How to make A LIFE LIST

Move over bucket lists! Create a journal filled with to-do items that will enrich your wellbeing right now

Life is just too short. It's too short to the point we need to think deeply about what is most important to us and we need to prioritise those things. We need to purposefully invest our time in the people we love most, creating memories, being of service to others, and in generating happiness, fulfillment and wonder.

A bucket list is generally defined as a list of things you would like to experience before you die - that is, before you "kick the bucket". Bucket lists can often look and feel a bit like a list of obligations, prompted by a near-death experience or a personal poor-health prognosis, or focus on crazy travel or adventure experiences such as swimming with sharks - scary stuff that may hasten your actual demise.

Instead, your Life List is an ever-changing collection of your goals, dreams, passions and aspirations. It's a single place where you can actively record all of the things you want to achieve or experience while you can still enjoy them. By writing things down, you can see your progress, contemplate your growth and keep yourself accountable.

Goal-setting basics

1. PICK UP A PEN

The act of writing your goals down on paper will significantly increase your chances of achieving them. Thinking about, visualising or even typing out your goals isn't quite enough.

2. CONTROL WORKS

Research shows that when we feel in control of our lives, we are more likely to be psychologically and physically healthy. Creating a Life List is a process of joy - but it is also intended to give you a strong sense of control over your own destiny. Be aware that by setting goals, you are engaging in an act of control - this is literally a life by design.

3. BE SPECIFIC