Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Mission Statement

We are the bucket list generation. We want to LIVE, not just exist until we die, we want to EXPERIENCE, we want to HAVE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.


I assume we all have those moments of envy, longing, satisfaction, seeing or reading about someone doing something, when our whole being says "Yes! I want to do that!"
The first step for any dream to come true is to acknowledge you have that dream.

There's several sites and projects online to help people to make their dreams come true.
 A lot of that is about people reading others' lists and going "that sounds interesting, I want to do that, too!"

But that's just the first step. That doesn't take you much further from just wishing, wanting and dreaming. I have taken that step hundreds of times. My "to do" -list, "bucket list", "101 things in 1001 days" -list, "50 things before 50" -list; my List, is mile long. I need help to get from dreaming to doing.

I am not alone. Most people have these lists, and some of us actually manage to tick off things from our lists, but those are a minority.  Well... most of us manage to tick off a couple of things from the list, but as the lists are much longer than a couple of things, it doesn't make much difference. So, how did we manage to do those few things? What makes the people who actually can tick off things from their lists different from the rest of us? How can I become one of them?

This blog was created to record my journey from a dreamer to a doer, and I hope it will help others to realize their dreams as well, and becoming from a LIST generation to a LIVE generation.

Having a list of things is not going to do much. It just sits there, giving the impression of that I'm doing something to make my dreams come true, but that's not the case, is it? You aren't really DOING anything by writing bucket lists. Sure, it's the first step, and a necessary step (at least for most of us. :-D There are those who get an idea and start doing it right away.)

Not all dreams are equal. Not all dreams are true. Not all dreams are yours. You will find out what do you REALLY want with time. To begin with, write down everything you might want to try or do, without thinking about priorities, but as you work with your goals, the priorities will appear. You see, if it's important, you will find a way. You will make the time. You will do it. If not, you will find excuses. You will "forget". You will rather do other things.

So how ever much you "want" something, if you haven't find time to take ANY further steps to reach your goal within a year, scrap that "dream". It's not yours. It's not important to you.
I read somewhere... there was a writer or a musician, who was told once again, "I wish I could do what you do!", to which he/she responded: "No, you don't. If you did, you'd do." 
Maybe it's just the lifestyle you dream of. The power. The ability to change people's lives. I don't know. Find out what it is, and reach for THAT goal.


Some dreams are not realistically possible. At least not right now. Don't let that stop you from dreaming. Find out what would make the dream more realistic.

For example, the likelihood of me ever becoming a mother is very small.
I would have better changes if I was lighter and had more money.
I can lose weight and I can get money. If I REALLY want to become a mother, I'll lose the weight and get the money, and I'll get myself pregnant.
Apparently, as I am still overweight and penniless, I don't REALLY want to become a mother.
After all, I could start having one night stands, just to get pregnant, like millions of other women do, without needing to lose weight and get money. But I don't even do that.

Another dream I have is to visit space.
It's the same thing there. If I was 15, I could get myself in the army, learn to fly, become a pilot and seek for the space program of my country.
I'm not. So my only way of visiting space is either building a space rocket, or paying for the trip.
In both cases, it would be better if I was fit.
I'm not doing anything to become fit and rich enough to pay for the trip. Nor am I studying space engineering, or physics or rocket science, to be able to build a space rocket.

Some people dream about riding a flying unicorn...
Well... There are no flying unicorns. At least, if by that you mean an actual, living, breathing creature, very much like a horse with wings and a horn on the forehead.
It is possible to give a regular, ordinary horse a fake horn and wings, and it's possible to rent a helicopter, strap the horse under it, and then ride a "flying unicorn". It's just not advisable :-D
Or you could become an actor in a fantasy movie and appear to fly a unicorn.
So - what would be almost as good? Perhaps it would do to ride a real horse, with no horns or wings? Ride an ostrich (to have the feeling of a living, winged being under you and carrying you forth through the air... because even if the ostrich cannot fly, it can run pretty fast, and it might be the closest thing anyone of us ever gets to flying on the back of an animal.) Or get a motorcycle and name it "Flying Unicorn"... >:->

Some dreams need to be adjusted a little.

A lot of us don't really believe we are worthy our dreams. I know I don't. I am afraid of failure, I'm afraid of success and the consequences of that. I'm afraid of not being able to keep my promises to myself. I'm afraid of how my life will change. I'm afraid of a lot of things, and choose the instant gratification, comfort and "safety" in stead of taking the risk... even when the gain would be everything I've ever dreamed of, and the loss would be nothing... In most cases the worst thing that can happen is "no" - that is, nothing changes. I'd still be able to sit on my couch and write blog entries :-D Nevertheless, I don't dare to risk nothing to gain everything. (Not really "nothing" - it's a question of risking the comfort and instant gratification. And it would be absolutely horrible, not being able to sit and do "nothing much".... :-D)

Added 19/3-15: The Ultimate Bucket List Resource Guide