Personally, I don’t love the term “bucket list”. I prefer the idea of focusing on the things I want to do while I’m living vs. before I “kick the bucket”. I’m weird that way.
In 2016, I wrote this Life List and started checking things off the list, removing some as things change and adding new items to aim for.
Five years later, reflecting on this original list, I see how most of these ideas remain important to me. I’m also not the same person I was five years ago. For example, Leith and I are not planning on adopting #29 a baby brother from Swaziland 🙂
Areas to keep the dream alive
- Summiting the 14’ers here in Colorado
- Write another book by age 50
- Climb both Matterhorn
- Celebrate 70 years of marriage and attend my kids weddings
Areas I’m no longer interested *
- Building and running software companies
- Performing a Ted Talk. Fine if it happens, but not a primary goal.
LIFE LIST 2016 by Aaron McHugh
Written January 2nd 2016
While I’m Living I want to…
- Visit and hike some portion of the Great Wall of China
Work from Anywhere.Perform a Ted Talk in 2017- Attend my children’s Averi and Holden’s weddings
- Write
5(4 more books) published or self-published by age 50 (2020) - Meet and spend 2 hrs w Bono from U2
- Leith and I celebrate 70 yrs of marriage (2063)
- Climb bot the Matterhorns: Switzerland and Disneyland by age 48 (2020)
- Climb remaining
22(17 now) 14’er (14,000 foot peaks) in Colorado by (2019) - Climb all fourteen (14) 14’er in the Washington and California by age 55 (2025).
- Work in an orphanage with Averi and Leith for a week before Averi graduates high school (2019)
Work with interesting people of my choice every day (in progress)- Live in a house designed by my brother
Backpack or Mountain Bike the Colorado Trail (finish unridden sections) by (2018).- Live debt free
- Take my grand children on a tour of the United States by car, boat, plane, RV, bicycle, and walking.
- Live abroad for one year
- Visit Rome with Leith. (Updated: We stopped at Rome on the train in 2019 🙂 got close)
- Free women in sex trade industry. Personally participate not just send money.
Build two software companies that do not require my daily presence to run.*- Build Work Life Play to have 500k subscribers
Run Walt Disney Family Museums social media and marketing. *- Run the Rim to Rim to Rim Grand Canyon race in 2016
- Work Life Play podcast weekly for 2 yrs (Update: 2020 -50 new episodes)
- Compete in Ironman Kona World Championship by age 60 (2030)
Visit Cinque Terra, Italy with Leith for our 25th wedding anniversary (2018)- Earn 1 M$ in a year without my life becoming a train wreck.
- Matt and I drive Hwy 1 in California in a sidecar and motorcycle
Family goes to Swaziland Africa and adopt a baby brother*
This Life List is a reflection of the Work Life Play that is important to me today, Saturday, January 2nd, 2016. It is subject to change and revision. I am aiming my intentions towards these goals, events, experiences and quests. Like Walter Mitty, I want to live a life of Adventure. I will invest in meaningful relationships, experience all that this life has to offer and challenge myself in my Work and in physical accomplishments.
