Bucket List
All over the place, I keep hearing about the importance of accountability. If you make a goal public and have people to hold you accountable, you are much more likely to accomplish your goals.
So this is how I am holding myself accountable.
For as long as I live I expect this list to be a work in progress, but it will always give me something to strive for. Also keep in mind this is the second iteration of my list, or version 2.0 as I like to call it. I have left the original item numbers, but reorganized how they appear. Due to this, you will find that not everything is in order.
Now, without further ad0:
Travel
Africa
6. Visit Victoria Falls in Zambia Zimbabwe
7. See a Giraffe in the Wild
54. Attend a World Cup purely for the atmosphere
68. Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
Asia
21. Stay in a Bungalow in Bora Bora
48. Attend a Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan, Thailand
60. Stay one night in the Burj Al Arab Hotel (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
100. Swim in crystal clear water in the Maldives
Australia (and New Zealand)
2. Scuba Dive in the Great Barrier Reef
69. Go Zorbing in New Zealand
90. Road trip from Melbourne to Cairns
Europe
22. Attend the Monaco Grand Prix (Monte Carlo, Monaco)
24. Run with the Bulls (Pamplona, Spain)
46. Have a beer at Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany)
58. Hike through the Dolomites in Switzerland
91. St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, Ireland
92. Walk to the top of the Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)
93. Attend La Tomatina (Spain)
94. Visit Pompeii, Italy
95. Walk across one of the Spanish Pilgrimage Trails
North America
So this is what it feels like to be on top of a mountain!
16. Climb a Mountain (Completed August 29, 2009)
17. Rock Climb in Yosemite National Park (Yosemite, California)
19. Go Skydiving (Completed June 2006)
23. Sell a House for a Profit
28. Heli-Ski (Valdez, Alaska)
27. Golf at Augusta National Golf Club (Augusta, Georgia)
32. See Dave Matthews at the Gorge Amphitheater (George, Washington)
33. Attend Coachella Music Festival (Coachella Valley, California)
37. Visit New York City (September 13, 2010)
42. Ride Every Roller Coaster at Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio)
45. Experience Burning Man (Black Rock Desert, Nevada)
47. Go to Cuba before the embargo is lifted and have a cigar (Havana, Cuba February 2012)
50. Golf at Pebble Beach (California)
51. Golf at Bandon Dunes (Bandon, Oregon)
56. Be an extra in a Hollywood movie
57. Bungee Jump (Completed Summer 2006)
59. Have a beer at a Deer Valley or Aspen ski lodge
64. Whitewater rafter at Cherry Creek, California
96. Take a road trip from LA to New York (Does Portland to Austin count?)
South America
1. Hang glide over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Completed February 2009)
20. Dance in the Rio Carnival Parade (Competed February 2009)
25. Visit Iguazu Falls (Completed February 2009)
26. Stay in the Amazon jungle for 3 days
70. Visit Machu Picchu
Other Travel Related Goals
5. Visit Every Continent
a. Africa b. Antarctica
c. Asia (Completed January 7th, 2010)
d. Australia
e. Europe (Completed June 12, 2007)
f. North America (Completed April 4, 1985)
g. South America (Completed February 16, 2009)
12. Play guitar for one hour on a city street in a foreign country (Completed January 11th, 2010) See this post to 100 comments to see the video!
13. Learn how to sail
14. Sail from one country to another
15. Swim at sunrise in each:
a. Asia b. Africa c. Australia
d. Europe e. North America f. South America
44. Travel for more than 3 months straight (Completed April 5th, 2010.)
49. Go to each of the four major tennis tournaments
a. Australian Open (Melbourne, Australia) b. French Open (Roland Garros, France)
c. Wimbledon (London, England) d. US Open (New York City)
55. Work at a resort hotel (Many times, starting in early 2010.)
67. While traveling, stop at each guitar store I see and write a song, then post a video of it on the blog. Do this five times.
1) Krabi-Town, Thailand. (Completed January 12th, 2010, unfortunately we were kicked out before I could make a video!)
71. Go into space on Virgin Galactic
72. Live for a month on a tropical island (cumulative completed July, 2010)
73. Ski at 5 of the worlds best resorts:
a. Whistler (British Columbia) b. Chamonix (France)
c. Vail (Colorado) (January 2012) d. Park City/Deer Valley (Utah)
e. Zermatt (Switzerland)
74. Go to the airport and board a plane with no preconceived ideas of where it will be going (Bangkok –> Manila May 19, 2010)
75. Go to a Vipassana retreat
76. Take an international trip with my dad
77. Take an international trip with my mom
All of the Other Things I Would Like to Do
3. Get a photograph published
4. Get an article I’ve written published
8. Become proficient at Adobe Photoshop (2011)
9. Own my own business (Completed February 2005 and September 2007)
10. Start a Successful Blog
a. 50 RSS Subscribers (Completed July 18, 2009)
b. 100 RSS Subscribers (Completed August 14, 2009)
c. 500 RSS Subscribers (Completed December 29, 2009)
d. 1,000 RSS Subscribers (Summer, 2010)
11. Make a living off my own business (Summer, 2010)
18. Learn a foreign language
29. Bench press 200 lbs.
30. Donate more than $1,000 to an important cause
31 . Make at least one terrifying decision that will get me closer to my goals (Completed January 5th, 2010. Move to Thailand)
34. Record an album with 10 original songs
35. Achieve zero debt
36. Drive a Ferrari
38. Do something newsworthy
39. Go for at least one month without internet
40. Take dance lessons for:
a) Salsa b) Tango c) Ballroom d) Samba
41. Swim with dolphins
42. Ride something larger than a horse
52. Play tennis with a former or current top 10 player in the world
53. Embarrass myself in front of a bunch of people (Completed July 2009)
61. Compose at least one spectacular HDR Image (One of these will do)
62. Climb a 5.11 climbing route (personal best is 5.10+)
63. Win (another) tennis tournament with at least 12 entrants)
65. Wake up before 6 a.m. every day for 2 weeks
66. Make $10 a day average from my blog/internet (Summer, 2010)
78. Finish a marathon (Completed May 1st, 2011)
a) Finish a half marathon b) Run a 10k c) Run a 5k
79. Create a list of my top 100 albums of all time
80. Have coffee with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company
81. Jam with Joe Bonamassa
82. Write a manifesto
83. Design a theme for this blog (June 2011)
84. Write a book
85. Shake hands with a President
86. Reach 10,000 Followers on Twitter
a. 500 (completed November 15, 2009) b. 1,000 (Summer, 2010) c. 5,000
87. Start another band
88. Fly in a Fighter Jet
89. Create my own drink, and get it on the menu at a bar or restaurant
97. Speak in front of a large crowd. (June 5, 2011 World Domination Summit, March 4th, TEDxCMU)
98. People’s choice #1
99. People’s choice #2
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Next Comments →
3,4,29,31,35,38, 40(salsa), 41,42,53,57. WHAT?!? Done.
Nice list! I’m finishing up the 101 Things in 1,001 Days Project, which is similar. It’s nice to see another Portland Quarterlife Crisis blogger. You won’t regret #44, I just got back from a year of travel and it was the best thing I ever did.
Cheers!
A great list, at last someone who has plans with his life!
You just got me started on my own list, let’s see how “crazy” (according to “normal people”) we can make this list. There are so many things I’d like to do one day, better get crackin’
I have found that just getting it on paper (or blog) is really useful. In the back of my mind there have always been these things I have wanted to do, but many were so far out of the realm of my current life that I needed to make a change. Now I have to start working on them!
Hey, I came over here from Live Uncomfortably. I love reading other people’s bucket lists and you have a ton of awesome sounding things on yours. Good luck!
Thanks Carla! I have always enjoyed reading them too. However I am finding that it can be a lot more enjoyable to actually complete your own!
Nice list! There seem to be a lot of these things popping up all over the place and I always see a few to add to my own. It’s great for inspiration!
Thanks Kirsty! Yeah ever since I created my own list, I have been noticing a lot more as well. Maybe I just pay more attention now. I need to go and do a bit of an overhaul on it though. There are a bunch of things I have added that I just haven’t posted yet, so hopefully I can do that in conjunction with my next “list update”
You have a great list as well, and I really enjoy your site. It is going to take me a little time to go back and look at all of your old posts. Thanks again for stopping by!
Forgot to comment on your list.
My favourite – 52. If you could get John McEnroe, that would be totally awesome.
There are some really good ones on here, and I wish you the best of luck.
- Heath
Great list! I think you should do #45 this year ~ I’ll be there for my first time!
Great list, It inspires me to think about what I want to accomplish in life as well. I wish you the best and it looks like you are off to a great start.
Hey Sean—
How long have you been blogging? Doesn’t seem long? What do you think got you 100 subscribers already? Not bagging, just jealous. I am trying to get subscribers but haven’t got any other than my girlfriend (which doesn’t count). Can you email me or respond with some sugg’s.
Thanks and good luck with the rest of this list. Great Barrier Reef is amazing. Go to Cairns to scuba the GBR.
Dave
LifeExcursion
Hey Sean,
Great List. I had made a list many years ago and it is probably burried somewhere in my storage room with all the old notebooks. Better go find it and post it on my blog to get me inspired/motivated/accountable.
BTW, are #43 and #67 the same thing or different ones? just curious.
Rasheed
Thanks for pointing that out Rasheed! I knew there would be a duplicate in there somewhere…
Look forward to seeing your list when you post it
Check your post from the other day when you updated. Gave you a #97
Dave
LifeExcursion
I love #53 – I have multiple completion dates on that one.
My goodness, Asia is so big, and you only have 3 things to do? I would think that you need three years to cover Asia fully.
Just walking the length of the Great Wall is at least a one-year challenge.
Sample all the tea varieties in China is almost an impossible task.
Dont you want to see Mount Everest?
Sean, you’ve GOT to go to Pompeii, Italy! It is actually much more vast and amazing than any picture or video will ever show you.
If you’re in Spain, it’s worth while going to Barcelona and seeing Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Barcelona was so amazing.
The wife and I went on a cruise honeymoon around the Med this past May. Definitely worth it!
Great list too. I should start my own
@Financial Samurai When I was in 6th grade I was in a geography competition and did my presentation on Pompeii. Ever since I have been really wanting to go!
On my backpacking trip in Europe a few years ago (the one referenced in the GRS post) I was able to make it to both Barcelona and Sagrada Familia; absolutely remarkable. I would love to spend more time in Spain, although with the exchange rate being what it is these days, it might be a little while before I make it back to Europe!
Send me over your list when you finish it, I would love to see it!
Wait a minute, not only have we worked in the same industry, we are also fellow tennis NUTS?!?!
SWEET! You may enjoy this post “Revenge of The Nerds: Golf & Tennis Are #!!”
I just finished a brutal season playing 4.0, 4.5, 8.5, and 9.5 leagues! There’s a real strong community here in SF. I got kicked off the 4.0 league b/c I self rated and had too wide of a margin of victory, and ended up 15-4 in 8.5/9.5 combos. So much fun. Is there a big tennis community wherever you are? Did you play college tennis?
The closest I’ve ever done to playing against a top pro was when I hit with Alex Kim (he won the 2000 NCAA singles tourney at Stanford) and reached #100 in the world with wins over Todd Martin and Kafelnikov.
Best, FS
Sean,
Thanks for the blog….have only just begun browsing, but I am already enjoying it. I think it will be helpful in my upcoming (similar) transition.
Goal suggestion: One week of not spending. (stolen from my own list)
Good luck to you,
Jessica
It’s a lot of fun going through and seeing the goals of a fellow Oregonian who has ambitions beyond a place to live and a car to drive. It’s also interesting to see some of the things on there that I’ve already achieved that I tend to take for granted but have nonetheless been pivotal moments in my life.
As a language nerd, I have to ask you: is there any particular language you’d like to know to fulfill #18?
-Jonny in Salem
Thank you for this!
Playing at Augusta is one I’d love to hear about / do myself.
Ever golf around Bangkok? Kanchanaburi has a lot of great courses. I loved blue sapphire.
@Rob Oh nice, I’ve definitely been wanting to play since I’ve been here, but it just hasnt happened yet. Let me know if you ever want to go! And you also may have the best domain name ever. Just saying..
Way to put your list out there into the universe; it inspires me to do the same.
Good luck completing yours, and I’ll see you (meet you?) when you complete 54. World Cup – S. Africa.
Stay Adventurous,
Craig
I`m from NZ yet I`ve never heard of zorbing! Wikipedia should sort that out. Better get on it. Good luck with the list. Nice blog too.
maybe this can help you with #71 it seems a little cheaper then Virgin Galactic…. better start saving! http://bit.ly/aLoB2E
Have you heard of 43 things? A great place for documenting, and checking off your bucket-list as you accomplish it.
I love a good adventurer bucket list! Nice work.
We have lots of list items in common, I suspect thats the case with loads of people, you’ve picked some quite popular things there.
Cross of the 1000 twitter followers.
Congrats!
Come one Sean!
“Ride something larger than a horse”. That should be easy in Thailand.
“Bench press 200 lbs”. I am sure that this will take much less time & exercise & effort as you think. Just little bit training every second day or so, and in a correct way and you will be there. Just not sure about how easy it is to find a good gym at BKK. And if you are traveling a lot, it won’t be that easy to “stay in schedule”.
“Bench press 200 lbs”. I am sure that this will take much less time & exercise & effort as you think. Just little bit training every second day or so, and in a correct way and you will be there. Just not sure about how easy it is to find a good gym at BKK. And if you are traveling a lot, it won’t be that easy to “stay in schedule”.
+1
#42 is called Cedar Point, not Cedar Hills. It’s great, have fun!
Hey Sean,
Are you going to manage to get to the World Cup in South Africa or will you have to wait for Brazil? The atmosphere has been great and going to a World Cup match is on my life list as well.
I also managed to see giraffes in the wild and you will be happy to know that they’re not nearly as elusive at the leopard – they were everywhere in the park I was in!
@Kirsty I REALLY wanted to make it down there this year. I had a place to stay and even tickets to a few games (incuding England/USA), but the plane ticket was really expensive, and I just couldnt make it work. So that said, Brazil here I come! Too bad my Brazil visa expires just a few months before the tournament starts…
Cool list, inspiring! I may just have to copy some of these…no use trailblazing when you’ve already done it.
Nice list.. If your interested in the jungle in Ecuador.. Try checking out this site..
http://savvyroundtheworld.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/volunteer-in-the-jungle/
It´s the real deal..
You’ve never ridden an elephant and/or camel in all your travels? (re: #42)
Hey. I just came over to your site and have to admit that I like what I’ve read so far. I’ve been slowly compositing a list of my own. I’d already have 6 and 7 (as well as a few others) done from your list. Victoria Falls is beautiful! I don’t blame you for wanting to go see it. If you ever get around to 95 and want some company from a total stranger…I’d be willing to go if I can. I’ve always wanted to walk to/see Santiago de Compostella after learning about it in my high school Spanish class.
Great list Sean! We aren’t as ambitious as we’re only doing as far as 30 items before we turn 30-> http://www.wearesolesisters.com/p/30-before-30.html
I smiled at #49 though. It’s on the list as well. Only 3 more grand slams to go after I went to the US Open in 2008.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Awesome list! Now I have to write my own. As I just said on another post, I’m currently living in Iquitos in the middle of the Amazon jungle and just saw that’s on your list. Let me know if you come down here any time soon. I can definitely help you tick that off your list, as well as visit Machu Picchu. I lived in Cusco for 6 months up until a year ago, which is the gateway to Machu Picchu. It really is an incredible place.
Great list. Very detailed, exciting and inspirational. Going to share it with my readers.
I don’t want to be picky, but Bora Bora is not in Asia…
Apart from that great list and I hope you will make it to all this places!
Love the list! I have a huge bucket list too (over 200 items). I can’t imagine not living my life through my list, it forces me to try new things and have awesome adventures!
Best wishes!
Many a list have I started. But it was more wishful thinking. Thanks for showing your list, I’ll be seeking to write ones that I know, with a stretch, I can accomplish. Great post.
Wassup Sean my man,
Nice list and nice blog. Great work this year. Wishing you all the best for 2011.
Funky Mat
my bucket list is the best and that has nothing on mine. alot of those were random.like the beer one and the work at a resort
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