At Location Rebel, we're all about advocating for creating your own lifestyle.
In fact, the first thing we do in the very first email people get from us is to reply back and describe your perfect day.
That's not just fluff. It's there for a reason. We want people to start thinking about the things that they want to do. What their dream day would be.
A lot of people answer with things on their own bucket list: living by the ocean, learning a new language, traveling to a new country.
I love these answers because I love a good bucket list (almost as much as I love books).
Sean is a huge advocate of them too. He's been banging away on his bucket list for a while and the creation of it helped bring this site to life.
He wanted to start doing the things on his bucket list like playing golf at Pebble Beach.
Or staying in an overwater bungalow in the Maldives.
Because let's face it, checking items off a bucket list is a lot better than just talking about them.
Don't you agree?
When it comes to this, a lot of people get stuck with how to start building a bucket list. I know should know…I had this problem too.
I was nervous about what should be on my bucket list (or what would make me look cool) versus what I actually wanted to do.
My mind went blank and I needed ideas.
So you know where I turned? Books.
I looked online for books. I trudged over to my local bookstore and found a pile of books. I read the books of people who had done amazing things on their own bucket lists.
These books highlighted all sorts places and things I hadn't even thought of. I used them to help me break through my own feelings of overwhelm. Yes, I was overwhelmed at the thought of creating a bucket list. (Welcome to the world of an over-thinker!)
But, at the end of the day, books helped me move forward into creating a bucket list. And hopefully, it can help you too.
Bucket List Books: The Ultimate List
That's what this post is going to do. We're going to highlight all sorts of books that you can use for your own bucket list inspiration.
Now, that's not to say that everything in these books is for you, but consider them inspiration. Use them to open your mind and see all the potential out there. And then, start creating.
Ok nerds, grab your library card and let's go!
Books About Creating Bucket Lists
One of the easiest ways to get started building a bucket list is to start reading books about bucket lists. Yup, I know, brilliant, right?
These books are chock full of ideas to help you get started. Copy them, throw them out, tweak and twist them, it doesn't matter. When something in one of these books speaks to you, add it to your list.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die: Revised Second Edition by Patricia Schultz
This is basically the big daddy of bucket list books. It's got a massive list of places you won't have even heard of but by the end, you'll want to visit.
There's nothing wrong with that, right? There's basically a page dedicated to each place with a description and some other bits of info that can help you get there, stay there, and other sites in the region.
The publishers have spun this book into a huge series with other authors. You can also see her places in the United States to visit before you die and even places to eat before you die.
Biggest bucket list brag from this book: I spent a windswept day (after taking two trains and a bus) at the home of golf, St. Andrews. And a bigger fun fact, I visited it before our favorite resident golf maniac did (but he took a nicer picture, so we'll use his).
101 Things to Do Before You Die by Richard Horne
Beyond creating a list Horne, a UK based author, gives you a handy dandy operating system in his book. He advocates using it to not only create a list of things you want to do but also to track your progress on them as you go.
This is a cool concept. Usually, something that's really hard will sit on your list reminding you about how you haven't done it yet. With this method, you can be happy in the knowledge that you're actively working your way towards checking off those monster tasks.
Biggest bucket list brag from this book: Swimming with sharks. Oh yea, Liz + shark tank + my parents forgetting(?!?!?!) to take a picture of me bobbing like bait in the freaking tank = no photo proof. Boo.
2001 Things to Do Before You Die by Dane Sherwood
If you want a massive list of stuff to add to your bucket list, this is the book for you. Sometimes it can be hard to come up with anything and this will cover two big groups:
- Stuff you never even remotely thought of
- Stuff you've already done and you can check off your list to make you feel like a winner
Most of the ideas in this book are pretty basic so if you don't want to start out with a blank page and an overwhelming feeling of dread, it might be the choice for you.
Biggest bucket list brag from this book: Take lessons in something new. I embraced my French-Canadian heritage (yes, that's where Froment comes from) and learned curling. I'm holding out hope that I will someday make the US Olympic team.
The Big Bucket List Book: 133 Experiences of a Lifetime by Gin Sander
If there's one thing I've come to embrace it's this: life is all about experiences. Remember that phrase, 'whoever has the most stuff wins'? Well, actually, I think that's kinda bs.
I have lots of stuff, and at the end of the day, most of it doesn't really matter. But the experiences I've had so far in life have meant so much more than any pile of things ever could. Keep that in mind as you make your own list!
Biggest bucket list brag from this book: Enjoy a polo match in the summer sun. I've actually enjoyed a number of polo matches, complete with tailgate and divot stomping, at the Newport Polo Grounds. It's a great time.
Make Your Own Bucket List: How To Design Yours Before You Kick It by Andrew Gall
This bucket list book takes a slightly different approach from a lot of the others in that it asks you to dig deep on some of your bucket list items. Some examples include confront a past embarrassment or conquer your biggest fear.
I like the concept because a lot of the time, bucket lists are about growth. In doing the things on our bucket lists we're challenging ourselves, we're changing or exposing ourselves to new things all important parts of the journey.
Biggest bucket list brag from this book: Accomplish something photographically. I took a photo of West Quoddy Lighthouse, the first place the US sees the sun on New Year's Day and it's been featured in Yankee Magazine.
Honorable Mentions:
Want to keep digging into these types of bucket list books? Check these out:
- The Film Buff's Bucket List: The 50 Movies of the 2000s to See Before You Die
- Lonely Planet's Ultimate Travel: Our List of the 500 Best Places to See… Ranked
- The Sports Bucket List: 101 Sights Every Fan Has to See Before the Clock Runs Out
- 500 Things to Do Before You Kick the Bucket
- The Adrenaline Junkie's Bucket List: 100 Extreme Outdoor Adventures to Do Before You Die
Books About People Living Their Bucket Lists
If you can't find inspiration from big books of lists, the next place to look for it is through the people who are doing amazing things in the world.
I'm always super inspired by people who overcome odds or give their all to do something amazing like Olympians. But I also love the fact that bucket list items don't have to be these all encompassing life goals, they can be going to a baseball game or cooking or asking someone out on a date.
Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell
I love Julia Child. I remember watching her as a kid on the local PBS station in Boston. She was funny, she was so tall, she had a hilarious voice, and she loved to cook. Her joy oozed through the screen.
So, it's not surprising that this icon of cooking would go on to inspire millions of people around the world. In this book, Powell embarks on a bucket list of French cooking, Julia Child style. She wants to cook every single one of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Going Yard: The Ultimate Guide For Major League Baseball Stadium Road Trips by Stan Fridstein
This one jumped out at me because it's on my bucket list too. I'm a (some might say obsessive) Red Sox fan and have loved baseball for as long as I can remember.
So I'd love to catch a game in every single stadium in the MLB. So far, I've got a few big ones off my list but am oh about 24 short, thankfully, I have plenty of time. This book highlights a father and son guide based on everything they learned from their own bucket list trip.
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
Now you probably know Bill Bryson from some of his really famous travel books. But my first introduction to him was through this one, where he decides to walk the entire Appalachian Trail with an old college buddy.
You'll get the perfect mix of history and hilarity in this book as Bryson works his magic recreating his journey and all the ups and downs that went with it.
Date: The Diary of One Man's Ultimate Dating Challenge by Dave Cornthwaite
Full disclosure: I know Dave. Beyond Sean, he's one of the first people who inspired me to pursue a location independent lifestyle. You can read more about him and his adventures here.
This book shows that bucket lists don't have to be all about grand travels around the world. In fact, it can hit a lot closer to home. Dave decides to go on 100 dates in 100 days just to see what happens (spoiler: you'll want to see what happens).
Paper Tiger: An Obsessed Golfer's Quest to Play with the Pros by Tom Coyne
What happens when an out of shape and thoroughly average golfer decides to see if he can play with the pros? Talk about an ultimate bucket list item!
In this book, Coyne tracks his path to hitting that dream bucket list moment. He goes through new gear, special diets, rigorous training, and even psychologists he had to deal with in order to actually make it to a professional golf tournament.
Honorable Mentions
Ok once you've dug into people checking off their bucket lists left and right you probably want to check out a few more that can help change your mindset. Here they are:
- Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
- The Longest Way Home: One Man's Quest for the Courage to Settle Down
- The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World
- Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
- The Road to Burgundy: The Unlikely Story of an American Making Wine and a New Life in France
Ready to Create Your Own Bucket List?
Hopefully, these bucket list books are going to help you get started. From there, well, it's up to you and your imagination.
Remember, when it comes to bucket lists, there is no right or wrong. You can cross things off your list and add things to them. The key is to have fun.
And who knows, if you're bucket list is epic, we might be reading about your adventures one day. I'll be sure to add it to my list!
Have any books that have inspired your bucket list? Something we've got to read? Let us know in the comments!
The post The Best Bucket List Books for Doing More in Life appeared first on Location Rebel.
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