Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
What's on Your Life List?
Old 07-22-2007, 06:36 PM   #1
Recycles dryer sheets
ScottFromUtah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orem/Provo
Posts: 231
What's on Your Life List?

Back in February of 2000 at age 55, soon after the turn of the millennium, and at the time of my being diagnosed with heart disease, I made a list of 50 things I wanted to do before I die. Many people have a Life List of 100 things, but for me, 50 things was plenty.

Of the 50 items, I have completed 28 of them. OK, so none of them is earth-shaking. I didn’t discover a cure for cancer or swim the entire length of the Amazon River, but the items are things that I wanted to do and felt I could realistically do. For example, I have done the following:
  • qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon
  • completed a one-day double-century (200-mile bike) race
  • finished a half-Ironman triathlon
  • hiked a 13,500-foot mountain
  • became CPR certified through the Red Cross
  • completed my goal to visit all 50 states
  • went on a humanitarian expedition to the altiplano of Peru
  • traveled through central Europe
  • went on a cruise to Greece and Turkey
  • went on a cruise to Alaska
  • visited 15 national parks
  • learned to play (memorized) three pieces on the piano
  • read/studied a Spanish textbook
The rest of my goals are equally simple, but they are important to me. I plan to complete four or five of these goals over the next year.

But I'm now to the point where some of the items on my Life List are going to require that I retire. I’m looking forward to having more time during retirement to complete my other 22 goals.

I’d love to hear what some of your goals are. How has retirement helped you achieve the items in your Life List?
ScottFromUtah is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 07-22-2007, 08:18 PM   #2
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Lsbcal's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast, hi there!
Posts: 8,808
Very impressive list! Do you have a name (first, middle, whatever)? If so it would feel a lot more personal to respond to you.

Anyway, my approach is to go about in a casual fashion exploring various avenues of life and not necessarily scaling peaks -- that's just me. Sometimes it feels like I'm in the valleys.

But I do like to set short term goals -- like learning some French for a recent trip. Today I ran a 39:30 (usually run this in about 43min) for an approximate 5 mile run in the hills. It felt good and affirmed that was still alive . Then went out with my son to check out notebook computers for him. Tomorrow I plan to go out to the ocean with DW and paint in oils with a local painting group. Also I keep a list of fiction/non-fiction books I've read and a reading list. Now stuck on David Ignatius, Bank of Fear which is 3rd in trilogy. Have read 8 books through to completion this year, nothing to brag about but reading really seems to make life richer. More then half of my latest Economist issue is read. Oh yes, the lawn is actually green now and mowed. Signed up for French and a botany class at the JC. Ahh, the good life.

Les
Lsbcal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 02:28 AM   #3
Full time employment: Posting here.
Sandy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 854
Inspired list. At this rate you should complete all 50. what will you do for an encore?

My list is ever changing, started several times, but misplaced over the years as life shifts. So, in practice, I take the more casual approach like Isbcal. Since I am still w*orking and have kids at home, in practice my current life goals focus on getting through the day!
__________________
I would not have anyone adopt my mode of living...but I would have each one be very careful to find out and pursue his own way, and not his father's or his mother's or his neighbor's instead. Thoreau, Walden
Sandy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 04:35 AM   #4
Moderator Emeritus
Nords's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
Quote:
Originally Posted by WithAllMyHeart View Post
I’d love to hear what some of your goals are. How has retirement helped you achieve the items in your Life List?
My "life goals" are goals that'll take a lifetime to achieve. The rest of my list is filled with things that could be accomplished in the next few years.

ER affords the time to work on the important stuff:
- Be a good spouse
- Be a good parent
- Collect more pension than paychecks
(-- Extra bonus points: adjusting for inflation)
- Join my alma mater's "10 oldest alumni" list, which currently requires three digits.
__________________
*

Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."

I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
Nords is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 07:22 AM   #5
Recycles dryer sheets
lem1955's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 315
Send a message via Yahoo to lem1955
I love the idea of a Life List. I'm a few years from retirement, 5 probably, and am focused on non-profit volunteer work, family and friends outside of work now. But WHEN I HAVE MORE TIME, my list will include:

Live outside for a year (and travel to warmer locations without resort to fossil fuel transportation) tents and lean-tos count as "outside".
And while I'm out there - Learn the visible constellations and then stars
Learn Yiddish
lem1955 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 07:41 AM   #6
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
happy2bretired's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 1,543
I love the idea of a life list too. I don't have one but this msg may make me make one. I love the idea (simple as it is) to at least say that one has been to all 50 states. I might be able to do that. Keep the ideas coming, I love this type of thing.
happy2bretired is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 11:18 AM   #7
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
wildcat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Lou-evil
Posts: 2,025
Just a thought --- I wouldn't wait until 'life after FIRE' to make out a life list of things to accomplish/do.

I just found out about a guy's passing I know back home who owned and managed the gym I had been going to for 10+ years. 59 yrs old and until his sudden health complications, he was in great shape and looked very healthy.

Don't wait to do some things....
__________________
"These walls are kind of funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. Enough time passes, gets so you depend on them"
wildcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 12:57 PM   #8
Moderator Emeritus
CuppaJoe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: At The Cafe
Posts: 6,873
Quote:
Originally Posted by WithAllMyHeart View Post

completed my goal to visit all 50 states
Dear Heart,

I am so curious about the logistics of this one. Seems like you would have to do a lot of zig zagging. How many trips did it take, etc.? I once met someone who said he had visited all 50 states and later asked me where I’m from, I said, "Wisconsin," and he said, "never been there." So the joke ever since is that Wisconsin must be a foreign country.

Cuppa
CuppaJoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 02:09 PM   #9
Recycles dryer sheets
ScottFromUtah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orem/Provo
Posts: 231
Quote:
Originally Posted by CuppaJoe View Post
Dear Heart,

I am so curious about the logistics of this one. Seems like you would have to do a lot of zig zagging. How many trips did it take, etc.? I once met someone who said he had visited all 50 states and later asked me where I’m from, I said, "Wisconsin," and he said, "never been there." So the joke ever since is that Wisconsin must be a foreign country.

Cuppa
We didn't do it in one trip but in dozens and dozens of trips. In fact it took my wife and me 38 years to complete this goal. We lived in the Utah, Florida, New York, and Arkansas during our college years and early career years, so we travelled a lot among those states, especially trips back to Utah. Then after we settled down, our career travels and vacations took us to many states. For example, when we attended a professional meeting in Boston, we took a day off, rented a car, and drove around through the other New England states. Over the years, we have attended football bowl games in Tennessee, Texas, California, in Nevada. One of our daughters attended a year of college in Hawaii, so we visited her while whe was there. Our last two states were Alaska and North Dakota. So we took an Alaskan cruise, and finally, a couple years ago, we decided just to drive to North Dakota, spend a night there, and drive back, visiting Devils Tower in WY and Mt. Rushmore in SD along the way.

BTW, layovers in airports did not count in our 50-state quest.
ScottFromUtah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 02:15 PM   #10
Recycles dryer sheets
ScottFromUtah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orem/Provo
Posts: 231
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildcat View Post
Just a thought --- I wouldn't wait until 'life after FIRE' to make out a life list of things to accomplish/do.

I just found out about a guy's passing I know back home who owned and managed the gym I had been going to for 10+ years. 59 yrs old and until his sudden health complications, he was in great shape and looked very healthy.

Don't wait to do some things....
This is a good point. In fact, I had a list of goals before 2000, and had accomplished most of them, so when I had a heart procedure, following a "near heart attack" in Feb 2000, I knew I had a lot to live for, but I wanted to formalize the list. I have modified the list almost every year to make it relevant and attainable.

BTW, the goals that I shared are the least important of my goals. I chose not to share my goals for personal and family social and spiritual development and service.
ScottFromUtah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2007, 09:42 PM   #11
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
DangerMouse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 1,812
I went through the stage of wanting to make a similar list of things I wanted to accomplish in my life. However, when I started thinking about it I realised none of the things I was writing down were really important, I was just thinking of things to have on the list.

It all came together for me when I ran accross the idea of writing your own obituary and what would it say - and for me I decided it wasn't important if I ever ran my first marathon etc. - for me I wanted to go out of this world having made a difference in some way. I know I am never going to find a cure for cancer or win the Nobel Peace Prize, but if I can find something I enjoy doing that can leave the world in a better state because of my actions I will be happy. At the moment I have a few ideas, all of which interest me, including:

1. Volunteer to preserve the Great Barrier Reef
2. Spend time volunteering and donating funds to an orphanage in a 3rd world country. We had thought of adopting, but realised the $30k it would cost us would go a long way in helping out many more if the money went directly to an orphanage rather than into governmental purses.
3. Tutoring at local schools. If I can help one person get an education that they would never have had, I will be happy.
__________________

I be a girl, he's a boy. Think I maybe FIRED since July 08. Mid 40s, no kidlets. Actually am totally clueless as to what is going on with DH.
DangerMouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 09:48 AM   #12
Full time employment: Posting here.
citrine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 984
1) Become an art teacher
2) Own a gallery
3) Live in Italy for a year
4) Go on a spa/yoga retreat in the Sedona Mountains
5) Do a Native American Vision Quest
6) Learn how to sculpt
7) Become a yoga teacher
8) Write a book
citrine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 11:17 AM   #13
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Lsbcal's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: west coast, hi there!
Posts: 8,808
DangerMouse -- what a great name. Did you come up with it yourself? Any background on why you chose it?

Citrine -- if you open a gallery I have some paintings . My avatar is taken from part of one (though not my mainline style).

Les
Lsbcal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 01:07 PM   #14
Moderator Emeritus
CuppaJoe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: At The Cafe
Posts: 6,873
Quote:
Originally Posted by DangerMouse View Post

3. Tutoring at local schools. If I can help one person get an education that they would never have had, I will be happy.
I like that one! When I look back at my H.S. yearbook at the list of my extra-curricular activities, the most important thing is not listed. I volunteered to tutor someone all four years and others as needed. What did I do in H.S.? "Peggy P. graduated!"
CuppaJoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Honestly
Old 07-24-2007, 02:17 PM   #15
Recycles dryer sheets
aenlighten's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 275
Honestly

There is nothing I must do. There is much I might do, but nothing which I would be incomplete without. Satisfied many of my interests. Did everything in my mind that I did not do in person. Now it is more taking each day as it comes for what it is worth. Enjoying the little pleasures. (Sounds ancient doesn't it?)
aenlighten is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 03:07 PM   #16
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 213
I achieved my number one, going to the Sistine chapel.

list includes volunteering with the local garden club and at the local soup kitchen (already doing this)

exercising more and getting off cholesterol medication (just achieved this yesterday!!) now no medications at all

getting back into pottery, am currently taking a class

traveling to the four states we have not been to through the years

learning how to design a webpage

learning about butterflies. I take pictures then come home and figure out what they are

expanding veggie garden

now eating occasional meat, transitioning to total vegetarian diet.

I like the idea of keeping a list of the books I am reading.
52andout is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 03:43 PM   #17
Recycles dryer sheets
ScottFromUtah's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orem/Provo
Posts: 231
Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. I like them all--whether you have a long list, a short list, or no list at all.

I especially enjoyed reading the goals of service and personal betterment that most of you posted.

Thank you again. I hope to hear from more of you.
ScottFromUtah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2007, 09:21 AM   #18
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,323
Never in my life did I think I would be eldercaring my mother, but I have been here since summer, 2003; and this period of time has given me so many hours of going back and reviewing mistakes I have made in the past and goals I want to accomplish in the future. In a way, I consider this time a blessing; because I used to be such a workaholic that I never stopped to pee...let alone reflect.
My primary goal has changed so much since I have had this time, and that goal is: take better care of my health. Luckily, insofar as I know, I am healthy as a horse; but I have always been so type A that I did nothing to even check myself out. And then, when I did go to a Dr. or hospital for an exam, they always looked at me after the tests like I was loco; since my health has always been great, luckily.

But now I am 62, and getting older. So, my first life goal is to:
1. Maintain good health. I am trying to eater better now, and am on an exercise program; so, it is a start. But maintain your good health should be a must for most of us, I would think.
2. Travel and live in 3 foreign areas: SE Asia; South America and Central America. I've done the European/North Africa tour years ago, so that is done.
3. Settle into an area in America and get involved in some way in 3 things: local politics; Heart Assn.; Cancer Assn. 3 things close to my heart.
4. Study investing harder until I am really the best I can be at it, and get that money to grow.
5. Have friends over more for dinner. I love to cook and am (if I might toot my own horn) considered good at it, love dinner guests, love having a good time. Why not? I worked so darn much before my son and I ate out all the time. I have all the Lenox china, the fancy silver...and never used it but twice in 25 years, I'll bet. Isn't that ridiculous? Well, I don't have to work all those hours now...so, it's on!
6. Okay, now you can snicker at me; but, when I was young and women weren't really into stand-up comedy so much as today, I wanted to be a stand-up comic; so, now I can get something together and do a few open mic nights. Why not? I have made a fool of myself before, have been boo'd off a stage before, so I won't crumble. Plus, in my jobs I did lots of public speaking. Figure the worst that can happen already has. And I might have alot of fun with it...or shuck the whole idea, but I gotta try it once, anyway.
Orchidflower is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2007, 12:16 PM   #19
Recycles dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 377
I keep a map of the world with red pins for the places we want to go, and blue pins for the places we have been.
Bigritchie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2007, 12:49 PM   #20
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,252
See my grandkids graduate from college. Could be tough because my kids are under 16 years old.
LOL! is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What to do when you can't get life insurance? LRAO FIRE and Money 8 09-21-2006 10:10 AM
term life recommendations Rich_by_the_Bay FIRE and Money 9 08-24-2006 08:50 AM
Life Insurance - necessary or necessary evil? Rich_by_the_Bay FIRE and Money 64 03-10-2006 11:08 AM
Life insurance change ferco Other topics 6 02-14-2006 11:09 AM
What to do with Met Life Ins. Policy Adventuregirl FIRE and Money 6 02-04-2006 05:50 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:16 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.