Annual Check-Up

I came across an interesting concept today—something for me to think about and mull over.

We all go to a doctor for an annual full-body health check-up, even when nothing seems to be wrong. Why do we do it?

Because we want to lead a full, healthy life into the future. We don’t want to be caught off guard if something is wrong with our bodies. We want to identify the problem and deal with it before it becomes serious.

Similarly, many of us also do an annual financial health check-up to track our financial situations vis-a-vis our financial goals. We consider shifts in our portfolio strategies to ensure that we are not surprised by any external events.

What is the equivalent of this proactive health/financial health check-up we give ourselves when it comes to our life beyond our physical health and wealth?

• Can we do an annual career check-up to consider how our career goals are shifting and whether our current state aligns with our shifting career goals?
• A relationship check-up to re-examine our personal habits. Are they setting us up for a healthy physical, emotional and spiritual future?
• An identity check-up to consider how our values are evolving. “Am I the same person I was three years back? What are the values that are important for me over the next decade?”

I think many of us may be doing some thinking on these lines. But can we do it in a structured manner, just like an annual health/wealth check-up? Where we can consider the results of the check-up and decide if there is a need to proactively do some course correction instead of being stuck in the comfort of our mundane busyness.