Who better to help build you bucket list than the world’s #1 bucket list expert! Author, speaker and self-proclaimed ‘bucket listologist’, Trav Bell is on a mission to create a new kind of bucket list to help you live a purposely fulfilled life and tick off things that are important to you.
Sometimes there are pre-conceived ideas of what should go on a bucket list – extreme sports or a big travel adventure – but Trav reframed that by scrapping the traditional bucket list for a life plan that works for you.
When planning any life goal, bucket list-related or not, the key is to think about the ‘what’ and the ‘why’, rather than trying to reverse engineer the ‘how’. Trav says, “when the why is strong, the how will work itself out”. Trav’s story was shaped by this perspective. He found his ‘why’ in his desire to connect with his dad coupled with his lifelong ambition to climb to Mount Everest Base Camp.
"The why has got to make you cry" Trav says, whether it’s a personal connection, lifelong ambition or an idea you dreamed up as a child.
It’s easy to get bogged down by the ‘how’ and often this is where bucket lists can feel overwhelming and out of reach. Trav’s advice is to remember our ‘why’ again. “If it's in your peripheral vision, or something you want to do, just write it down – no matter how crazy or unaligned,” Trav says. Putting pen to paper (yes, even more than typing it in your notes app), can be one of the easiest ways to realise your aspirations.
This goes hand in hand with Trav’s message to live more proactively by taking initiative and making conscious choices to shape our lives. This could be setting goals and working towards them, seeking out opportunities, continuously learning, building strong healthy relationships and taking steps to improve your health and wellbeing.
At Connect, we strive to help you achieve your health and wellbeing goals through our programs. Check out the Connect Hub for some of our recent sessions like Breathe Well, Building Healthy Relationships, Tai Chi and Master Your Time.
Before Trav spoke about creating your Future Bucket List, he emphasised the importance of creating your Reverse Bucket List or your ‘done’ list. Take time to acknowledge and show gratitude for everything you've already accomplished, because that is a feat in itself.
Sometimes bucket lists can get mixed up with to-do lists. To help separate the two, Trav suggests knowing the difference between two types of goals; achievement goals and habit goals. Achievement goals are specific, desired end points that people aim to reach like finishing a race, climbing a mountain or going on a long-awaited trip. However, habit goals are actionable behaviours designed to help achieve a larger, overarching goal and measured by streaks like walking 10,000 steps a day or drinking more water.
Keep these types of goals in mind when deciding what you want to have on your bucket list. Trav shared his guide to creating your Future Bucket List with the "My Bucket List" Blueprint:
- M – Meet a personal hero
- Y – Your biggest achievements
- B – Buy that special something (for yourself or someone else)
- U – Ultimate challenges
- C – Conquer a fear
- K – Kind acts for others
- E – Express yourself
- T – Take lessons
- L – Leave a legacy
- I – Idiotic stuff
- S – Satisfy a curiosity
- T – Travel adventures
The most important message Trav had to share was, “it's not about ticking things off but about how you grow while creating and completing your bucket list”. We hope you keep looking for your ‘why’ and adding to your bucket list. Like Trav says in his TEDx Talk, “life is too short not to live your bucket list”.