Bucket List

The idea of a bucket list became popular after the release of a 2007 movie, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, where two terminally ill men go on a road trip with a wish list of things to do before they “kick the bucket.”

A bucket list often refers to the goals one wants to fulfill, dreams one wishes to achieve, and life experiences one desires to have before dying. You may think that the idea of a bucket list is dark and depressing because it references death, but life is only precious because it ends. A reference to our mortality is a reminder of our vitality, a reminder to live life to the fullest and stay aware of how we are prioritizing our precious time.

What does it mean to you to be alive? 

Is it comfort? discomfort? energy? pain? pleasure? struggle? adventure? love? need? potential? humor?

A couple quotes to ponder on the topic:

“Live for 5am sunrises and 5pm sunsets where you’ll see colors in the sky that are stunning. Live for the times with music in your ears and the wind in your hair. Live for days when you’re surrounded by your favorite people who make you realize that the world is not a cold, harsh place. Live for the little things because they will make you realize that this is what life is about, this is what it means to be alive.” –Unknown internet source

“I enjoy life when things are happening. I don’t care if it’s good things or bad things. That means you’re alive. ” –Joan Rivers

“You’re alive. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything. If you change the world, the world will change.” –Neil Gaiman

If you had one day, one week, one month, or one year left to live, what would be on your bucket list?

A little over a week ago, I had the opportunity to cross something off of my bucket list. I bungee jumped 100 feet off a bridge, called the bridge to nowhere, and I did it twice, once facing forward and once facing backward. It was perfectly safe, but terrifying all the same. I think, aside from voluntarily jumping off that platform, the hardest part of the experience was the 5-mile hike there. Five miles of thinking about what I was about to do, and that was preceded by checking in with our guides in the parking lot where we were asked to rate how scared we were to jump on a scale of 1-10. I told them “3” but to ask me again in 2 hours.

An internet search revealed the top 5 bucket list items are:

1. See the Northern Lights
2. Skydive
3. Get a tattoo
4. Swim with dolphins
5. Go on a cruise

Why should you have a bucket list?

When the daily routines of life set in, it can be easy to let the days pass without taking much thought for your goals and desires. We get stuck in our routines, in what is familiar, and life passes us by rather quickly. A bucket list helps to guide us out of our comfort zones to new experiences, new goals, and new memories so that we make the most of our time. It also helps us to re-energize. After bungee jumping last weekend, my perspective on life felt refreshed, my focus was sharper, and I felt more empowered to work toward my dreams. The last purpose of a bucket list is it helps us find our “why?” and define what is important in our lives. Why do we work so hard, if not to enjoy the fruits of our efforts at times.

My Bucket List (for now):

Life

1. Bachelor’s Degree (April 2014)
2. Master’s Degree
3. Doctorate/PhD
4. Get Engaged (November 2014)
5. Get Married
6. Have a kid
7. Bench Press 200#
8. Deadlift 300#
9. Squat 225#
10. Officiate a wedding
11. Get a tattoo
12. Compete in powerlifting
13. Run a spartan race
14. Run a marathon June 2010
15. Run a triathlon  2014

1. Give a speech to an audience of 100
2. Give a speech to an audience of 500
3. Give a TEDX Talk
4. Get an article I’ve written published
5. Build IG to 1000 subscribers
6. Build IG to 5000 Subscribers
7. Work full time in my own business
8. Meet Bret Contreras
9. Meet Dan John
10. Meet Eric Cressey
11. Meet Mike Boyle
12. Meet Lewis Howes
13. Make $4000 per month
14. Attend SFMA course
15. Train a professional athlete
16. Train a celebrity
17. Write a book
18. Get interviewed for an article or podcast
19. Have a professional photoshoot  2017

1. Climb Mt Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
2. Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
3. Run with the bulls (Pamplona, Spain)
4. Visit Pompeii, Italy 2011
5. Rock Climb in Yosemite Near Tanaya Lake in 2016
6. Hike the JMT
7. See the Northern Lights
8. Hang glide
9. Experience the Rio Carnival Parade
10. Climb Machu Picchu
11. Climb Mt. Whitney
12. Hike through Spain
13. Skydive
14. Dog Sled
15. Ride a Zipline
16. Hike the Zion Narrows
17. Mardi Gras in New Orleans

1. Professional Basketball Game
2. Professional Football Game
3. Professional Baseball Game
4. Backstage concert passes
5. Attend a red carpet event
6. Hike Holy Jim Trail to Santiago Peak (15 miles, moderate, dogs allowed)
7. Red Rock Canyon hike at Whiting Ranch (4.2 miles total, no dogs)
8. Sutton Peak hike (9.2 miles, dogs allowed)
9. Modjeska Peak hike (15 miles, hard, dogs allowed)
10. Hike/Backpack around Catalina
11. Hike Blackstar canyon (7.1, moderate, dogs allowed)

---

What does it mean to you to be alive? If you had one day, one week, one month, or one year left to live, what would be on your bucket list?