#BucketList: 10 Things I Want To Do Before I Die
When I found out we were going to do a series of Top 10 Bucket Lists for the KimberMedia blog, I was pretty excited. I’ve long been a believer in creating goals, putting them in writing, and pursuing them. As I began this process, I thought back of all the goals that have come to fruition, such as having a family, owning a home, and starting my own business, all of which give me great hope I’ll be able to cross off these 10 items on my bucket list. So, here’s my bucket list:
1.) Own a pro sports team – I’ve played and loved sports as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the talent to be a pro athlete, so now that I’m approaching 40, it’s time to alter that dream for a more realistic one…well, it is a bucket list, right? I’ve always loved the Baltimore Orioles, and my Twitter bio has long proclaimed I own them, they just don’t know it yet. I’m okay with starting on a smaller level.
2.) Write a book – My love of books has only recently developed in the past few years. I read all the time! My wish list on Amazon has nearly 100 books on it, and I’ve got a dozen on my iPad Kindle app that I’ve yet to read or am in the process of doing so. With all this intake, surely I have something to say, right? Well, I do. In fact, I have the idea for my own book and have worked out the concept. I simply need to do the work and bring it to life.
3.) Watch a Mizzou Football game from the Luxury Suites – One of my earliest memories of Mizzou football was hearing a score on the radio indicating Oklahoma had defeated the Tigers by the score of 77-0. The ability to see or hear Mizzou games was limited during my childhood, so I dreamed of the day I would be able to see them play in person. That happened several years ago, just as Coach Pinkel took over the program. Now that they have created a nationally competitive program, I relish the idea of watching a football game from one of the luxury suites poised high above picturesque Faurot Field!
4.) Give a TED talk – As a lifelong learner, I am always searching out new things from which to absorb inspiration and insights. When I discovered TED talks on Youtube, I couldn’t help but gorge myself on the wealth of knowledge, expertise, and experiences found there. My favorite is Simon Sinek’s talk entitled Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action. Earlier this year, a local group organized a TEDx event and I was fortunate enough to act as the official photographer of the program. Seeing the vast array of intelligence on display inspired me to dream that I might be worthy of sharing that stage one day.
5.) Go fishing in Minnesota – I grew up in Kirksville, MO. Many days of my youth were spent battling small-mouth bass and casting for crappies. Somewhere along the way, I quit fishing. Every year when my family discusses vacation plans, I always push for holing up in a cabin with air-conditioning, of course, because I’m not a complete heathen. I have this picture in my mind of sitting by a tranquil lake, enjoying the peace only nature offers and soaking in the warmth of the day. The truth then asserts itself as I realize I’ll be constantly swatting at bugs, telling my kids to hush, probably have to make a trip to the emergency room to have a hook removed from my ear.
6.) Meet Patrick Lencioni – If you’ve never read one of Pat’s books, I highly recommend you do. If you think operating a first class business is not solely about making more money, and you believe things like culture, passion, and leadership are neglected components of most businesses, then you’ll love his work as much as I do. Having a conversation with him is something I greatly look forward to experiencing.
7.) Start & operate a charitable foundation to support disadvantaged and orphaned children – A few years ago I received a “Thank You” letter on behalf of the company I worked for at the time from a local organization that provides a safe haven for children in crisis. The letter contained a story about a set of siblings that were rescued from a heart breaking situation involving a car accident. Having 2 little girls of my own, my heart broke into smaller pieces than usual when I read about the trauma those children suffered through. Ever since that moment I’ve been working on a way that would support children in similar situations, either directly, or through organizations like the Rainbow House. I’m embarrassed I haven’t gotten more accomplished. I had no idea how difficult this process was, and it’s given me new appreciation for those who have built charitable projects.
8.) Attend an Indy 500, World Series Game, Daytona 500, and Super Bowl – There is something special about a team coming together and achieving the pinnacle of excellence in their respective field. I always watch championship events on TV when I can just to live vicariously through their accomplishments. It inspires me to believe I can also be a part of something that surpasses what I could achieve as an individual. Witnessing it in person so that I could be a part of the actual environment would be a dream come true.
9.) Break a negative cycle and continue the positive examples set by my family – My father battled with addiction his entire life. Even though he wasn’t present for most of my childhood, I loved him deeply and knew he loved me even though his addiction to alcohol kept him from being there. Truth be told, my love for him felt stronger than what I felt for my mom, even though she was the one who made all the sacrifices and was always there for me. He passed away in 1997, almost 10 years before my wife and I had our first child. I always swore to myself that I would not make the same mistakes my dad did and would continue the positive examples my mom and grandparents provided. I’m far from Cliff Huxtable when it comes to being a great father, but my heart swells with love when I hear the excitement in the voices of my little girls when I come home. Even more gratifying is how excited they get when they learn they are going to get to spend some time with Grandma. (And Grandpa, my mother’s husband, who has earned the title by being a good role model for me and loving my kids as if they are his biological grandchildren.)
Hear God welcome me to Heaven – Okay, so this one might not technically belong on a bucket list, but I believe that death is merely a transition because my salvation is assured through my faith in Jesus Christ. Can you imagine…it’s almost impossible to even write it down because I know I don’t deserve it, but because of God’s grace and the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, one day God will say to me, “Well done good and faithful servant. Welcome home! There’s a party in your honor that’s about to begin. But first, there are some people here who want to say hello.” Oh, how my soul craves that experience! Care to join me?
So now you know a lot more about me. Some might think they know too much. That’s okay. I appreciate you taking time to read my bucket list. Come back next Tuesday for another bucket list from one of my KimberMedia colleagues.
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