New Year, New Bucket List

January is the goal-setting month for many of us and today we’re talking bucket lists. Have you included the Bucket List layout in your planner? This layout is a great way to track your goals and dreams for the year. When we think of a traditional bucket list, it can feel a little uncomfortable as we consider, “What do I want to see and experience before I die?” But a bucket list doesn’t necessarily need to follow this model. A bucket list could include big goals and small things you'd like to accomplish. It might be a lifetime of goals or six months of goals. You can make the list as large or small as you like. Below we’ve got some tips for putting your bucket list together.


How Will You Be Remembered?

Someday, years from now, how will you be remembered? What legacy do you want to leave behind? If your bucket list includes lifetime goals, think about how you want to be defined. Will you be a person who travels the world? An activist working for change in your community? A committed volunteer? Think about how you want to be remembered and use those characteristics as jumping off points for your list. 


Consider the Length

Start big and record your dreams. Nothing is off limits. Once you have your list, consider narrowing down and focus on 1-4 items first. If your list is very large, sorting by categories will keep things organized.

Sample Categories: 

  • Travel 

  • Food & Drink

  • Personal Growth

  • Family

  • Friendships

  • Local Adventures

  • Career & Business

  • Finances & Budget 


Make a Plan 

Once you narrow your focus on the items you’d like to accomplish first, make a plan for completing your goals. Do you need to book a flight? Sign up for a class? Download a budgeting app? Find a recipe for a food you’d like to try? Set small achievable goals and action items to accomplish your bucket list item. Our layout makes it easy to record and rate your experience. If the bucket list item will require more time, set benchmarks and jot down reminders on your calendar pages to check in with your progress. 


Find a Friend 

Friends make everything better. If you have a friend with similar goals, see if a friend would like to join you in your quest to check items off your list. Friends make great accountability partners for meeting fitness goals and travel companions for fun adventures. Compare lists with a friend and see what you can work toward together. 

Speaking of friends, we reached out to you - our Golden Coil community - to see what’s on top of your bucket list. 

“Buy a house!” - Jillian Smith-Hasner

“Save $20K, pay down student loans, and try paddle boarding.” - Katie Lunder

“Finish my book!” - Tracy Krupitzer 

“Buy a house, graduate with my masters, go to Maine, pay off a student loan or two.” -Haylie Fagg

“Get my paralegal certification, travel to two new states, take a trip with my mom and sister, give blood, and say yes to something that scares me.” - Snow Eaton 


No interest in making a Bucket List? Don’t forget this fun way to utilize the Bucket List layout in a different way!

Blog Manager