Turning Your Bucket List Into a Reality
A Bucket List – I just love the concept!
It’s hopeful with a sense of challenge. It almost suggests there is a plan when you proclaim that something is on your bucket list. As we move through mid-life and begin to transition out of our career, we may pay more attention to what’s on our bucket list and to the reality that we might need to make a plan if we are to cross items off the list.
I shared about creating a curiosity list in a previous article. Making a list of the many things you hear about, read about, notice somewhere and are curious about.
A great place to capture those things so when you have a bit of time to explore something you have some ideas of what to look into. It should be an ongoing activity, especially as you are nearing a transition out of your career and into another stage that likely provides you with time to focus on new things.
Some of the things from the curiosity list may become things you love that you spend a notable amount of time doing. It may be a hobby, a volunteer opportunity, a more in-depth way of doing things you love, or perhaps a part-time job. Other things may be big and bold and end up on your bucket list.
Ah, the bucket list. Now this is a different animal and likely represents different things to different people.
It might be a written list that someone maintains with plans to accomplish each item. For others, and more likely, it might be an emotional reaction to something that would be cool, even if you really don’t believe it will happen. And for others, it’s something in between.
At some point, perhaps as you near retirement, or slow down in your career, you might want to take a closer look at your list and maybe even make some plans. The reality is, there may be an expiration date on some of your bucket list items. It’s better to know about those expiration dates sooner rather than later so you can experience something before it’s too late.
Or perhaps it’s your personal expiration date that will prevent you from experiencing the items on your list. We all know people who die suddenly, making us realize how short life can be.
Making a written list is a great first step.
Capture as many things as you recall that you’ve deemed bucket list worthy. You might have existing lists, or different places you’ve made notes. Gather those up. Or, you may have to start from scratch.
Compiling the list may take time because you’ve likely been identifying items for this list for a very long time. Likely, your whole life.
Perhaps you didn’t use the “bucket list” label when you were a kid, but you likely had items for the list. And as you went through life you probably identified items in different stages, environments, during excursions, during different activities, and with different people. And they may cover many different things -- travel, experiences, challenges, learnings, career goals, physical accomplishments, life goals.
With any luck, you’ve been able to tick off “bucket list” items throughout various stages in your life. Perhaps you traveled early in your career. Or accomplished physical or sports challenges when you were really into a sport, or shared passions with your kids, or took a chance on a second career.
It might be fun to reflect and list things you’ve done that were on your bucket list. Reliving the excitement may encourage you to act on your current bucket list items.
Or perhaps you’ve been too busy with life and just haven’t had a chance to check many items off your list.
In either event, there is no time like the present to make the most of your time and opportunities. As I reflect, I realize I’ve had many great opportunities over my lifetime, but few were on my bucket list. Truth be told, I just had a mental list, I never wrote anything down.
You may want to start by reviewing the list you have.
Is this list a good reflection of what you want? Are these items your items, or are they items you think should be on your list? Should everyone want to go on an African safari, try skydiving, or run for office? Or are these things that someone else has done and you think you should do them as well? Or someone told you something should be on your list. Life is too short to work off someone else’s bucket list. Pare it down to make it your list. It’s ok to only have a few items on your list if they are truly your items.
Make your list authentic.
You could set priorities. If you have a really long list, identify the top five or ten items. If you can’t do them all, decide which ones you long to do the most. Nobody knows how much time we have, so putting things off might be risky. Having fewer things to focus on may make it more likely you will get to them. The sky may be the limit when creating your list, but choosing which things to do and when does have some limitations.
Or you could categorize the things on your list to suit your age.
We all hope to have many years of good health, but it may not work out that way. Categorizing and prioritizing within age ranges will give you another perspective as you put a plan together.
If your list includes things to do with children or grandchildren – they grow up fast – it will be important to identify the ideal ages (yours and theirs) for each adventure. Unfortunately, you may find it is already too late for some things. Use this as incentive to make sure it doesn’t happen to other items on your list.
Understanding the requirements and resources for bucket list items will help you prepare and plan. Perhaps you need to get into physical shape and train, for a marathon for example. If you crave expensive travel, you may need to plan and time trips in order to have sufficient funds. If you plan to move any time soon, think about what you might want to do in your current location while you still live there.
I regret not doing some bucket list items in states where I’ve lived. I could do them now, but it takes more time and resources.
Once you have reviewed, categorized, prioritized, and considered what it will take to make things happen, plug your plans into a timeline. Start by listing things by the ideal decade – your 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s... Then break your next decade down by year. What does that look like?
Looking at your list this way gives you the chance to figure out what it will take to accomplish your dreams. It will generate the excitement and creativity needed to make something happen. And it will give your plans priority status instead of simply something you hope to do “some day.”
It’s unlikely you’ll regret making time for bucket list items as you move through life instead of waiting for when things slow down. Things may never slow down, or they may slow down too much…
Interested in more? Be sure to read Lori's other articles:
About the Author;
Lori Becker is living her passion as an Author and Certified Retirement and Financial Coach with Becker Encore Coaching – working with individuals as they make the transition from their career’s work to creating their best life through Retirement Lifestyle Planning. If you would like to learn more about Lori’s work or have her speak to your organization, you can reach her through her website.
