We all have a set of goals that we want to achieve in our lifetime, and these are what bucket lists are made of. Some want to hike to the top of Mount Everest, visit every country in the world, or see dolphins in the wild. But even if they’re as simple as reading 30 books in a year or learning a new word everyday, bucket lists are not easy to complete and what we’re left with is a list of pipe dreams.
Nonetheless, there are a few steps you can take in order to make sure that the goals you’ve set become more attainable. Before you know it, you’re standing at the highest point in the world and feeling grateful for everything you’ve accomplished, big or small.
Be accountable
Pride Magazine’s top tips to achieve goals still apply here, and everything starts with accountability. Letting other people know that you’ve set a personal goal is a good way to stay motivated. You might even find someone to join you on your journey. For instance, if your goal is to run a marathon, having a training partner can help a lot. You can also check out the fitness apps listed by Irish Tech News to help you out, or similar tools that are specific to your goal such as money-tracking apps, virtual libraries, etc. Make sure to enable notifications or a similar feature to remind you daily!
Be specific
Between these two goals, which one do you think is more realistic: I want to see the world versus I want to see the Northern Lights. The second, of course! Lottoland suggests taking your bucket list goals up a notch higher by dreaming big and indicating specific details. If you want to go on an African safari for instance, you can either visit a wildlife park or take the tour package at South Africa’s Lion Sands Game Reserve and stay in their Ivory Lodge Suite, which has a private lounge and a swimming pool. See how you’re getting more specific? Drilling down into specific details makes your bucket list items more tangible.
Create a timeline
If you want to be even more specific, create a timeline for your bucket list. Another tip from The Telegraph is to categorise them into short and long term goals. That way, you can slowly tick off short-term goals while working your way towards the big ones. Small achievements that you make along the way will give you a sense of progress and keep you encouraged.
Think small to reach big
Behind every goal are even smaller goals that you need to hit. For example, travelling the world requires resources that not everyone has right away. Your smaller goal could be saving up a certain amount of money each month to fund your future travels. If your dream is to join a prestigious marathon in your area, you can run 3k a week as your training.
Stay inspired
One of the reasons people abandon their bucket lists is that they lose inspiration. To avoid this, The Belfast Telegraph recommends creating a vision board to stay inspired. Even changing your desktop wallpaper might do the trick, or perhaps reading your bucket list before you go to bed to regain purpose.
