From 64 Days to 1,160: Opening a 3-Year Time Capsule

Three years ago today, I wrote this post that you see embedded below. I was trying to make a prediction as to where i would be in exactly 3 years, which happens to be today.

Rob in 2026

Here is my original prediction post from exactly 3 years ago today

Looking back at this post three years later, it’s funny to see where simple arithmetic ends and true intuition begins. Calculating ages and grades is just math—anyone can count forward thirty-six months on a calendar. But reading the trajectory of your own head and heart? That’s where the gut does the real work.

Here is how 2023 Rob’s predictions stack up against my 2026 reality.

The Simple Math: Kids & Milestones

The Prediction: 52 years old, Kid 1 at 19 in college, Kid 2 at 11 in 6th grade.

The Reality: 100% dead on. But while the math was easy, living through it hits differently. Kid 1 is 19, living out in Madison, and this past August was all about packing up, driving out, moving him into his college apartment, and grabbing Duck Donuts along the way. Kid 2 is 11 and navigating 6th grade seamlessly. The shift to actively navigating the college era landed exactly as I envisioned.

The Relationship & The End of Pining

The Prediction: “I won’t be pining after anybody who, for whatever reason, is unattainable. I won’t be looking back at my previous relationships and thinking ‘could’ve, should’ve, would’ve’.”

The Reality: This was the biggest gut-check win of the whole post. Looking back at where I was in late 2023, the truth is that I was probably pining over Sierra for a while. Even as I cycled through other relationships over the years, I always carried a quiet torch for her.

The prediction didn’t come true by magic; it came true because I finally made it happen. I stopped settling for half-measures, stopped chasing ghost scenarios, and refused to pine over anyone unattainable. I closed the door on past relationships, chose myself first, and ended up exactly where I wanted to be—in a solid, genuine relationship with Sierra where we’re actively building a life together, from l kayak trips to classic movie and everything in between.

Grad School: From Vague Goal to Final Verdict

The Prediction: Hoping to already be deep into a master’s program for a larger salary.

The Reality: I’m not sitting in a grad school desk today, but the narrative has shifted completely. In 2023, grad school was a hazy, obligation-driven idea on the horizon. I was vacillating back and forth—maybe an English degree, maybe a reading specialist certification, maybe just doing it for the bump in pay.

A lot of unexpected life happened over the last three years that I couldn’t have accounted for. But the difference between then and now is clarity. This past summer, I had a definitive flashpoint moment: I’m doing this. I’m going to be an administrator. I’m no longer waffling about what direction to take. I’ve done the groundwork with a few online programs, the target is locked in, and I’m moving toward it intentionally rather than just idly wishing.

The Unpredictable Shift: 1,160 Days and a Microphone

If you had told me on November 7, 2023, what this blog and podcast would become, I wouldn’t have believed you.

On the day I wrote that original post, I was sitting at a modest 64 consecutive days of posting. I wasn’t realistically thinking about making it to six months, let alone a year, let alone 1,000 days. As of today, I am sitting at 1,160 consecutive days.

That daily commitment—writing reflections, reviewing movies and books, responding to prompts, processing my own life like a form of ongoing public therapy—is where the real growth actually happened.

And then there’s the podcast. When I typed those words three years ago, I was still two months away from even recording my very first attempt at an episode. I had no idea what would come of Rebuilding Rob: The Podcast. Yet, in one of those strange, beautiful twists of fate, that little audio project was how Sierra ended up finding the blog in the first place—she stumbled across the podcast first.

The Verdict

Three years ago, I admitted that I felt like I was just “going through the motions.”

Looking at where I sit today—1,160 days into the streak, a podcast in full swing, hard boundaries set, my kids thriving, and a clear path toward school administration—I’m definitely not going through the motions anymore. My gut in 2023 didn’t just guess the future; it laid the foundation for the rebuild.

Rebuilding a life takes grit, consistency, and a lot of ‘Option C’ thinking. Having crossed the 1,000-day milestone, I’m now charting the territory beyond. The mission remains the same: No glitz. Just the work. New to the blog? Start your journey here to see the blueprint and the ‘Tricorder’ perspective behind the rebuild.

Today’s post is inspired by the WordPress Daily Prompt. While I’ve taken the topic in my own direction for the Road beyond 1,000 Days, you can find more responses to today’s prompt HERE.

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AI art created by Google Gemini

The article “From 64 Days to 1,160: Opening a 3-Year Time Capsule” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.

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