In The Life List, Alex returns to goals she wrote when she was younger. Completing them is less important than discovering which parts of that earlier self still matter.

A life list can work the same way without copying the film or treating every old dream as an obligation. It is a way to notice possibilities, choose deliberately, and create a next step you can actually take.

01

Begin with memory, not performance

Think about what held your attention before work, expectation, or practicality took over. What did you want to learn? Where did you imagine going? What kind of person did you admire? Which experiences do you still mention even though you have never tried them?

Write quickly and privately. At this stage, the list does not need to look impressive or make sense to anybody else.

02

Keep, change, or release each idea

An old goal is not a contract. Some ideas still feel alive. Some need a smaller or more realistic version. Others belonged to a person you no longer are.

  • Keep it if the experience still creates genuine curiosity.
  • Change it if the meaning matters more than the original form.
  • Release it if you only want it because somebody else expects it.

03

Mix ten kinds of experience

A balanced Life List is not a travel catalog. Include ideas involving relationships, food, nature, creativity, learning, courage, contribution, work, place, and quiet everyday life. This prevents money and distance from becoming the measure of a meaningful experience.

04

Turn one idea into a Plan

Choose one experience—not the most impressive one, but the one with a believable next step. Find somebody who has done it. Learn the cost, timing, common mistakes, and what they wish they knew. Then add a date or a first action.

A Plan should reduce uncertainty. It does not need to create pressure, a streak, or a deadline for your entire life.

05

Record what changed

After the experience, write more than “done.” Save a few practical details and answer one reflective question: What surprised you? What would you tell the next person? Would you do it differently? Did it change what you want next?

Over time, the collection becomes more useful than the original list. It shows not only what you hoped to live, but what your life actually taught you.

Sources and further reading

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