How many and what items have you ticked off of your list this year? These are the two most common questions I am asked in relation to my list. The fact people are asking and showing an interest in the concept is a real positive. When I first started the blog nicholasmoon.co.uk, I had the intention of blogging about football. Since then the blog has taken on a number of guises, but it is only now that I feel I have found something that has legs.
It is the second year that I have completed the list concept. The concept is simple. Create a list of 100 experiences I wish to complete in my lifetime. Over the year I try to complete as many of those experiences as possible. Once the year is out, review the list of experiences and top it back up with 100 experiences for the following year. Those I do not complete are carried over.
The way I see it is, humans are never content with life, but we always want to feel like we are winning. The list allows me to manage both aspects of that predicament. Each year I can challenge the things I am not content with in a structured way, and each item I tick off is a little win. The goal is not to complete all 100 as that would mean there is no room for improvement. The goal is simply to push myself to do more beyond my current comfort zone.
Where did I get to in 2015? Out of 100 items, I completed 17. That is three more than last year. In my mind failure would be to complete less than one a month, but next year I still want to better this year’s achievement.
The list of completed 2015 items:
- #1 – 365 photo/video challenge
- #30 – Own a pet
- #31 – Complete a road trip
- #33 – Bake a cake
- #67 – Sleep in my parents garden
- #70 – Eat snails
- #71 – Learn to make a balloon animal
- #83 – Visit the Eden Project
- #85 – Visit at least one European capital city
- #86 – Learn to cook/bake a new item each month
- #88 – Learn some origami
- #92 – Climb the O2
- #94 – See a volcano
- #95 – Read one book each month
- #98 – Visit the Tower of London
- #99 – Ride on a Segway
- #100 – Get someone else to start a bucket list
Out of the above I cannot pick a favourite, but I have really enjoyed pushing myself in the culinary department. This is certainly an area I see myself revisiting on future lists.
The only negative with my list idea is that there is not a lot of room for flexibility, and some experiences do not make it. The Secret Cinema is a perfect example of this. It was an experience on my reserve list, but I attended in any case. In these instances I will look to write these experiences up as a review.
In conclusion to the 2015 list, I have completed another 17 experiences out of 100. The list for 2016 will be published shortly, but do not forget, I am always open to suggestions and recommendations.