101 Things To Do Before You Die

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

1

About Hi there!  I'm Celestine Chua and my biggest passion in life is to help you achieve your highest potential and live your best life. I'm a life coach and writer at The Personal Excellence Blog (TPEB), where I share my best advice on how to achieve personal excellence and live your best life. To date, there are hundreds of top quality articles and free ebooks at TPEB covering many personal growth topics from Awareness & Growth, Goal Achievement, Relationships & People Skills, Cultivating Habits, Emotional Mastery, Productivity and Getting Things Done, Purpose & Meaning, and many more. This free ebook is a gift from me to you, for pursuing your growth! Thank you so much for being you and for being who you are! I'm very passionate about you and your growth, and I truly want you to get the best learnings so you can live your best life. I believe you'll find the content in this book very useful as you pursue your personal growth journey. If you like what you read here, you are going to love all the other content in store for you at TPEB. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for the free newsletter – Not only will you get free welcome gifts of 101 Things To Do Before You Die (ebook) and The Book of Top Inspiring Quotes (ebook), you'll also get a free lifetime subscription of premium personal development articles. Please sit back, relax and enjoy . Feel free to pass this on to your friends or family to so all of us can grow in excellence together!

Celestine Chua The Personal Excellence Blog - http://celestinechua.com Be your best self, Live your best life

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

2

What’s On Your Bucket List? 101 Things To Do Before You Die “Every man dies – Not every man really lives.” ~ William Ross “The only people who fear death are those with regrets.” ~ Author Unknown

A few days ago, I was surfing online when I came across someone’s bucket list. It quickly inspired me to create my own bucket list as well and write an article at the same time.

What’s a Bucket List? If you haven’t heard about the bucket list, it is a list of all the goals you want to achieve, dreams you want to fulfill and life-experiences you desire to experience before you die.

Image ©

Why Create a Bucket List? Why have a bucket list? If you don’t live your days by personal goals and plans, chances are you spend most of your time caught up in a flurry of dayto-day activities. Ever feel your days are passing by without any tangible output to speak of? What were your accomplishments in the past 3 months? What are your upcoming goals for the next 3 months? Look at the things you did and the things you’re planning to do next – Do they mean anything to

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

3

you if you are to die today? Having a bucket list reminds you of what’s really important so you can act on them. Even if you frequently live by goals or to-do lists, they are probably framed within a certain social context e.g., performance, career, health. A bucket list opens up the context. It’s a forum to set anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to do, whether it’s big, small or random. It’s just like planning ahead all the highlights you want for YOUR whole life. Even though goal setting is already my staple activity, I still found many new things to do while I was writing on my bucket list. It was an incredibly insightful exercise. What’s more, coming up with the list it gave me a whole new layer of enthusiasm knowing what’s in store ahead! The objective of creating a bucket list isn’t to instill some kind of a race against time or to create aversion towards death. I don’t see our existence to be limited to just our physical years on earth – I don’t see our existence to be limited to just our physical years on earth – our physical lifespan is but a short speck of our existence in the universe. The whole point of a bucket list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest. It’s a reminder of all the things we want to achieve in our time here, so that instead of pandering our time in pointless activities, we are directing it fully toward what matters to us.

Create Your Bucket List If you don’t have a bucket list, I highly recommend you to create one. How much does it cost? Probably 30 minutes to an hour, or more if you get really caught up in the writing :). What do you gain? Significant clarity and focus on what you want from your life. It’s an invaluable exchange. If you have already written your bucket list before, take this opportunity to review it. See if there are new items you want to add-on. If so, add them in. Check if all the items listed are still relevant. If not, remove them. If you are curious, you can check out my bucket list before you start off

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

4

Now, take out your pen and paper or open up a text editing document. You can check out the following sites where people publicly share their bucket lists: 43 Things, Your 100 Things,Barefoot List, My Life List. Start writing down what comes to mind as you read these questions: • What if you were to die tomorrow? What would you wish you could do before you die? • What have you always wanted to do but have not done yet? • What will you do if you have unlimited time, money and resources? • Any countries, places or locations you want to visit? • What are your biggest goals and dreams? • What do you want to see in person? • What achievements do you want to have? • What experiences do you want to have / feel? • Are there any special moments you want to witness? • What activities or skills do you want to learn or try out? • What are the most important things you can ever do? • What would you like to say/do together with other people? People you love? Family? Friends? • Are there any specific people you want to meet in person? • What do you want to achieve in the different areas: Social, Love, Family, Career, Finance, Health (Your weight, Fitness level), Spiritual? • What do you need to do to lead a life of the greatest meaning? Come up with as many items as you can. The items should be things you have not done yet. Don’t stop until you finish listing at least 101 things! If you find yourself stuck, chances are you are mentally limiting/constraining yourself. Release those shackles – This is a list of everything you want to achieve, do, see, feel and experience in your life. Check out the next section for added inspiration. The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

5

101 Things to Consider for Your Bucket List Here are 101 bucket list items to consider for your bucket list

. Some of the items might spark off your inspiration for other things too!

1. Travel all around the world • All the countries in the world • Visit all the Wonders of the World • 1001 places to see before you die 2. Learn a new language 3. Try out a new profession in a different field 4. Achieve your ideal weight 5. Run a marathon 6. Take part in a triathlon 7. Take up a new sport. Some examples: • Technique sports: Archery, Golf, Bowling, Billiard, Skateboarding, Skating, Roller-blading, Ice skating • Water sports: Water rafting, Kayaking, Wakeboarding, Sailing, Scuba diving, Snorkeling, Swimming • Group sports: Soccer, Rugby, Baseball, Basketball, Ultimate frisbee • Racket sports: Squash, Badminton, Tennis, Table tennis 8. Go skiing

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

6

9. Learn horseback riding 10.Resign from a job you don’t like 11.Pursue your passion. 12.Start your own business doing something you love 13.Achieve financial abundance with your passion 14.Connect with all your teachers from your past schools – college, high school, junior high, all of it. Let them know how they have shaped your life. 15.Identify someone who has inspired you the most in your life. Let him/her know how much he/she has inspired you 16.Be a mentor to someone 17.Learn a strategy game 18.Do an extreme sport – Bungee jump, Skydiving, Parachuting, Paragliding, Ice climbing 19.Climb a mountain 20.Give a heartfelt surprise to someone 21.Make a difference in someone’s life 22.Perform a kind deed to at least 5 strangers without expecting anything in return 23.Write a book on something that means a lot to you 24.Fly in a hot-air balloon across a country 25.Sing your favorite song to an audience 26.Offer your service to a humanitarian cause

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

7

27.Make friends with at least 5 strangers on the street 28.Experience a sunset 29.Experience a sunrise 30.See the Northern Lights 31.Witness a solar eclipse 32.Go stargazing 33.Plant your own tree and watch it grow 34.Own a pet (or more if you desire!): dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, tortoise, fish, snake, frog, etc 35.Do public speaking in front of 10,000 people 36.Write a letter to at least 3 of your closest friends to let them know how much they mean to you 37.Throw a mega party 38.Get a complete makeover (change everything, from your hair style, hair color, image, clothes) and get a different look: one which you would never have thought of trying! 39.Learn wine appreciation 40.Join a social etiquette class and further refine your mannerisms 41.Be a matchmaker: Introduce your single friends to each other (the rest is up to them!) 42.Go on a blind date! (for the singles!) 43.Go for future education in a different specialization 44.Play a (new) musical instrument: Piano, Violin, Harmonica, Flute, Guitar, Drum, Trumpet 45.Win a lucky draw The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

8

46.Take up dancing: Salsa, Line dance, Tap dance, Tango, Ballroom dancing, etc 47.Learn a martial art 48.Go on a road trip 49.Go backpacking across at least 10 locations 50.Pack your bags and set off for a random location with no itinerary planned at all 51.Go swimming with dolphins 52.Live in a different country for at least 6 months 53.Act in a film (self production or otherwise) 54.Get featured on TV/radio/print/newspapers for an achievement you are proud of 55.Knit a scarf 56.Create your dream home (Read: Does Your Room Inspire You?) 57.Whip up the best meal ever for your loved ones 58.Bake a cake for someone special 59.Go deep into the heart of Mother Nature. Go trekking in a rainforest; Camp out in the wilds; Walk in a valley; Visit a waterfall; Swim in an ocean; Walk in a valley 60.See snow (if you haven’t before) 61.Live through 4 seasons of the year – Spring, summer, autumn, winter 62.Read a book on a subject you’d never have thought of reading 63.Volunteer at a hospice 64.Fly a kite

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

9

65.Fall asleep on grassy plains 66.Call the customer service (of a service provider you like) just to thank them for the great service 67.If you are a non-vegetarian, try out vegetarianism for 21 days and experience it for yourself. 68.After that, try veganism 69.Followed by raw veganism. Then conclude which is the best diet for you. 70.Fold a 1,000 origami cranes and give them to someone special. 71.Conquer your biggest fear 72.Go snorkeling and experience marine life up close 73.Tell at least 10 people about your bucket list and encourage them to do the same 74.Go on a meditation retreat 75.Experience an OBE (out of body experience) 76.Start a social movement on a cause you believe in 77.Watch cherry blossoms in Japan 78.Get closure on all your hurt, grievances and unhappiness of the past 79.Bury the hatchet with all the enemies / people you had conflict with in the past or now 80.Organize a picnic outing 81.Do something completely crazy and out of character 82.Fly first class 83.Hit bullseye on a dartboard 84.Visit a volcano 85.Fly in a helicopter The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

10

86.Have dinner with someone you had only dreamed of meeting 87.Tell your parents (and siblings too if you have them) that you love them. 88.Ride a roller coaster 89.Go on a cruise in the sea 90.Try out front-line customer service jobs such being a waiter/waitress for a month just for the experience 91.Fall in love 92.Be in love! 93.Get on a romantic getaway 94.Do a somersault

95.Visit a castle in England 96.Change the world 97.Help someone in need 98.Learn sign language 99.See the Mona Lisa in Louvre (Paris) 100.Go to a costume party and dress up as your fantasy character 101.Gain enlightenment

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

11

Here are some sites you might want to check out for inspiration as you create your bucket list: • 43 Things • Your 100 Things • Barefoot List • My Life List • BBC 50 Things To Do Before You Die • Creating a Bucket List • My Someday

Get Into Action! After you finish your bucket list, here’s what to do next: • Start acting on them! Plan out the successful path towards these goals – For this, read my 7-part Successful Goal Achievement series. • Be reminded of the list all the time. Use environmental reinforcement – put them up in a prominent spot where you will see them every day / very regularly. Put it in yourlife handbook, set it as your wallpaper, pin it on your noticeboard, print it out, stick it on your wardrobe/locker. • Share them with your family and friends. Inspire them to create their own bucket list too! This way, you also create accountability to your own bucket list. • Don’t limit your bucket list items to a certain definition. Sometimes opportunity present itself in a totally different manner. Keep your eyes peeled! The universe will start throwing things your way. • Review regularly. Cross out the list of things after you do them. See if some of the items have become irrelevant and if there are new things you want to add. Just as you finish the items, you’ll add new ones as they come along. There is absolutely no reason why our bucket list should ever be empty. There is such an incredible wealth of things, events, activities, experiences to witness/go through in life that it’s impossible that we will

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

12

ever be done with living. Likewise for me, I’m continuously completing and adding on new items that will help me live my life to the fullest, so my bucket list always has new items to accomplish. Images: Journal, Sunrise, Marathon, Snorkeling, Dancing, Forest, Kite, Dating, Castle

Related Articles: • • • • • •

6 Important Reasons Why You Should Set Goals Are You Sleepwalking Your Life Away? | Part 2 Discover Your Real Life Purpose (7-Part Series) My Bucket List More on Bucket Lists (We are on CNN!) 30DLBL Day 26 – Create Your Bucket List

Posted Aug 10, 2009 | Original Article Link

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

13

Afterword The article in this book is just the icing on the cake. If you have enjoyed this book and found it useful, you will surely love all the other articles at TPEB. Many readers continually feedback on how they have benefited tremendously from reading the blog and how it's a staple for their personal growth. I have handpicked a list of top articles from the blog to get you started. These have been grouped into categories for your easy reference.

Conscious Living • Are You Sleepwalking Your Life Away? • The Meaning of Life: Discover Your Real Purpose (7-part series) • How To Know What You Want To Do In Life

Awareness & Growth • • • • • • • • • • • • •

101 Ways To Live Your Life To The Fullest 101 Things To Do Before You Die 101 Important Questions To Ask Yourself in Life How Are You Faring In Your Life Now? Are You Putting Any Parts of Your Life On Hold? What Is Your Consciousness Level? Get Your Big Rocks In First You Always Have A Choice Increase Your Mental Clarity in Just 15 Minutes Create Your Life Handbook Blind Spots In Personal Growth How To Create An Inspirational Room Write A Letter To Your Future Self

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

Goals & Success 6 Important Reasons Why You Should Set Goals Successful Goal Achievement: ESPER (7-part series) How To Finish What You Start: 10 Important Tips Keep Your End Objective In Mind Is Your Goal Worth 30 Minutes of Your Time Every Day? How To Be A Dean's Lister (3-part series) Skills Development Leveling Up 10,000 Hours To Develop Talent Quitting To Win Using Your Environment to Achieve Your Goals To Get What You Want, First Admit You Want It Know your WHAT first, then Devise your HOW Not Getting What You Want? Time To Change Your Actions When Goals Stop Working 58 Noteworthy Resolutions For The New Year Which Area Of Your Life Do You Want To Transform This Year? • 25 Brainstorming Techniques

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

14

• If Your Life Was A RPG, What Type Of Character Would You Be? • What Are You Running Away From? • Create Real Change In Life: Address Root Cause vs. Effects • Are You a Self-Help Junkie? • How To Start When You Have Nothing • Finding Your Inner Self • You are the CEO of Your Life • Why Perfectionism Isn't Good and How To Overcome It (3-part series)

Cultivate Life Transforming Habits • 21 Days To Cultivate Life Transforming Habits • 21-Day Lifestyle Revamp Program • Waking Early: Why I Wake Up Early (And 9 Reasons You Should Do So Too) | 21 Tips To Wake Up Early • Quit Soda: 5 Reasons To Quit Drinking Soda (& How To Do It) • Improve Your Posture: Benefits Of A Good Posture (& 13 Tips To Do It) • Be TV-Free: 10 Reasons You Should Stop Watching TV • Being On Time: 17 Tips To Be On Time • Meditation: 10 Reasons You Should Meditate | How To Meditate in 5 Simple Steps • Email: 11 Easy Steps To Effective Email Management • Run Barefoot: 10 Reasons You Should Start Running Barefoot • Lose Weight: 25 Of My Best Weight Loss Tips

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

Maximizing Productivity • • • • • • • • • • • • •

8 Habits of Highly Productive People Become the Master of Your Time Put First Things First 50 Ways To Boost Your Productivity Effective To-Do Lists: Gold, Silver and Bronze Tasks Why We Have Slumps And How To Get Out Of Them Declutter Your Home in 8 Easy-to-follow Steps Law of Diminishing Returns How To Overcome Procrastination (5-part series) Self Discipline is Overrated List Of My Favorite Freewares The Best Productivity System There Is Achieve More With Less In Life Using 80/20 Principle (3-part series)

Inspiration & Motivation • 25 Most Inspirational Songs of All Time • Movies With Important Life Lessons For Us To Learn • 101 Most Inspiring Quotes of All Time (3-part series)

Relationships & People Skills • You are the Average of the 5 People You Spend the Most Time With • Why I Parted Ways With My Best Friend of 10 Years

15

Emotional Mastery • • • • • •

Are You Emotionally Generous? How To Overcome Fear (3-part series) Do You Dread Growing Older? Materialism Breeds Unhappiness How To Deal With Disappointment (4-part series) How To Be The Most Confident Person In The World

How To Move On From Relationships (5-part series) It’s Perfectly Ok To Be Single How To Say No To Others – The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need How To Deal With Energy Vampires 8 Helpful Ways To Deal With Critical People How To Deal With Dishonest People How To Deal With Rude People (Co-Workers, Associates, Customers, Managers, etc - 3-part series) • 10 Tips To Make New Friends • • • • • • •

These articles aren't meant to be read in 1 sitting. Save this page so you can read them over a period of time and digest the content. Consider taking a 21-Day Lifestyle Revamp Program, where you read at least 1 new personal growth article every morning for 21 days. You'll be amazed at how much you'll gain in just 3 short weeks.

Subscribe For Free If you like what you read here, you will surely love other articles at The Personal Excellence Blog. Check out the latest articles (updated several times a week) or archives with over 200 articles. I update TPEB several times a week with new articles, sharing my latest learnings and insights on how to live in excellence. Get on the free newsletter so you are the first to be notified of all updates.

Share This With Others If you have found this book beneficial, please spread the love. Feel free to share this with all your friends and family. Feel free to also distribute and publish this on your blog/site, as long as credit and link back are provided to The Personal Excellence Blog at celestinechua.com.

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

16

Let's Connect I love to hear from you and to know what you think. Feel free to get in touch via the following: • • • •

Facebook @celestinechua Twitter @celestinechua TPEB Facebook Fanpage TPEB Contact Form

Visit The Personal Excellence Blog at www.celestinechua.com

The Personal Excellence Blog - CelestineChua.com

17