Every year for 3 years now, I’ll set targets that I wish to achieve for the year, using a holistic framework called 8 forms of capital. 

We usually understand capital as financial capital, i.e. money. This framework was created by Ethan Roland & Gregory Landua as a way to broaden our economic understanding of capital beyond money, using permaculture principles. They asked:

“What would it look like if we re-designed the global financial system using permaculture principles?” What if our financial system looked more like an ecosystem?” 

The 8 forms of capital are:

? Financial capital: money, financial instruments, investments

⚒️ Material capital: materials, natural resources, tools buildings, infrastructure

? Living capital: nature, land, ecosystems, animals, health (my own addition)

? Intellectual capital: ideas, knowledge, words, images, intellectual property

? Experiential capital: action, embodied experienced, worldly wisdom

? Social capital: connections, relationships, influence

? Cultural capital: song, story, ritual, art, theatre, community customs

⛩️ Spiritual capital: prayer, faith, beliefs, spiritual attainment

I love how the framework made me think about capital beyond simply money. You have capital (in the form of social capital) if you have friends who can help you organise your wedding, for example, instead of paying money (financial capital) for an event organiser to do it. So different forms of capital can transform/replace financial capital, and vice versa. Typically this framework was used to talk about a more holistic perspective of financial and economic systems, but I adapted this for personal, lifestyle design purposes, which I think still works! After all, aren’t we all agents and actors embodying these forms of capital within our economic systems? And it helps me think and plan holistically, so that I don’t over-emphasize one aspect of life over another. Seeing capital in 8 forms also puts money in its rightful place and priority, as an enabler for the other forms of capital that contributes to happiness and well-being; as a means to an end instead of an end in itself. It probably feels like over-planning for some who prefer to freestyle their way through life, but for me at least, the important part here less about the hard specifics and more about setting intentions. The specifics can evolve or iterate as the year progresses. The list then becomes the basis of my review at the end of the year - yes it can be used for holistically reviewing what you done too.
 

It’s the first time I’m sharing these very personal targets…kind of nervous about it. But here goes anyway! 

? Financial capital

How much money do I need to achieve location-independence and other goals?

? Raise my consultant day rate

? $X by end Dec 2019 (only confidential target here - not that open for this yet)

? Earn my first $1 MRR (monthly recurring revenue)

? Pay off $10k debt in housing

⚒️ Material capital

What tools would I enjoy owning/using that would also help me achieve my goals?

? Settle home fengshui

? Wireless headphones

? Fitness tracker

? Kintsugi DIY kits from Etsy

? Buy software and tools for learning coding and making web apps

? Living capital

How do I stay healthy and fit, and enjoy well-being?

Physical wellness -

? Running 5km under 24min by June, 10km under 50min by Dec

? Incorporate more natural movement in daily work-life (key to longevity than workouts)

? Healthy diet with less sugar, processed foods

? 1 cup of coffee per day

? 1 cup of ice cream per week (I have a weakness for it!)

Mental wellness -

? Kyoto in Mar

? June trip

? Aug trip with wife

? Oct trip for wedding anniversary 

? Dec trip for retreat

? Trip with parents

? Monthly swim in ocean/forest bath

? Intellectual capital

What do I want to learn this year?

? Utilise SkillsFuture credits for online coding courses

? Writing 200 words a day

? Learn more about design ethics, UX of trust

? Listening to 1 podcast/watching 1 shipstream per week

? Learn more about natural birthing

? Read 12 books in 12 months #12booksin12months

? Experiential capital

What experiences do I want to have and grow from? What do I want to practice more in?

? Make 1 product per quarter, 4 products in 2019

? Coding at least 1 web app

? Conduct 1 marketing experiment

? Making 1 physical product

? Creating 1 travel video

? Start to learn driving - complete Basic and Advanced Theory at least

? Work in Japan/ have 1 overseas gig

? Social capital

Who do I want to be with, learn from and/or be inspired by?

? Monthly tea with parents

? Quarterly family outings with parents

? Continue to connect with inspiring makers on Twitter and Twitch

? Cultural capital

Which countries and cultures do I want to learn more from?

? Learn a traditional craft in Kyoto

? Make something from the Kyoto trip (video? physical product?)

? Continue learning Japanese

? Learn kintsugi (from Etsy DIY kits), apply that to Peranakan bowls

⛩️ Spiritual capital

What spiritual practices would help me grow in my understanding of myself and the world/universe?

? Start+keep 2019 spirit journal

? Continue to learn about birth scripts/ birth traumas

? Learn more about Ayurvedic lifestyle and diet

? Year-end retreat for restoration and reflection

So what do you think of using the 8 forms of capital as a method to review and set personal bucket lists?

? Day 26 of the #200wad challenge.