How to Make a Bucket List!

Listing what you want to accomplish in your life is akin to creating a map to find your dreams. It can be done at an early age; or at any age.

John Goddard who is a famous adventurer and motivational speaker decided early in his life to make a list of goals he wanted to accomplish. That list became the inflection point that guided him through the years.

At the age of 15 John Goddard wrote down the 127 goals he wanted to reach in his lifetime. The categories were wide and deep. Here are just a few of his goals.

• Explore: The Nile, Amazon & Congo
• Climb: Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Rainier & Mt Fuji
• Swim in: Lake Victoria, Lake Titicaca & Lake Superior
• Photograph: Iguaçu Falls in Brazil & Victoria Falls in Rhodesia
• Study Primitive Cultures in: The Congo, Brazil, Borneo & Australia
• Explore Underwater: The Coral reefs of Florida & the Great Barrier Reef
• Visit: The Great Wall of China, the Panama and Suez canals & the Taj Mahal
• Accomplish: Becoming an Eagle Scout, diving in a submarine & learning to fence

Six decades later he has accomplished well over 100 of his goals. It all started with a list of decisions!

In the 1980s I read about John Goddard in a readers digest article. I was impressed with his will and accomplishments. I hoped then that one day I might meet him.

A few years later I had the great pleasure to meet and dine with John Goddard at his home. It was quite an experience.

Before dinner John showed me around his home and took me into a room with artifacts from around the world. He gently joked with me and the mood was light. He walked me over to where there was a primitive sword hung on the wall. John reached over and pulled the sword half-way out of its sheath, and said to me in a serious tone: “This sword must draw blood if it is ever pulled out of its sheath!” Then, he slowly put the sword back.

His message was clear. Just as a sword isn’t taken out unless it is used; we need to finish what we start to be successful in life. It was a fitting lesson for everyone who wants to improve their life.

John Goddard’s zest for life and adventure has inspired many people. When a writer asked about John’s age he responded:

“In our family we don’t keep track of years; we keep track of experience. Age is only important in terms of wine and cheese!”

Whether you are eight or eighty, having a list helps you plan for an interesting future full of purpose and enjoyment.


Passion and Time Urgency!

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you’ll be a success.” ~Albert Schweitzer


Below are some ways to help you determine your passions. First, let’s explore how passions and time are related.

Passion—Having passion for what you do is important. It is what gets you up in the morning. It is what you need to feel useful. It is what powers you. And, it is related to time.

Time—can be a friend or an enemy. The unmotivated person has the same amount of time each week as the CEO of a major corporation. However, what each of these individuals does with his time is profoundly different.

Time is an enemy if a person constantly procrastinates, if he fears leaving his comfort zone, and if he doesn’t pursue his passions. Time will pass and he will be no closer to achieving that which he wants out of life.

Time is a friend if you pursue your passion. It feels great to have a purpose and to pursue it. As famous sales trainer Tom Hopkins has said:

“I must do the most productive thing possible at every given moment.”

He explained that sometimes that statement means working hard; sometimes it means resting when needed, and sometimes it means investing time with others. However it is always means moving forward towards what you want out of life.

“Lost Time is never found again” —Benjamin Franklin

Where do you want “to be”?
To begin the process of discovering your passions, ask yourself the following questions:

• Where do I want “to be” in a week?
• Where do I want “to be” in a month?
• Where do I want “to be” in a year?
• Where do I want “to be” in five years?
• Where do I want “to be” in ten years?

“To be” can require many things. It can require starting a new dance class next week, or moving to a nicer place next month. It can require going back to school in a year for a degree to improve your status and salary. It can necessitate changing careers in five years to enjoy more interesting life work.

When you decide what you want to accomplish, big or small, it helps put urgency to your decision and makes it real. Without any time urgency many dreams go unfulfilled. That’s human nature.

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor dothe children of men as a whole experience it. Avoidaing danger is no safer in the long run than exposure."

~ Helen Keller