A “bucket list” in the traditional sense is a list of awesome things to do before you kick the bucket. Maybe it is skydiving, buying a motorcycle, writing a book or travelling around the world.
The topic of a bucket list came up in conversation with someone this week. A good mate of his had passed away from an aggressive cancer quite suddenly. Prior to his passing, his mate confessed there were a bunch of things he had been putting off for years and never got around to doing.
The whole concept of a bucket list was in the front of my client’s mind due to the mortality of his good friend. He didn’t want to have those same regrets on his deathbed.
The irony of this is it takes a negative thing such as an untimely death to bring about something positive such as having these life changing experiences.
What if we flipped this on it’s head?
Instead of calling it a “bucket list” we call it a “living list”.
The things I want to do while I am still here and make a difference in my life. The things that I have dreamed about but been either too scared to attempt or just have no idea how to get them done.
You see the problem with a bucket list is death is so far off in the future – maybe 20, 30, 40 years time. And in reality, not much action happens!
By changing the psychology of the list, it sharpens the mind bringing this further forward in our attention. When you start talking about a living list, we are talking 1, 2 or 3 years in the future.
See the difference?
Focus on the joyous things in our lives and the “to-do’s” that are going to make a difference whilst we are active, living and healthy. Enjoying things now. This gets us thinking much shorter term. A more realistic, action oriented approach compared to abstract, far away thinking.
So what is on your ‘living list’?
Make 2016 the year of your living list. Now go and get busy!
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