Berry Simpson’s 100 LIFE GOALS
version 2021 (age 65)
I want to be a man of HOPE, living an AUTHENTIC life, SHARING what I learn, and staying culturally RELEVANT as a lifelong STUDENT of significant things.
BE A MAN OF HOPE (Leaning forward into the future)
1. Live to be 100 years old with Cyndi
2. Celebrate 50th Anniversary with Cyndi (50th = 2029 ...I will be 73)
3. Publish five family photo albums
4. Go on a cruise with family and friends
5. skydive (I'm sure once will be plenty)
6. Eat regular lunches with granddaughters (like I did with B & K)
7. Celebrate 75th anniversary with Cyndi (75th = 2054 … I will be 98)
8. Celebrate anniversary in Hawaii
9. Celebrate anniversary in New Zealand
10. Celebrate anniversary on Med Cruise
11. Help Cyndi handle Deanna’s estate (started in 2017 … still much more ahead)
12. Weigh 175# (the closest I've been as an adult is 185# in 1981)
13. My age in sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups (within a 30-minute time limit)
14. Visit the Amalfi Coast in Italy
15. Visit Pacific Northwest
16. Go to NYC for Broadway plays
17. River cruise in Europe
18. Go to summer Olympics
19. Go to winter Olympics
LIVING AN AUTHENTIC LIFE (Staying engaged)
20. Go backpacking with grandchildren
21. Cycling vacation w/ Cyndi in Italy
22. Cycling vacation w/ Cyndi in New England
23. Cycling vacation w/ Cyndi in Iceland
24. Go on a hot air balloon ride
25. Backpack the White Mountain Wilderness
26. Colorado Trail Thru-Hike (~ one month)
27. Lonestar Trail Thru-Hike (~ one week)
28. Hike the Camino De Santiago with Cyndi (Postponed 2020 and 2021, planning for 2022)
29. White water rafting
30. Cycle across Texas North-South
31. Cycle across Texas West-East
32. Complete a century bike ride (furthest I've ridden so far is 75 miles)
33. Multi-day cycling stage ride
34. Complete a 100-mile trail run
35. Run/Walk one more marathon (to make an even ten)
36. Bike the Great Divide Route (about 3,000 miles, or 6-10 weeks)
37. Hike Appalachian Trail (probably section hiking, at most, a month at a time)
38. Hike Pacific Crest Trail (probably section hiking, at most, a month at a time)
39. Special trip with each granddaughter when they turn 15
40. Hike around Mt. Blanc with Cyndi
41. Hike or bike the California Coast Trail with Cyndi
SHARING WHAT I LEARN (To whom much has been given … )
42. Sell 100,000 books (I only have about 99,900 books to go, yet)
43. Be on New York Times best-seller list
44. Travel to speak 6 times in one year
45. Publish 25 books (as of 2021 I've published six books)
46. 10 trips with GMP (So far: Israel, Guatemala, and Hungary)
47. 1,000 names on my author mailing list (as of Jan 2021 = 240 names)
48. Donate 160 pints of blood (as of Jan 2021 = 120 pints)
49. Fund a family charitable foundation
50. Establish a family scholarship fund
51. Invest in culture-changing ministry start-ups
STAYING CULTURALLY RELEVANT (not grabbing for the good old days, but anticipating change)
52. Attend Catalyst to hear new voices
53. A personal writing weekend retreat
54. Practice drawing – 100 daily drawings
55. Attend Donald Davis storytelling workshop
56. 100 yoga classes in 12 months
57. Write a book with granddaughters
58. Update wills, living wills, financial plans (this is in-process now)
59. Write a novel
60. Be interviewed about writing on NPR
61. Be interviewed about writing by Christianity Today
62. Be interviewed about writing by Texas Monthly
63. Be interviewed about writing by Writer’s Digest
64. Speak at a Catalyst workshop
A LIFELONG STUDENT OF SIGNIFICANT THINGS (keep exploring ideas, beliefs, and practices)
65. Personal retreat at a monastery (maybe in Pecos NM)
66. Practice trombone 100 consecutive days
67. workout 100 consecutive days
68. Take Tai Chi classes
69. Learn to cross-country ski
70. do a 40-day fast
71. Follow Paul’s missionary journeys with Cyndi
72. Visit 100 countries (as of 2021 = 20 countries)
73. Talk writing with Erwin McManus
74. Talk writing with Leonard Sweet
75. Talk about writing with Calvin Trillin
76. Organize and structure my library (although I'm not yet convinced of the benefit)
77. Read 20 books about Texas (as of 2021, I've read 11)
78. Attend National Storytelling at least five times? (We’ve attended once – Sep 2019)
ACCOMPLISHED since I first started this list in 2009
1. Publish my first book (Running with God = 2009)
2. Have a personal website (berrysimpson.com)
3. Ongoing Journey Partner ministry (as of 2021 = 52 people)
4. Guy’s backpacking weekend in NM (2012 = Gila Wilderness)
5. Backpack in Big Bend … the Rim (May 2016)
6. Backpack in Big Bend … the Desert (Feb 2010 = Blue Creek)
7. Backpack in the Gila Wilderness (Mar 2012 with five guys)
8. Backpack in the Pecos Wilderness (September 2009)
9. Learn to play jazz trombone (1st solo = April 2017, 2nd = Dec 2017. Taking lessons 2017)
10. Solo backpack for 7 days (Colorado Trail 2017)
11. Learn how to fly fish (with Byron, in Colorado June 2020, and Texas April 2021)
12. Buy new wedding ring for Cyndi (Feb 2013)
13. Replace Cyndi’s 95 Explorer (August 2009)
14. Pay off all debts: home and business (all debt including mortgage = Mar 2021)
15. own a yoga studio (Summer 2010)
16. Help Cyndi get her 500 hours certification (Dec 2013)
17. Own a mountain home for family (a lake house at Granbury instead)
18. workout 2 hours per day for 40 days (in Mar 2009)
19. Go to Israel (In 2016 with Celebration Orchestra)
20. Go to writer’s workshop (Santa Fe, with Natalie Goldberg = May 2018)
21. Read 2,500 books (as of December 31, 2020 = 2,697 books)
22. Read entire (or 10+) works of 20 authors (as of 2021, 27 authors)
