Bucket List: Keep It or Forget It?
Do you have a ‘bucket list’ - a collection of to-do items what one wants to accomplish before dying (i.e. before “kicking the bucket”)? Is it a good idea to have one? The concept has been popularized by the film ‘The Bucket List’ and has been regarded by some academics as a way to manage anxiety around death.
Does a bucket list actually help you make happen what you really want in life?
Or, is a bucket list simply a holding place for unfulfilled dreams, which are often being postponed “until a better time”? Is it a list to which you may get when you have more money, more time, a partner, a different partner, freedom, you’re your children grow up, retirement, or when your other goals are met first?
Well, a bucket list without any planning and deep drive behind each item on the list is at risk of becoming a “maybe someday” list.
You are more likely to get things on your bucket list done if you turn your bucket list into a WOOP list, a goal-setting strategy outlined by NYU Professors Gabriele Oettingen and Peter Gollwitzer. I first heard about WOOP on the No Stupid Questions Podcast hosted by Angela Duckworth and Mike Maughan.
The WOOP system is something between setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timed) and manifestation practices, and can help materialize your dreams.
W stands for Wish: Make a wish that makes your heart sing. For example: visit India.
O for Outcome: Describe the outcome you want to achieve as your wish materializes. For example: to introduce yourself to a culture unlike any other, to feel connected to your heritage, to get a sense of being on an epic journey, to see a friend you haven’t seen in years, etc.
O for Obstacles: Consider the obstacles standing on your way of materializing this wish. For example: not enough vacation days, lack of funding, declining health, responsibilities for other family members, or anything else that is keeping you from traveling to India now.
P is for Plan: What is your plan for materializing your wish, taking into the consideration the outcome you want to achieve and the obstacles you may face? For example: skipping a recurring expense and setting the money aside, arranging for childcare in advance, figuring out a specific time during which you can get away from your job for long enough.
Applying WOOP to your dreams can move the needle from ‘just thinking’ to manifesting what you would like to see happen in your life.
Clarifying the difference between Wish and Outcome is an important one. Let’s say your wish is to have a million dollars. The outcome of this wish could go in various directions: feeling financially secure, being able to travel, contributing to the causes you care greatly about, etc. Getting your wish does not automatically translate into experiencing the outcome you desire, and does not guarantee the desired outcome. Moreover, the desired outcome can be achieved through other means. Give this wish-outcome relationship some thought as you decide what it is you really want to pursue.
Also, it is worth to remember that whatever you focus on – expands. If this list of your wishes is in front of your eyes or otherwise within the scope of your attention often (even if it’s soft peripheral focus rather than sharp intentional focus), it prompts you to notice opportunities related to your bucket list. This in turn creates more possibilities for you to seize opportunities to materialize your wishes.
Do you have a wish list of what you would like to experience in your lifetime? I’d love to hear what you see for yourself as your life unfolds.
With gratitude,
Alina
Dr. Alina Bas, Strategy Consultant & Executive Coach
https://AlinaBas.com/schedule
NEWS AND UPDATES
Something BIG on my wish list has come true!!!!!
I was just appointed an Adjunct Professor at NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science, teaching Advanced Executive Coaching and Development to graduate students in the Industrial/Organizational Psychology program. It feels exciting to design and teach a high-level course on the topic that is dear to my heart and that I know well. Returning to my Alma Mater in a teaching capacity is a cherry on top, making it unlike any other professional experience in my career. It is a dream come true.
ICF Certification
I more than half-way through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) certification training, and done with the needed hours! It's not a necessary credential post-PhD and with another coach certification in 2004, but the opportunity felt right. Still, you can always schedule a Strategic Planning Session as a tune-up: reflecting on what is happening, and setting sights on what you want to see ahead. https://www.alinabas.com/schedule
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