Sometimes, it can be hard to come up with the perfect list of things you want to do before you die. In order for a Bucket List to be useful in its completion, there are certain rules that must be followed.
The “unique bucket list ideas” is a guide to creating a proper bucket list. It includes unique tasks that are not typically found on other lists.
Participate in a marathon. Obtain a college diploma. Make a book. Construct a home. Every guy has ambitions. Sometimes our objectives are grandiose (make a difference, change the world), and other times they are simple chores that we must do in order to operate more effectively (sleep more, quit smoking). Too frequently in life, we get engrossed in our daily routines and time passes us by. We have a practice of looking back and summarizing the events of the previous year at the end of each year, taking stock of what we have really done. Many of us might easily summarize 2008 in a few words: I worked a lot, earned a lot of money, spent a lot of money, and paid off a lot of debts. That’s fine and dandy, but did you have childhood fantasies of working long hours to pay off debts and nothing else? No. If it was your only fantasy as a child, you undoubtedly spent a lot of time alone at the playground daydreaming about it. As children, we fantasized of accomplishing something incredible and going on huge adventures. We saw ourselves as men of action, seizing each day as our own and making the most of it. So, what’s different now? Age is nothing more than a number. Sure, you have more responsibilities today than you had as a child, but you also have considerably more capacity. Things you could only dream of are suddenly within your grasp; why not seize them?
It always feels wonderful to fulfill our objectives, no matter how big or little they are, and there is a very simple tool that may help you do exactly that-the bucket list. It has been statistically shown that writing down your objectives increases your chances of actually achieving them. When you write down your objectives on paper, your mind forms a contract with itself, and no one wants to let themselves down. Furthermore, having a tangible list that you can view on a frequent basis acts as a continual reminder of your goals and helps you stay focused. So, where do we begin?
Materials Required
To begin, you’ll need a suitable media on which to record your list. Don’t scrawl it on a piece of paper that will get mixed up with old mail and thrown away. Make this something exceptional, something you’ll cherish and look back on years from now as the blueprint for your success. Keep in mind that your to-do list might become rather lengthy, and it will almost certainly grow as you cross things off and your priorities shift. You should also keep in mind that in order for a bucket list to be successful, you must be aware of it, thus purchasing a huge leather bound diary that resembles a ship’s log, as enticing as it may be, is a bad decision since you’re unlikely to carry it with you very frequently. You want something you can carry in your pocket or use at your desk, not something that will collect dust in the back of your bookcase. While the Moleskine may be too pricy for your everyday pocket notebook, its longevity makes it a perfect option for keeping track of your bucket list. You need something that has the ability to endure decades. Finally, and this should go without saying, write using a pen. Don’t give yourself the option of deleting a goal later if it proves to be too tough to achieve.
The List as a Whole
This is the most basic step of an otherwise straightforward procedure. The list’s contents are entirely up to you. The goal is to write down everything you’ve ever stated you wanted to accomplish. Then, when you near the end of your life, envision all the things you’ll be wishing you’d done, and write those down as well. Some claim that having too many objectives on your list makes you less likely to achieve them, yet I couldn’t agree with them more. It doesn’t matter how many objectives you have on your list if they are actually essential to you, which every goal that makes the cut should be. Life is short, but not so short that you can’t accomplish a lot before the final buzzer sounds. Nothing is too tiny for us to enjoy, and even the slightest successes bring us joy, so don’t leave anything out that is essential to you. You want to stop chewing your nails, but you’re not sure how. Fill in the blanks. Have you considered shedding a few pounds? Put it on the books.
That said, this isn’t just a to-do list for the day-to-day parts of your life that you’d want to better. Include the main objectives, the ones you want to achieve. You know that home you’ve always wanted to build? You know the one, with the huge cozy man-cave in the basement with the wraparound porch? Putting it on your bucket list is the first step in the construction process. Are you sick of your work and pondering changing careers or returning to school? Make a note of it. Move on to the outlandish things after you’ve covered the tiny stuff like dieting and the large stuff like constructing a home, since what’s to stop you from achieving your wildest desires as well? Instead of fantasizing about how fantastic it would be to climb the Appalachian Trail in a single day, put it on your bucket list and begin practicing. Do you want to climb Mount Everest? Not long ago, an unassuming beekeeper made the decision to do precisely that, and according to legend, he “knocked the bastard off.” Why are you unable to do so? Remember that making a bucket list is like to signing a contract with yourself. Don’t make a list of things you know you’ll never do in real life. This just serves as a further reminder of how you aren’t living the life you want. When anything is added to the list, it becomes a goal, and you should work toward achieving it as soon as possible.
Keeping Track of the List
Start marking off the things on your original list after you’ve finished compiling it. While achieving objectives, whether on a bucket list or not, is always fulfilling, there is something genuinely unique about crossing off a goal that you have been reading every day for months or years. The sensation of achievement is almost overpowering, and it acts as a boost for your other objectives because you understand that if you can accomplish one, you can do them all. If at all feasible, have your list with you at all times, or at the very least someplace you’ll see it every day and be able to flick through it in a minute. Make it a habit to check your to-do list on a regular basis, updating yourself on your progress toward each objective. Your to-do list should be flexible, so don’t be hesitant to add things when inspiration strikes. Try to avoid removing things from your list until you have a genuine change of heart, not simply because you don’t feel like you can complete anything and don’t want to look at it. Remember that one of the main reasons for making a bucket list is to remind yourself of those difficult-to-obtain goals in order to remain motivated to attain them.
We’re less than halfway through the year, and there’s still plenty of time to do some incredible things. What will you have to say about 2009 in nine months? It will be remembered as the year I received my Master’s degree, traveled to three continents, climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, went on a photo safari in East Africa, and, of course, became an official contributor to the Art of Manliness. What are the tales you’ll have to tell? We are, after all, the authors of our own stories. Make your story one to remember.
It’s now your turn. Do you have a list of things you want to do before you die? What are some of the objectives you’ve set for yourself?
The “bucket list page” is a place where people can create their own bucket list. It is a great way to get started with creating your own list of goals, dreams, and aspirations.
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