14 Best Life Goals Before Turning 40

This post was most recently updated on January 15th, 2023

[A collaboration post – all thoughts are my own.]

It’s never too late to find a new dream and create a new set of life goals before turning 40. Some people think that after turning 30, they are too old to do anything new and interesting and that they should start a family. If you’ve found your ideal work and are certain of your life’s purpose, then go ahead and live it to the fullest!

While most people focus on their jobs and how much money they need to make, there are some things you can do to create lasting memories and feel proud of your accomplishments. Before I am 40, which is in 13 years, there are so many things I want to accomplish!

Choosing one of the goals listed below can help you find adventure, contentment, and challenges that will push you outside of your comfort zone. Your goals will always depend on your personality and what appeals to you.

Travel to at least 10 countries

You just cannot go wrong with travel as a goal to achieve before turning 40. Every new country you travel to offers a fresh lesson in life and special recollections. I want to travel to Asia in the upcoming years and visit Japan and the UK as well. The more countries you visit, the more effectively you can compare them and make inferences about people’s behavior, culture, and rituals.

Take a spontaneous trip

As part of your list of self-improvement goals, pack all the essentials and journey into the unknown without arranging a single detail. I’ve been doing this since 2021 and will continue doing it this year. You don’t even need to leave your country; the important thing is to make it spontaneous, deal with whatever life throws at you, and see how you handle it.

Learn a new language

The best way to learn new abilities like these is obviously by doing so in a foreign country, but you can still study the basics at home by reading books, taking courses, or enrolling in online programs. I enrolled in English literature to become a translator and attended a two-year English course to understand more about grammar when I was 14 years old. When you finally get the opportunity to communicate with native speakers or become an interpreter, this is when you’ll learn the most.

Go bungee jumping

You may think this concept is absurd, but it’s really just a warm-up for the following one. Bungee jumping is a crazy activity that will challenge both your mental and physical strength. It is a great method for facing your worries. Thankfully, Bali has one that I can attempt, and I’m looking forward to doing so this year. For me, it is a worthwhile lesson that highlights the idea that even the most terrifying things eventually become bearable.

Go skydiving

This is a tough one and must be on your list of goals to accomplish before turning 40. I’ve done a lot of indoor skydiving, but I’ve always wanted to test myself with real skydiving. Since I’m not sure if skydiving is available in Bali, I want to do paragliding first. See the world from a new perspective while experiencing gravity’s overwhelming strength.

Face your worst fear

It’s likely that the majority of your fears are psychological. In order to grow personally, there are various ways to face your fears in the world. Start simple, perhaps by just staring at a picture of the item you’re afraid of. After that, try confronting it in person. You might discover eventually that staring at it doesn’t make your heart race.

Boost your financial stability

One of the most important goals you should set for yourself before turning 40 is financial independence, because it will support your short and long-term goals. You should invest some time in learning about finances to prevent going into debt and make your money work for you rather than the other way around.

Create an emergency fund

Once you are facing financial difficulties, having a consistent savings habit can save your life. Most experts agree that you should be able to cover at least three months’ worth of living expenses with your emergency fund. Being financially secure is undoubtedly important to make handling any problem easier while you are busy pursuing your goals and trying new things. Accidents do happen, so be aware of this as you go about living your life to the fullest.

Create an online business

There are countless methods to earn extra money online today. Creating an online course or e-book to sell your services is a viable strategy that almost anyone can try. It’s a fantastic method to pay for additional costs while also gaining some practical entrepreneurial experience. Maybe you’ll even be able to quit your job and live the nomadic lifestyle of digital nomads, earning money wherever you are in the world.

Start eating healthy

In modern society, issues with diet are a big issue. Because of poor diet and lifestyle factors, more than one-third of Americans are obese. If you want to live past the age of 40, you must take care of your eating habits. Simply put, pick whole, unprocessed foods instead of junk food that contains a lot of sugar, salt, and fat.

Become a morning person

Most of the most successful people vouch for the benefits of waking up early. The majority of successful people, including CEOs, the finest athletes in the world, and others, have morning routines that are crucial to their success. A morning habit gives you a leg up on the day and puts you ahead of the game as you strive to improve when the rest of the world is still asleep.

Make a list of things that make you happy

Even if you make all the money in the world and have a brilliant profession in society’s eyes, you might still be unhappy. It’s because experiences, self-awareness, and contribution are the sources of true happiness. Find out which environment makes you the happiest person in the world as you explore the world by crossing things off this list. The negative emotion will thereafter fade much more swiftly.

Stop looking for others’ approval

Goals you set for yourself should include developing this rare but highly useful skill. We frequently worry excessively about what other people think of us, which affects our confidence and self-worth and causes us to second-guess even simple decisions. It’s challenging to entirely deny the validation, but it’s worthwhile to strive for. You can become your genuine and authentic self after you accept the inevitable rejection.

Learn to say no

Having the habit of saying no when it matters will improve your life. However, the majority of people appear to be quite the opposite. They overcommit themselves by accepting obligations and responsibilities that don’t add any value to their lives. You should realize that at this point. You don’t have to say yes to everything all the time.

There are a lot of incredible goals to set for yourself before you turn 40, even if leaving early adulthood can be a difficult step (and beyond). Choose a few items from this list that really resonate with you, and then start moving. No matter your age, life doesn’t have to become boring. Life goals before you turn 40.