Do you have a bucket list? You know, all the things you want to do before you “kick the bucket,” “expire,” “move on to greener pastures”? If you haven’t taken the time yet to do this one little task, you may be missing out on some pretty great benefits.
Benefit #1: It’s motivating
When you do the same thing day in and day out, life can get old. You start to just go through the motions where you aren’t really living; it’s more like you’re just surviving.
But, when you have a list in front of you of all the things you want to do between now and the day you die (which is hopefully a long way down the road), it can help motivate you to get those things done.
It creates an excitement deep in your soul. It grabs the passion you thought you’d lost and brings it back to the surface with renewed vigor.
Benefit #2: It keeps you moving forward
Having a well thought out list of everything you want to do helps to keep you advancing in life. It reminds you that you have unmet goals and unrealized dreams. It nudges you forward so that you continue to take steps in the right direction.
It’s kind of like a futuristic magnet that draws you forward. It compels you to not just sit on your behind and watch the world pass you by. Essentially, it drives you to take an active role in your life and become the person you desire to be.
Benefit #3: It forces you to really look at what you want
One of the major benefits of creating a list like this is that it gets you in touch with what you really want out of life. It forces you to sit down and take stock of where you are and where you want to be.
It also helps you realize what may be missing from your existence right now. Perhaps there is an area in which you lack that will be brought to the forefront when you do this exercise. If this is the case, it allows you to change your life’s path if need be to keep you in line with your goals and dreams.
Benefit #4: It increases the likelihood that you will be successful
Just the mere fact that you are committing your goals or dreams to paper increases the likelihood that they’ll be met. It has been proven time and time again through various studies and research projects.
When you take something that is nothing more than a tangible idea and reduce it to black and white, it suddenly becomes a reality. It’s given a greater importance in your mind’s eye and you’re more likely to make it happen than if you just leave it up in thin air.
Benefit #5: It bolsters your creativity
Sometimes you can look at an item that you’ve placed on your list and think, “How am I ever going to achieve that?” Maybe it’s something that seems so big and undoable that you question if you’re slightly crazy to even attempt it.
Put yourself in this position and you may have to become very creative to be able to cross that item off your list. If it involves needing more financial resources, you may come up with some out-of-the-box (but legal) ways to increase your income. Or, if you can’t see a straight path from where you are now to where you want to be, you may have to create a plan that includes some unexpected (but interesting) detours.
Benefit #6: It raises your life satisfaction level
When you’re living your life in a way that allows you to pursue your passions, you’re going to be much happier overall. You start to enjoy the beauty that life holds and treasure each and everything you can get out of it.
It’s like you have a fresh new spring in your step and a smile deep in your heart. Things don’t get you down as easily and your stress levels are reduced because you’re doing things you love.
Benefit #7: It makes you feel accomplished
There is no better feeling than being able to cross an item off your bucket list and mark it as complete. No matter how small it may be, it brings about a sense of accomplishment. You’ve followed through with something from start to finish and that always feels good.
That’s the whole point of creating a list, right? So you can check items off, cross them out, date them and move on to the next one?
You begin to feel like you’re living with purpose. Your passions are being satisfied and you’re achieving the things you believe you’re destined to achieve.
