A bucket list is a very special kind of listing of priorities. It is a list of those things you want to do before you die (or kick the bucket – hence the name). I’m actually a big fan of creating a bucket list. It gives you long-range goals to work toward and things to look forward to. For some reason, having things on a bucket lives gives you permission to dream and to plan. If something is worth making your bucket list, it deserves your time, effort, and money.

I can give you some examples from my own life. One of the things on my bucket list was to write a book. I kept my eyes open for opportunities and, when one finally arose, I was ready to take advantage. That was five books ago.

Another entry on my bucket list was to set foot on all seven continents. Making that a priority let me plan my travel so that I could get to all continents and it guided my saving for travel. When I went to continents six and seven (South America and Antarctica), knowing that it would complete an item on my bucket list made it much easier to make that last big payment.

If you don’t have a bucket list, the summer is a great time to start one – especially this summer when our travel is so limited. What do you hope to accomplish in the years left to you? Start by writing down everything that comes to mind, then reflect for a while. Ultimately, you want to get your list down to no more than 5-10 items.

If you are down to one or two things on your list, it’s time to start a new list!