Create Your Best Bucket List Ever
Bucket lists are amazing things. They let us dream, let us grow, tell us where we might need to move to do those cool things and they let us see our spirit and our mortality up close and personal.
Don’t have one? Here are three things to help you get started:
1. Brainstorm
The beauty of this first step is that it’s unlimited. Right now, get a piece of paper and a pen and start listing out, or mind-mapping, all the amazing things, big and small, that you’d like to do before you die. Yep, that’s right, you’re going to die. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but sometime. Don’t you at least want to be on the right track, moving in the direction of your goals? Start by looking for all those things that get you excited and make your heart sing. That’s the only qualification for this step – you’re not worrying right now about the money, or the time or anything else. It’s pure wishful thinking and enjoyment. Get it all on paper.
One of my bucket list items is going to racing school. Will I get there? Maybe. Is having it on my list worthwhile? Yes, because…
2. Look for groups of things that go together – categorize
In this step, look for patterns of bucket list items. You’ll likely find that your items fall into three or four broad categories such as adventure, relationships, travel, creation, etc. Group them together.
My racing school goes into Luxury/Learning.
3. Look for patterns and use the information
Most people don’t realize that your bucket list is an excellent snapshot of who you are as a person and can be used to guide your personal development. In your categories and groups of items, you’ll likely notice that you might be yearning for more of something, more adventure, more relationships, more connection or more travel. Though we all want to complete our bucket lists, the bucket lists are simply an indication of what we really want. Asking yourself “What are you really hungry for?” and seeking to understand the motivation behind the item choice and grouping can send you down the path of growth and development and help you pinpoint what you want.
My racing school was more about speed and freedom than it was about executing e-brake turns (though that would be cool). While I wait to sign up for the school, I can look for other ways to satisfy that need for freedom and speed elsewhere, namely by keeping my gas tank full and looking for local places to drive fast safely (there are a lot of tracks around here in Vancouver).
Create your bucket list by all means but remember you can use it as a guide, too.
Happy bucketing!