Back in 2015 I published a Bucket List. Recently, I changed that list to better reflect the difference between Life Goals and Bucket List items (see Life Goals).

If you haven’t heard about the term “bucket list”, it is a list of all the goals you want to achieve, dreams you want to fulfill and life experiences you desire to experience before you die.

Ever felt that your days are passing you by without any tangible output to speak of? What did you accomplish in the past 3 months? What are your upcoming goals for the next 3 months? Look at the things you did and the things you’re planning to do next — Do they mean anything to you if you are to die today? Having a bucket list reminds you of what’s really important so you can act on them. Even if you frequently live by goals or to-do lists, they are probably framed within a certain social context e.g. performance, career, health. A bucket list opens up the context. It’s a forum to set anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to do, whether it’s big, small or random. It’s just like planning ahead all the highlights you want for your entire life.

Goal setting is already my staple activity, but creating a bucket list gave me a whole new layer of enthusiasm knowing what’s in store ahead!

The objective of creating this list isn’t to instill some kind of a race against time or to create aversion toward death. I don’t see our existence to be limited to just our physical years on earth — I don’t see our existence to be limited to just our physical years on earth — our physical lifespan is but a short speck of our existence in the universe. The whole point of creating your list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest. It’s a reminder of all the things we want to achieve in our time here, so that instead of pandering our time in pointless activities, we are directing it fully toward what matters to us.

If you already have your list, take this opportunity to review it. See if there are new items you want to add-on. If so, add them in. Check if all the items listed are still relevant. If not, remove them.

Now, take out your pen and paper or open up a text document. Start writing down what comes to mind as you read these questions:

• What if you were to die tomorrow? What would you wish you could do before you die?
• What would you do if you had unlimited time, money and resources?
• What have you always wanted to do but have not done yet?
• Any countries, places or locations you want to visit?
• What are your biggest goals and dreams?
• What do you want to see in person?
• What achievements do you want to have?
• What experiences do you want to have / feel?
• Are there any special moments you want to witness?
• What activities or skills do you want to learn or try out?
• What are the most important things you can ever do?
• What would you like to say/do together with other people? People you love? Family? Friends?
• Are there any specific people you want to meet in person?
• What do you want to achieve in the different areas: Social, Love, Family, Career, Finance, Health (Your weight, Fitness level), Spiritual?
• What do you need to do to lead a life of the greatest meaning?

So, what is on my Bucket List now?

So, what’s on my bucket list?

Eat at the ‘top’ restaurant in every city I visit
Learn Tai Chi
Pay off mortgage in 20 yrs or less — in progress
learn to make the dumplings of the world
pet a BIG cat (Tiger, etc.)
learn to sing
Be 100% debt free
Get a mehndi tattoo
Do a year of 30-day challenges
See all of Shakespeare’s plays — in progress
Watch turtles hatch & run for the ocean
Find a piece of pre Green Mark Belleek in Ireland and purchase it
Learn to paint watercolor
Attend the Super Bowl
Write an online course — DONE
Write a book — DONE
Be published — DONE
Do a radio interview — DONE
Speak at SHRM (or similar)
Build a 12-mo emergency fund
Quit smoking — DONE
Leave a legacy
Write another book
Officiate at a wedding — DONE
Officiate at a funeral
Officiate at a baby blessing — DONE
Officiate at a coming of age ritual — DONE
Take up pottery
Eat dinner by myself
Go to the movies by myself
Join a flash mob
See a ballet — DONE
See a Las Vegas show — DONE
Watch a documentary — DONE
Participate in a murder mystery event — DONE
Take a mud bath
Visit a hot springs (clothing optional!) — DONE
Attend a winemakers dinner — DONE
Eat alone a restaurant — DONE
Achieve my ideal weight
Find the lifestyle that allows me maximum fun, best health, and financial fitness

Travel
Snorkel in Hawaii
Snorkel in Mexico
Snorkel in Greece and the Greek Islands
Snorkel in Turkey
Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef
Snorkel in the Maldives
Snorkel in the Caribbean
Snorkel in the Turks & Caicos

Visit all 50 states

Visit the 7 wonders of the world:
* Stonehenge — DONE
* Colosseum — DONE
* Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
* Great Wall of China — instead: Ely Cathedral
* Porcelain Tower of Nanjing – Instead Cluny Abbey
* Hagia Sophia
* Leaning Tower of Pisa
* Great Pyramid of Giza (ancient, only one still standing)

Stay at an All-Inclusive resort – DONE
Attend a masquerade for carnival
Ride a gondola in Venice
Ride the Orient Express
See a week of plays at the RSC
Northern England & Scotland
Paris — DONE
London — DONE
Spain
Greece
Greek Islands
Turkey
Maldives
See the sunrise at the Great Pyramid
Cruise down the Nile
Visit a black sand beach
Tucson, AZ
Sedona, AZ
Carmel/ Big Sur, CA
Key West, FL
Sistine Chapel, Rome — DONE
Bahamas
Cayman Island
Amsterdam
Ellis Island, NYC
Chicago, IL — DONE
Washington, DC
Vancouver, BC — DONE
Victoria, BC
Montreal, QC
Bora Bora
Spend a week at a 5 star spa resort
Ride the West Highland Railway, Scotland
Take the Stendhal from Paris to Venice
Attend a Full Moon Party on Tortola
Attend Burning Man
Go on a cruise to Alaska
Go on a river cruise in Europe
See St. Petersburg, Russia
Go Whale watching
Sail down the Nile
See Karnak Temple in Egypt
Walk Hadrian’s Wall
See the Garden of Cosmic Speculation (Scotland, again)
Northern and the north of Ireland
Ireland — DONE
Sleep in a castle