Do You Have a Bucket List?

Nicole — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:50:02 +0000

It’s another Expert Briefs, where I ask really smart business owners to answer your burning questions.

If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

This week I asked our panel of experts …

Do you Have a Bucket List? I know it's a depressing topic, but I'm finding that more Entrepreneurs seem to have them than Non-Entrepreneur types.

Lynette Chandler of TechBasedMarketing.com says:

I do not have a list per se, but one huge thing. And that's to travel with the entire family months at a time. Years ago, I read of a family who sold their home, moved into a much smaller place and purchased a sailboat. They spend about 9 – 10 months of the year sailing and only 1-3 months at ‘home'. When I read that, I said to myself “That's what I want to do”.

Other than my faith and our business, travel is the one of my major passion and certainly something I want to do before I go.

Mark Mason of MasonWorld.com says:

It's an interesting question, Nicole. And, an interesting movie as well.

In the movie “The Bucket List”, Carter (played by Morgan Freeman) talks about the death of his friend Edward. Near the end of the movie, he says

“Even now I still cannot understand the measure of a life, but I can tell you this. I know that when he died, his eyes were closed and his heart was open. And I'm pretty sure he was happy with his final resting place, because he was buried on the mountain. And that was against the law.”

That reminds me about how I feel about bucket lists. I don't really have one. I love today. I am just a happy reading a book in Dallas as I am eating dinner in Singapore or hiking in Yosemite.

I don't have a list — but I do want to be remembered as someone who helped people generously and with integrity in all things. I plan to die with an open heart (just like Edward).

Shannon Cherry of The Business Building Live Intensive says:

I don't have a bucket list. Nor do I want one. But before I explain why, let me let you in on a little secret.

I used to have one… in my twenties. And although a lady never reveals her age, I can tell you that was way before the movie “The Bucket List” and the craze du jour that followed – especially for entrepreneurs. You see, I was obsessed with reaching certain milestones in my life before the age of 30, including becoming a major TV network anchor, making a six figure income, traveling the world.

And did I do it? Yes, some of them. (Although I never did become the next Katie Couric.)

But I was miserable. Although I was crossing off things on my list left and right, I was empty.

And here's why:

Life is not a checklist of accomplishments or a to-do list (and many of you know how I love my to-do lists in my business!). You don't need to skydive or own a Ferrari to know you've achieved something in your life.

But you do need to LIVE and enjoy it. If you don't like something, work to change it. Be happy in the accomplishments you have made and will make.

Today, I have happiness, joy, success and love all around me. Why the hell do I need a list when I have that?

Connie Ragen Green of ConnieGreen.com says:

I finally do have a ‘bucket list', so I guess that means I am thinking more about accomplishing my goals while I am still alive. I lost my mother last month, so that has changed my thinking on this topic. Being able to spend these last few years helping her out was so special to both of us. She was 93, and I was able to provide her with everything she wanted and needed up until her last day on earth.

The more successful my business becomes, the more I value the people in my lives. The only reason I am enjoying the financial freedom and time freedom that comes with this online business is that it gives me more time and resources to share with those I love.

My extended family is spread out all over the world, and being able to visit them and have them visit me on a regular basis has enriched my life so much. We have been able to do more and see more than most people could do in several lifetimes. Just this past week I was in Georgia with part of my family. These are memories that we will all have forever.

The only things left on my list right now are to sing the national anthem at a baseball game and to jump out of a moving airplane. I'll let everyone know when that happens.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I got one of those emails awhile back from my mom (www.RemarkableWrinklies.com) that gets sent around. It's the “bucket list”.

So today I decided to post it here.

You're supposed to mark an “X” next to the things you've done. I deleted some as they weren't really anything I'd want to do, personally.

Things I've done:

(X) Been to an Air Show. There used to be one that went right over our house when we lived in Oregon. We'd sit out in the cul-de-sac to watch it with the kids. I'd have to rearrange all of the cups in the shelves after it was done since they'd jiggle all over.

(X) Shot a gun – Yep. I love shooting things. I wouldn't shoot anything that's living, but I love shooting other things. Blowing up aerosol cans (so they could be taken to the dump and burned) used to be one of my stress-relievers.

(X) Archery – Yep. Love that, too.

(X) Ride a roller coaster.

(X ) Been to Las Vegas

( X) Been to Mexico – Climbed the pyramids, went to the open air market, toured the Shrine of Guadalupe — all kinds of fun stuff.

(X) Take Belly Dance lessons. I am still no good after a year of lessons! But it was fun.

( X) Go spelunking – Been in caves in Oregon, Florida, and Tennessee so far.

( X ) Been to Florida – Currently Florida is home – since 2003.

( X ) Been on a plane (NOT a fan, although it's a necessary evil that I put up with – but I normally pop a Xanax before the plane takes off.)

( X ) Been on a cruise ship

( X ) Swam in the ocean – I live 5 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. We go quite often, but not often enough.

( X ) Been to a water park – Yep.

(X) Been to a Disney park.

( X ) Sang Karaoke – VERY poorly. Cleared out the entire bar. Granted it was morning, and there were Bloody Mary's involved, but it was not one of my finer moments. lol!

( X ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose and elsewhere (Nearly on a daily basis.)

( X ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue – Grew up in Northern Wisconsin so yep.

( X ) Danced or played in the rain – Hasn't everyone?

( X ) Written a letter to Santa Claus

( X ) Watched the sunrise with someone

( X ) Gone snorkeling – Three times so far and I'm totally hooked. Once we saw seahorses and starfish, the other time was over a coral reef and there were Angel Fish everywhere. Amazing!

( X ) Gone ice skating – Ice skating used to be part of gym class. The ice rink (outdoor) was a block from my elementary school.

( X ) Gone snow skiing. Yes. Both cross country and downhill.

( X ) Gone snowmobiling. Yep.

( X ) Gone snow-shoeing. I guess we can determine that anything that start with “snow” – I've pretty much done.

( X ) Camped out under the stars – I lived at a camp one summer in a tent, so yes.

( X ) Been skinny dipping outdoors – Too many times to list here.

( X ) Been fishing – Not a big fan.

( X ) Been boating. (Sailboat, pontoon, speed boats, etc.)

( X ) Been water skiing – Again, very poorly. Not one of my better skills. I can be dragged around a lake in an inner tube, nicely, though.

(X) Been canoeing/kayaking – As often as I can

( X ) Been horse riding

(X) Ridden on a tractor – Didn't I say I grew up in Wisconsin? We had one just to plow the snow, even though we lived in the middle of the forrest.

(X) Ridden on a horse-drawn carriage

(X) Been camping in a trailer/RV

(X) Done Jello Shots – Of course! I've made them on several occasions.

( X) Seen the Northern Lights

(X) Seen Mt. St. Helens

(X) Stood under a waterfall – One of my favorite things when we lived in Oregon was hiking the Silver Falls State Park.

(X) Visit a Renaissance fair. – I go as often as I can.

(X) Go to a Star Trek Convention. Yep. hee!

Things I have yet to do and plan to do ..

( ) Sleep in a castle in Europe

( ) Swim with dolphins

( ) See manatees in the wild

( ) See the Southern Cross

( ) Gone to a drive-in movie

( ) Write a book – (It's in the works)

( ) To travel to every state in the US

( ) To set foot on every continent.

My REAL Bucket List is to see each of the 7 Wonders of the World.

BUT… when I started to research and plan I found out that there are several lists. That's where it gets tricky… I'm going to have to live awhile.

Eighth Wonder of the World
National Seven Wonders
Seven Wonders of Fore (Fore Abbey, Ireland)
Seven Blunders of the World—a list by Mahatma Gandhi

I'd better get packin'!

Would love it if you'd post your list on your blog, too, and then comment below.

Mine will be changing much in the coming weeks as I think about things I'd like to do. Can't believe I haven't done this sooner.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean