Remember your third grade self?
One thing you really had going for you was an unrestricted imagination. When people asked (and they often did), "What do you want to be when you grow up?" you had a ready answer. Sometimes more than one. Back then, your response could change daily -- and wildly -- from veterinarian to talk show host to astronaut. There were no limits to your imagined future or to the many things you could be and do.
Somewhere along the line, the focus of our dreams downshifts from what's imaginable to what's attainable -- from what's fun to what's practical, from what's risky to what's responsible. Ambitions of playing in the NFL are dulled by playing (and losing) intramural college games, the desire to learn how to fly never gets off the ground, and aspirations to become a painter are put on hold for a job that pays. Life goes on, but not necessarily in the direction you had hoped. Or it goes on so predictably that you forget what it was like to imagine the unimaginable for yourself. You forget how to dream.
The idea of a life list is simple. What is it that you'd like to do but haven't taken the time or had the motivation to do? Bike across the country? Achieve enlightenment? Go skinny-dipping? Build a house with Habitat for Humanity? We believe that the very act of writing ideas down helps you answer the question "What do I really want to do with my life?" and puts you on the path toward accomplishing it. Creating a list -- with the serious intent of checking things off -- gives focus to dreams, defeats self-imposed limitations, and motivates you to achieve goals that once seemed lofty or unrealistic.
Sharing that list with others is just as powerful. Going public holds you accountable and connects you to new networks of serendipitous support. It was this very idea that inspired 43 Things. The website was started by three friends who wanted to form a company that could make our lives and the lives of others more meaningful. After trading paper lists of our goals, we concluded that a life list is a great way to communicate with and support each other, and so 43Things.com was born. The site helps you create your life list and then share your goals with more than 1.5 million other users.
Since its inception, 43Things.com has grown into an online encyclopedia of more than 1.3 million goals contributed by users from around the world. Dream It. List It. Do It! draws from the most interesting and inspiring of these goals to give you the broadest spectrum of life-changing possibilities and organizes them into 43 categories ranging from "Ignite Change" and "Be Silly" to "Fix My Finances" and "Do Something Daring". Sometimes it's just fun to see what other people dream about, not to mention what goals many of us have in common. (We've boldfaced some of the most popular goals on the site.)
In addition, the book is packed with helpful, practical advice on how to accomplish hundreds of different goals and connects you directly to the resources you need. But perhaps even more valuable are the first-person stories from 43 Things members -- ordinary people who have challenged themselves to dream big. Throughout the book you'll read inspiring accounts from individuals who made their dreams come true, whether by hiking the Grand Canyon, becoming debt free, recording their own songs, or swimming in a bioluminescent bay. Hearing from others who've completed some of the same goals that you want to accomplish is a great way to get motivated. You see that others can do it -- and if they can do it, so can you. Dream It. List It. Do It! is person-to-person, do-it-yourself self-help for living a bigger and bolder life.
And we should know. Surrounded by such stories, we've been inspired to work on our own life lists. One of us has gone on tour with his band. Another has opened a bar. Another lost over 100 pounds. And we all decided to work four days a week to have more time to spend with family and friends. In the process of honing our life lists we've come up with something we call "Ten Rules for Creating and Conquering Your Life list" (see opposite page). These guidelines will help keep you focused and checking off your goals at a steady clip -- as well as keep you from getting overwhelmed.
So nobody asks what you want to be when you grow up anymore, but you should never stop asking yourself what you want to do with your life. The answer to this question may change over the years and never be answered definitively. But that's part of the fun. Assume an "anything goes" attitude, suspend financial, geographical, and other limitations; and use this book as a tool to focus more on how you want to live each day. Start adding to your life list and you'll be ready to answer another important question "What happens next?"
The team behind 43 Things (Buster, Daniel, Ivan, Josh, Laurel, Michelle, and Todd).
