
10. Visit the North and South Poles in a single trip.

????????????????????????????????????????????Home????????

1. Second story.
2. Oasis backyard with a complete waterpark.
3. High-tech movie theater with seating for fifty with a constantly fully stocked snack bar.
4. In-home personal chef.
5. In-home gym with a live-in personal trainer.
6. Roof-top helipad.
7. Fully stocked wine cellar organized by region with a live-in sommelier.
8. In-home hotel quality spa and massage room.
9. Modular rooms capable of being moved around the property with the push of a button.
10. Grand ballroom with an on-demand symphony orchestra.

Summary

The preceding lists allowed for some fun and futuring on what could be possible if time, money, and skill were no object. However, I have a few thoughts as I critically analyze my lists and consider the overarching themes. First, education is essential to me, and most of my “Education” list is attainable and connected to my work or personal interests. There are certainly also a few radical ideas. The “Professional and Research” list is the one of which I am most critical. Many of the items involve reaching the pinnacle of my career or receiving recognition at the highest levels possible. We all desire to achieve a level of recognition that validates our hard work. When I began creating the “Philosophical or Religious” list, I decided to think “way outside the box.” I do not expect that I will ever achieve these, but what a story if I accomplished just one. The “Travel” and “Home” lists were the most fun and allowed me to involve my wife in the fun. The theme of both of the final two lists was experiencing history, food, and wine with my favorite travel buddy. I also enjoy the idea of extremes, so items 5 and 10 on the “Travel” lists were the most exciting to imagine.

The lesson to be learned in this exercise is not to create a “bucket list” or a list of entirely attainable items. The idea is to consider your interests and personal and professional values and not limit yourself. While certain things may never be achieved, there are many items on this list that you might be motivated to attempt once written. Writing something down makes it more permanent and real and less of a fleeting thought. Do not be afraid to dream big dreams.