In exactly 51 weeks I hit the big 4-0.
I remember feeling slightly traumatised about the prospect of turning 30 and hid under my duvet in an attempt to hang on to my 20s. Thinking back though it does seem strange as I didn't have the best of times in my 20s. I think it was probably more psychological with the numbers.
However, life has been pretty good since then, although there have been some hiccups in both personal and business life along the way, but in a strange way I'm looking forward to hitting 40.
Since turning 30 I have (in no particular order):
Met my brilliant wife, Rachel;
Had two funny, beautiful and energetic daughters - Olivia (three and a half) and Bryher (14 months);
Built up my marketing, public relations, advertising and design business, MPAD, which I run with Rachel;
Ran the New York Marathon in 2008 (and was also in NYC the night Obama won his first Presidential election) ;
Ran the Truro Half Marathon twice (2008 and 2012);
Ran the second leg of the Classic Quarter (13.5 miles from Gunwalloe to Perranuthanoe on the coast path - 2013);
Came second to the last in the Perranporth Triathlon (2008?);
Managed and run a Sunday League football team - MPAD UTD - winning three cups (Division One shield twice and Division Two cup) and gaining promotion;
Bought and sold a flat, and bought our family home;
Done some DIY at an average level;
Recycled a hippo by turning MPAD into a sustainable business and won awards for the work we do;
Won awards for the work MPAD does to help clients;
Had a three week road trip in California and surrounding areas on honeymoon including Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and Death Valley;
Had a month away in Australia with stops in Singapore and California with a 20-month old Olivia;
Snowboarded badly twice
In order to embrace the forthcoming milestone I plan to achieve 40 things before I turn 40.
It seems like quite a tight timescale and I'm not entirely sure of the 40 things I want to achieve. There are some things that are big and may be works in progress, and there are some things that are small and mundane, like clear out the garage and get round to selling those old Transformer toys on eBay.
I'd also like some input from people as to what I can do - obviously these suggestions will be vetted, but I'm open to ideas.
I also feel slightly awkward about this process as normally, with my work, I'm the person in the background helping to promote other people, businesses and organisations. Although I do a fair amount of PR, that's on a business level and this is quite personal (although there will be business elements in the challenge).
So, this is the start. Finally committing to keyboard an idea that has been going around in my head when I've been running for the last few months.
Next step: draw up my list and get suggestions.
