I hate the phrase “bucket list.”

It essentially means, “things to do before you kick the bucket,” and reminds me of your eventual demise. However, for lack of a better phrase, I have to call my Drifty List journey a “bucket list.”

Through this progress, I’ve learned a ton about making a bucket list and how to think of bucket list ideas. There has been a lot of trial and error. I’m still adjusting, but here’s what I’ve figured out so far. Hopefully, it can help you, too!

Don’t rush through the process.

When you’re creating your list, it’s vital to take your time. When I made my list, I probably edited it 5 to 10 times over a few months. I wanted to take my time so I could write a list I knew I would stick to. Every item had to be something I actually wanted to do.

My list is kind of extreme, so if you’re looking for something simpler, you don’t have to go that far. Still, I started with broad list items and tried to remove any financial or time limit.

Be honest with yourself.

It’s tempting to add things to your list that will impress other people, but that won’t motivate you. You want to be as honest and genuine as you can be with your intentions. What do you actually want to do with your life? What excites you? This is the time to trim the metaphorical fat.

Get a little delulu.

In the early stages of planning, get a little delulu for inspiration. A lot of my life goals are around travel, so I decided to write whatever called to me. For a moment, I put reality aside. It really helped me tap into what I wanted and get creative. Dream big! Even if you don’t end up going with some of the more unrealistic items, you’ll get a better sense of what you want.

Don’t let age get in the way.

When we’re young adults, it’s easy to make lists full of ambitious items. However, when you get older, it’s tempting to be a little negative in terms of what you actually can and cannot accomplish. While it’s important to be realistic about what you can actually accomplish, you shouldn’t avoid putting something on the list because of your age.

For example, I want to be a mom someday! I’m already 36, so I had to consider biology (of course). Ultimately, I decided adoption was a better fit for me, and something I really wanted to do. But I didn’t let my age get in the way. That’s a more serious example, and I can see why something like learning to rollerskate would be intimidating for someone with mobility issues. You can still explore getting lessons in a safe environment or maybe, you can think about why rollerskating calls to you, and create a goal based on your answer.

Find ideas and inspiration in film, books, and art.

One of my biggest travel secrets? A lot of the trips I go on are based on my favorite movies, books, TV shows, works of art, etc. If you’re finding yourself stumped, look at your favorites. Do you love a lot of movies based in Paris? Maybe a trip to Paris should be on your list! Have you read a lot of books that take place in the countryside? Maybe you should consider a trip or move out there!

The goal is to find things that interest you and feel “right”. The more excited you feel by the things you write down, the better.

Have a mix of long-term and short-term goals.

If your bucket list goals only consist of huge goals, you won’t be able to check things off and build up your momentum. A balance of long-term and short-term goals will help your list be more achievable. Every short-term goal that you check off can help you build up your confidence and keep you motivated.

Document and organize your list.

There are a million ways to document and organize your list. I used a Google Spreadsheet, but you can also use a Word Document, Pinterest board (I also use Pinterest), or a notebook. It depends on what works for you! The last thing you want to do is adopt a style that doesn’t come intuitively for you.

Refine by setting SMART goals.

If you work in marketing, you probably have heard of SMART goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. When starting out with your bucket list items, assigning SMART goals can be intimidating, but near the end of finalizing your list, SMART goals are what can help you move closer to your goals.

For example, let’s say one of your goals is to see the Great Barrier Reef. When you put that goal through the lens of a SMART goal, this is what it looks like:

Specific: I’m going to plan a trip to see the Great Barrier Reef.
Measurable: I’m going to save money every paycheck and put it towards seeing the Great Barrier Reef.
Attainable: I have vacation time saved and have made enough money to put savings aside for this trip.
Relevant: If I save (x amount) and keep (x amount of) vacation time, I have the opportunity to get to Australia.
Time-bound: I want to see the Great Barrier Reef by the end of next year.

The goal is to make the goal as specific as you can. Figure out how much it’ll cost, and how much you’ll have to save, and let that help you predict how long it will take to get there.

Categorize your goals.

This is definitely optional, but categorizing my goals really helped me stay organized. Since I have 100 goals, I went through them and found similarities, resulting in the following categories:

• Travel Collecting
• Relationships Skill
• Wellness/Self Professional Development
• Fashion Fun/Why Not
• Finances
• Food
• Writing
• Art
• House

These will differ based on your personal interests, of course. Then, I assigned each goal 2-3 categories (as they relate.) For organizing my apartment, for example, two categories include “finances,” “wellness,” and “house”.

Sleep on it.

Once you’re done adding the items on your list, leave it for a while. Come back, read through it, and gut-check it. As a writer, I’m a big believer in the editing process and often find mistakes when I come back to something after a day or so.

Treat your list like you can’t edit it later.

As you finalize your items, imagine that you can’t edit them later. I approached my list that way, and it helped me take it more seriously. I red-penned the hell out of my list. After I finished, I did have to go back and adjust. Life happens. For example, I had to change my “Try 100 wines” to “Try 100 teas,” since I stopped drinking alcohol.

I haven’t edited anything else, because I really take it seriously, and know that the more I change, the less likely I am to actually finish.

Beware of crab claws!

There’s an expression about crabs in a bucket. Essentially, when one crab tries to crawl out of a bucket, the rest of the crabs pull it down. Basically, it represents someone trying to achieve something, and others discouraging that crab from doing so out of jealousy.

My advice is to generally not involve others in your goals. Of course, you don’t want to completely dismiss other people, especially a close friend, but take advice with a grain of salt and don’t lose sight of what you’re trying to accomplish.

Create a Bucket List: Getting Started

Not to be a major cheese, but every bucket list starts with imagination. Have fun with it! A list that reflects your personal goals and values can be great for your mental health. Like I mentioned previously, I use Google Sheets to organize my list, and I’ve duplicated mine to make it into a template.

You can view and download it here (for free!) here.