One Sunday evening my wife and I started creating a couples bucket list mainly consisting of all the places we wanted to travel and it got me thinking that I’ve never created a bucket list. Sure, I have pretty extensive goals, vision & values, but I had never taken the time to create a bucket list.
So, I opened up the Google Keep app on my phone and started a “Bucket List”. I brain dumped all the things I would like to do before I die (AKA Kick the Bucket). To get more ideas and spur the imagination I looked for bucket list examples by searching for things like best bucket list ideas, travel bucket list, and things you must do before you die. I was selective in what I added to my list but ultimately ended up creating a pretty good size list of things I wanted to do.
Jump to section: My Bucket List | Experiences | Travel & Destinations | Financial | Business/Professional | Couples/Relationship | Family
Tips for creating your bucket list
As I was creating my bucket list I found my “logical” (AKA Asshole Brain) brain kicking in and trying to reason why I shouldn’t add some things to my list.
- Don’t limit yourself! When you’re creating your bucket list just put everything on there that sounds like something you might want to do, be, have, or experience.
- Have a list app on your phone so you can easily add items when inspiration strikes. I like Google Keep. It has all of the features of Evernote, but it’s easier to use and I can share my lists with friends and collaborate. You can also set reminders so it pops up daily, weekly or monthly.
- If you have a significant other consider creating a couples bucket list. It can be fun to daydream about vacationing together, making love in exotic destinations and that once in a lifetime experience you want to have together.
- Even if you’re creating a couples bucket list make sure to create your own as well.
- Understand that some items on your bucket list should also be included on your goals list. We’ll discuss how those are different later.
- Also, make sure to add things you’ve already done!
Add the things you’ve already done
One of my favorite aspects about writing out my bucket list initially was seeing all the things I had already done. You see, I normally focus on the future and don’t dwell in the past, so it was nice to take a stroll down memory lane. This is the equivalent of writing something on a to-do list that you’ve already done and then crossing it off. It just feels right!
A few of the noteworthy things I’ve already crossed off my bucket list are: Fight in a UFC type fighting competition, dive off a waterfall in Maui, get published on Forbes, become a (great) father, start a business, build a successful business, own a rental house, and get married to the woman of my dreams.
A few of the items that are at the top of my list are: Make my company an employee-owned company, give a TED Talk, achieve zero debt, write and publish a book, speak at MozCon, become a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, travel to Thailand, help inspire someone else to do what they once thought was impossible and many more below.
My Bucket List
Experiences:
- Learn to fly a plane
- Fly a plane from Vancouver to another destination
- Invent a product
Zipline through a rain forest(Thailand Jan 2018)Fight in a UFC type MMA competition
- Catch a wave surfing
Paddleboard from Fishers landing to downtown Vancouver on the Columbia River- Cliff Dive in Thailand
Snowboard Whistler, CanadaDo a back flip on a snowboardJump off a cliff on a snowboard- Scuba Dive
Dive off a waterfall in Maui(Dec, 2013 – Maui, Oheo Gulch AKA See even sacred pools)
- Hang glide
- Swim with the Dolphins
SkydiveDrive a Ferrari(Aug, 2017 – Thanks Gongster! Link to video)- Kitesurf
- Ride in a hot air balloon
Shoot a sniper rifle(Dec 2016 – Hit a target from 500 yards away)
Travel Bucket List:
- Hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
- Experience the Northern lights in a glass igloo
- Dive the great barrier reef in Australia
- Climb the Pitons in St. Lucia
- Trek to Macchu Picchu Peru
- Visit Ogle Iguaçu Falls, Argentina/Brazil
Ride on a jet ski- Get paid to travel somewhere
- Travel the world
- Stay in an overwater bungalow
- Travel on a yacht
Learn how to cook Thai food… in Thailand(Feb, 2018)- Visit Stonehenge
- Bungee jump
Drive the road to Hana in Maui(2013, 2015 & 2017)Stand under a waterfall(2013, Maui)- Ride one of those Flyboards
- Ride a horse down a beach
Travel to Rome, ItalyVisit the ColosseumTour the VaticanSee the Trevi Fountain
Travel to Venice, ItalyVisit Piazza San Marco- Ride in a gondola
Travel to Florence, ItalyWatch the sunset over Ponte VecchioClimb to the top of Giotto’s CampanileClimb to the top of El Duomo
Travel to Pisa, ItalyTake gratuitous pic of holding up the Leaning tower of Pisa
Travel to Cinque Terre, ItalyCaboKey WestTravel to Paris, FranceVisit the Louvre in ParisVisit the Eiffel tower
- Bali
- Bora Bora
- Snorkel with manta rays in Bora Bora, French Polynesia
- Maldives
Thailand(Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui – Jan/Feb 2018)- Seychelles
- Santorini (Greece)
- St. Marteen
- St. Lucia
- Cruise the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
- Swing at the “end of the world” in Ecuador
- Spain
- Ireland
- Sydney, Australia
Fiji(Savusavu Sept 2018)- British/US Virgin Islands
- Caribbean islands
- Aruba
- Jamaica
- Tahiti
- The Cook Islands
- Punta Mita
- Curacao
- South America / Brazil?
- Furnando De Noronhah – Brazil
- Turks & Caicos
- Kauai
- Japan
- Europe – Sicily, Barcelona,
- London
- Amalfi Coast
- New York
- San Francisco
- New Orleans
- Yosemite
Health & Fitness Bucket List:
- Achieve a Blue belt in jiu-jitsu
- Achieve a Purple belt in jiu-jitsu
- Achieve a Brown belt in jiu-jitsu
- Achieve a Black belt in jiu-jitsu
- See my abs 🙂
Run a Spartan (Sprint)
Run a Spartan Race (Super)
- Run a Spartan Race (Beast)
Positive Impact Bucket List:
- Give at a TED Talk
- Help teens/ high school students develop positive life skills
Do an inspirational talk(May, 2017 – Spoke at VanTalks. Link to Video)- Write a book
- Publish a book
Create/Run a podcast- Help a stranger in an unexpected way
Volunteer at a homeless shelter- Work for free
- Help another person develop a positive mindset
- Help another person do something they thought was once impossible
- Help someone become a millionaire
- Speak to a High school and inspire them
Business/Professional Bucket List:
Start a businessFail at businessLease our first officeHire our first employeeBuild a successful businessGet nominated to the SEMpdx Board of DirectorsGet nominated to the Vancouver Chamber Board of DirectorsBuild an amazing leadership team at Webfor- Make Webfor an employee-owned company
- Have Webfor be listed as a top employer/workplace
Have Webfor win VBJ Fastest Growing Businesses AwardBe listed as Accomplished & Under 40Get column published on ForbesBe featured on MashableGet published on Huffington Post- Write a column for Entreprenuer.com
- Speak (or have a team member speak) at SMX Advanced
- Speak (or have a team member speak) at Pubcon
Speak at Swivel Conference(Oct, 2018)Speak at State of Search(Oct, 2018)Speak at Seattle Interactive Conference(Oct, 2016)- Speak (or have a team member speak) at MozCon
Financial Bucket List:
Start Roth IRInvest in 401(k)Buy a homeHave a rental homeHave a rental home that cash flowsPay off vehicle loansHire a housekeeper- Achieve financial freedom
- Pay off student loans
- Have zero debt (other than mortgages)
- Have zero personal debt (including mortgages)
Build dream home(April, 2011 – ended up buying it from a builder)
Relationship/Couples Bucket List:
Marry the woman of my dreams- Be the best partner/husband I can be (Always a work in progress)
Show my wife how thankful I am for her every dayGo to a Tony Robbins Seminar together(March & Sept 2018)- Have/Make great friends
- Travel around the world together
Create our own private bucket list and keep private🙂- Have a romantic dinner with her in all the places we visit
Go on a cruise just the wife and I(2011, Caribbean Cruise)Run an obstacle course race together(2015, Rugged Maniiac)
Family & activities w/ kids:
Be involved in my children’s school & extracurricular activitiesTake the children on vacations with us(2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017)Become a (great) father(Always a work in progress)- Road Trip Across the country
- Road Trip down coast through California
Road Trip on the Oregon CoastDo the Road to Hana w/ the KidsTake the kids snorkelingGo on a Disney cruise w/ the kids(2006 & 2012)- Give them the right mindset to allow them to be happy and make a positive impact (A work in progress)
Spend quality time with them doing physical activities (paddle boarding, hiking, snorkeling, etc. )Paddleboard on LaCamas lake
Additional Info & Resources:
What is a bucket list?
Why create a bucket list?
How to create your first bucket list?
What are the differences between goals and a bucket list?
Some great example bucket lists here:
https://bucketlistjourney.net/my-bucket-list/
https://www.locationrebel.com/bucket-list/ (A dinner conversation with Shawn Ogle inspired me to make my bucket list public to hold myself accountable)
