In our modern goal-driven society, it seems to be a common tasks for one to create a list of “things to do before you die”. There are quite a few of these lists on the Internet these days. I have created an index of these for reference. I may also share my list at some point.
These lists are really, really interesting. Most of the items in the list are experiential as opposed to achievement-oriented. When I say “experiential”, I mean that “swim with a dolphin” is not really an achievement as just something you do and count it as one of life’s experiences. It is not the same as “get my MBA” which requires much planning and work. Swimming with a dolphin is just a matter of going somewhere and arranging a short excursion.
It’s sort of voyeuristic to see these lists of other people’s goals. It can be inspiring, also. I’ve gotten a lot of ideas by reading these lists. I’ve also found some overlap - many of the items I have on my list were also on the lists of others. I’ve also included a small sampling of the things people say they have already done. It’s somewhat humbling to see the unique and amazing things others have experienced. It can make you feel a bit behind, even if your own life has been adventurous. Take a look sometime and find your own inspirations.
“100 things to do before you die…”
“Things you should do in California”
“Ten Things You Probably Haven’t Done”
“Ten Things I’ve Done That You Probably Haven’t”
“The list of things to do before I die”