A Woman's Bucket list

Women are known to keep all sorts of to-do lists, but one of the most important is the set of things to achieve by age 30. ALLAN OLINGO asked a few divas about their wish-lists and whether or not their wishes have come true

Many women have big dreams, great ambitions and aspirations, as they want nothing but ‘success’ in life. Having goals not only helps them to overcome short-range failures but also to change their life direction without going back on their decision.

Whether or not they ever reach the goals they have set, women who set big, long-term goals have been found to have higher self-confidence, self-esteem, and greater personal motivation.

So as a woman, do you have any dreams, wishes and desires you want to achieve? What are your goals in life? Do you have a picture in mind of who you would like to be by the time you reach say, 30 or 40? Have you put a wish list in writing? Success in our modern societies is all about setting and reaching long-term goals.

Career growth

For many women today, advancing their careers is at the top of their wish list. You probably want to be at management level by 28 and maybe go into private business when you hit 35? This is a general sense for most women who want to advance their career path.

Education

Most women will want to be done with their first degree by the age of 24 and probably pursue their Masters degree before they hit 28. This falls in a must-do-before-30.

Relationship

This is the way it goes: At 18, women are partying nonstop and really don’t care about anything that isn’t fun. At 21-24, they’re enjoying their independence and have no serious thoughts of settling down. At 27, they are pursuing growth in their professions and are ready to settle down because they now feel that they are well established. At 30 years and above, if they are not in a steady relationship, they panic and start to get desperate.

Pregnancy

This bug called baby lust bites many women. That is why having a baby is somewhere in their to-do-before-30 list. Many argue that babies should come right after one’s career starts but before career enhancement.

Travel and adventure

Under the fun and wild things women have the urge to explore is travel to exotic destinations. Women at the onset of their careers will opt for jobs that involve lots of travel.

Financial independence

Women, it is claimed want to have all the money in the world. It would be even better if all these money is earned, rather than inherited or siphoned from a rich man. They will save, invest and start their own businesses to achieve this.

Many women say they would want to visit commercial capitals like Turkey, Dubai, Italy and London for the sake of sourcing stock for business. They form investment groups (chamas) right after college (at 24) and use the pooled finances to invest in real estate and businesses.

Other random things women said they’d like to do by the age of 30 include: Travel around the world, own a car, write a reflective book from life experiences, touch the lives of destitute children, parachute, take hot air balloon or sky dive, spend afternoons at the beach or nights lying on the grass or star gazing, change jobs, achieve financial independence, sing and play an instrument in front of an audience, take candlelit baths with the special one, go trekking, go camping in the wild, fly in a chopper, get married, have a wedding and so forth.

Additionally the to-do list of 40 reads something like this: Have an own business and be self-employed, grow and tend a flower and vegetable garden, own a home in some countryside, raise children, get a membership on a church group and chama, and save for a vacation in an exotic island like Seychelles or Hawaii.