By Munraj Chawla

25 at 25. 

As I write this, I am currently celebrating my 25th birthday with my family. Truth be told, I was stuck on what to write about for this SCAB. The past few weeks have been hectic and all focus has been on getting my book better, refining my art direction skills and understanding strategy in new ways.  I recently had a long conversation with my friends and girlfriend about not having a real work-life balance. I argued that I’m happy to sacrifice my time now for my future, but the conversation did get me to think about what it is I’m sacrificing for. What are my actual dreams for the future? 

I know you can’t plan things properly in life – the universe is just going to do what it wants with you – so with that in mind, in no particular order, here are my 25 hopes for my next 25 years. 

I hope: 

1. To have my own family… a wife, kids, the whole shebang.
2. To have travelled to as many countries as possible. 
3. To have made award-winning work. 
4. To have learnt to swim. 
5. To have moved away from the area I grew up in, further into London. 
6. To have bought my parents a place outside this area, further away from London.  
7. To have learnt to speak Punjabi properly. 
8. To have championed diversity in whatever industry I work in. 
9. To have mentored young, diverse creatives.  
10. To have made a positive change in the world. 
11. To have entered, fucked shit up and then left the advertising industry. 
12. To have worked as a director in some capacity on a good Hollywood movie.
13. To have lived and worked in a few countries.
14. To have then settled down back in London. 
15. To have a number of tattoos. 
16. To have earned a month’s salary working as a freelance photographer. 
17. To have climbed another big mountain. 
18. To have driven a motorcycle. 
19. To have worked out often so I’m a hot 50 year old and don’t have a typical Indian Dad-bod. 
20. To have learnt how to draw on paper, not using a Wacom tablet. 
21. To have a better work-life balance. 
22. To have cycled from John o’ Groats to Land’s End. 
23. To have given a TED talk.  
24. To be on the Campaign A-List. 
25. To keep having more good days than bad days and to stay grateful for that.  

Bonus: 26. This is all banking on the fact that I’m still alive and well in 25 years so if you’re reading this Universe, don’t be a dick. Please.  

Realistically, I know that some of these might not be possible, which is why I made them hopes and not goals. Ultimately, I hope in 25 years I’m still able to dream as big and hey, even if a third of these come true, I think I’d still feel fulfilled. 

Song of the SCAB: Xuitcasecity – Misunderstood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2WOlGbLkt4