#1 Remember what you want to do
Have you ever had a dream about a great idea only to forget the great idea once you put your feet on the floor to start your day? If this has happened to you, you should probably start creating lists to help you remember things. And when thinking about big goals you want to achieve, wondrous places you want to visit, and adventurous activities you want to do, a bucket list is a great way to keep the ultimate running tab.
Ideas for bucket list additions come to me all the time. I get ideas from airline magazines, dreams, and talking with people who have had interesting experiences. It doesn’t matter where the inspiration comes from. If I get an idea for something I might like to do, I immediately add it to my list.
Here are a few items from my bucket list:
Visit all 50 states – click to see my progress
Visit 50+ countries – click to see my progress
Go on an around the world tour – click to see my progress
Invent something – prototypes coming soon
#2 Prioritize what you want to do
How do you get started? Simply write down everything that you want to do during your lifetime. Your goals and wants will change over time so start my writing down what you want now. Take some time to organize your list by items you can do in the near future, items you can do in the next few years and items that will require a longer term plan to complete. You might also opt to prioritize items by how much you desire to accomplish the item or goal. Having a prioritized list will help you determine what items you should focus on right now.
For example, another item I have on my bucket list is to go on a safari in Africa. With a little planning and a plane ticket, I can make that happen pretty easily and fairly quickly. On the other hand, bucket list items like inventing something or starting a business will likely require more planning and a longer timeline.
Look at your list, prioritize however you see fit, and see what rises to the top.
#3 Make a plan to achieve your goals
Now that you have your prioritized list, what have you noted as items you want to get started on or accomplish between now and the new year? If the new year is right around the corner, maybe it makes more sense for you to make your plan for starting on or achieving your goal in the new year. Regardless of whether your bucket list item is fairly simple or seemingly daunting, creating a plan will help you map out the steps and timeline required to make completing the bucket list item a reality.
Take my round the world (RTW) trip for example. I didn’t just wake up one day, pack a bag and book a one way ticket to the cheapest place (though some people have done it that way). I spent a lot of time creating my budget, refining my route, and researching the cities I planned on visiting. Planning a RTW tip felt like eating an elephant when I first began the planning process, but once I created a plan and started seeing progress on the individual steps, I grew more and more confident that I would accomplish my goal.
Try making a simple plan to assist you with completing one of your bucket list items to see how it works for you.
#4 Keep track of the progress you have made
Everyone loves being able to complete a goal and cross it off a list. That’s why lists are created! Keep in mind that your bucket list will be a living, breathing document with new items getting added while older items are (hopefully) getting crossed off. Do not be discouraged if you have to move priorities around or even push some dates out. Your main focus should be updating the list and celebrating when you have made progress and added new challenges and goals.
When I think back to the day I added visit 50+ countries to my bucket list, I remember feeling like that was going to be a huge undertaking. Now that I have seen great progress on that goal, I know that I can achieve it and will more than likely surpass it.
Are there items on your bucket list that should be re-calibrated based on the progress you have made to date? If so, it’s time to give you list some updates.
#5 Rinse and repeat the process to keep your list up-to-date
As you follow these simple steps and are able to start seeing progress on items you have been able to complete, you will find that adding more items becomes gratifying because you know if the item is important enough for you to add it to your bucket list, you will take the necessary actions to see it to fruition.
Happy bucket list building
