We’ve all heard about bucket lists. Generally, it’s a list of high-reaching, lofty, and wonderfully amazing things to do or see before you die. There’s a movie about it. There are books about it. There are even lists that tell you what to put on your bucket list. It’s fun—maybe even exhilarating—to fantasize about imaginative, daring, or even exotic adventures you could experience before you die. The problem with most of these bucket lists is that unless you are a person with unlimited money, freedom, or time, it gets difficult to ever check off any of your to-dos. The bucket list becomes fun to create but overwhelming to carry out. Eventually, enthusiasm wanes because you’ve created an unattainable list of goals and discouragement sets in. So you go back to punching that time card, day in and day out while the goals you dreamt of fall to the wayside.
I believe you should dream big but start small. My motto is, “Kick the list before the bucket.” In other words, build a list that you can conquer. Set high but manageable goals for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with visiting the pyramids … swimming with sharks … or sailing the Galapagos Islands, but the likelihood of being able to travel to all those places is difficult for most people. There’s nothing wrong with seeing the world, meeting new people, and experiencing different cultures if traveling is something that interests you, but also take the time to decide what you want to strive for in other areas of your life.
What do you want to do in your career?
Do you want to have a family?
Have you set any financial goals?
Consider things such as your health, personal development, and relationships as other areas of your life that have importance and could benefit from goal setting. Remember, small steps can make a big impact.
When I was twenty-two, I decided that I was going to do a handful of things in my life:
1. Move out of Ohio
2. Live in Europe
3. Get married
4. Have children
5. Write a book
