Why waiting to retire to tick off your bucket list is not the best option….

18 Oct

The timing of your Bucket List

We all know the traditional way of life. Work hard until you reach retirement age and save up for your retirement nest egg. Once you have retired then you can start doing all those things you had been putting off but wanting to do. Things such as a caravan trip around Australia, or a cruise down the Danube. I say this is rubbish. Ticking things off your bucket list should be done as you go along in life and there are two main reasons why.

Creation of Memories

Ticking something off your bucket list will create a memory that will last with you for your lifetime. Something that is ticked off at a young age is a memory that will last with you for decades. In my early 20’s I left my job and family and travelled to Europe, as many did. Part of that trip was attending the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain (which is where I met my wife, but that is a story for another time). On my bucket list at the time was to participate in the Running of the Bulls but to also jump from the Fountain of Santa Cecilia. Below is a photo of me jumping.

Me, Jumping from the Fountain of Santa Cecilia in Pamplona, Spain.

The reason I show this is that it was nearly 30 years ago and I still talk about it. That one moment has been recreated hundreds of times since in conversations with people. One action taken early has created nearly 30 years of memories. (The photo doesn’t show it but there are six people there to catch me before I slam into the pavement. If I had waited for retirement for this chances are I wouldn’t have done it and no lasting memory.

Makes Work More Enjoyable

Ticking things off your bucket list as you go along, also makes the day to day grind of work more enjoyable. We all know that a goal that is set too far into the future, aka retirement, is too far away to allow you to stay focused on it. When you know that there is an overseas trip in six months if you can achieve certain goals in your business then you become more focused and work becomes more enjoyable. Once this is done then a new bucket list item becomes front and centre and you can start to focus on this.

These bucket list items give greater meaning to any decisions that you make in your business. “Is this business decision going to improve my business and allow me to tick something off my bucket list?” If the answer is yes then lets do it. If your reward is not for another 30 years then there is less reason to make the decision and potentially you will lose some of the focus.

So let’s not wait until retirement before we start ticking things off your bucket list. Get your list written down now and start ticking them off as soon as you can. You will thank yourself in 30 years time for doing it.