The Buried Life Is Helping You To Start Crossing Things Off Your Bucket List: Here’s How

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Eight years ago, three friends and I (The Buried Life) made a “100 Things to Do Before You Die” list and decided to help people we met cross items off their own bucket list. We borrowed an RV, bought a camera on eBay, made matching t-shirts and hit the road for a two-week road trip.

Since then we have traveled the world and crossed off items from our list such as: make a TV show (#53), write a New York Times best selling book (#19), play ball with Obama (#93) and ask millions of people the question, “What do you want to do before you die?”

Over the last few years, we’ve been invited to talk at colleges and other events to both young and old, and have found that the number one item on people’s bucket list is to travel.

We’ve heard countless stories of how people wish to have grand adventures and see the rough and elegant wonders of the world. So this year we wanted to make that happen for two deserving people and give them a trip of a lifetime: traveling the world crossing off the most epic bucket list items of all time.

It’s called The Most Epic Bucket List Contest (Ever), and you get to pick 5 of 20 of our favorite list items from around the world. You choose your list, and we make it happen with the help of Contiki.

Out of the 20, I decided to list our personal five favorite items below.

#1: Swim with Sharks in the Galapagos

Spend a day in the pristine blue waters of the Galapagos snorkeling beside one of the world’s most majestic predators. Set sail and navigate through beautiful seascapes to bountiful waters filled with fish of all color. The convergence of three major oceanic currents brings an incredible mix of marine life to this area. It’s an outdoor adventure that shouldn’t be left off anyone’s bucket list. And if swimming beside sharks worries you, it shouldn’t. They are beautiful creatures with plenty of better things to eat than you.

#3: Snowball Fight on a Glacier in New Zealand

Hike up to the expansive glaciers of New Zealand and finish the day off with an epic snowball fight. We all remember the endless beautiful landscape in The Lord of the Rings, minus Mordor. Well, this is a chance to hike amidst the greenery and lushness of temperate rainforest into alpine fields while drinking from pristine glacial creeks. Travel to a 6 1/2-mile-long glacier for a long day you won’t forget.

#4: Hang Glide Over Rio De Janeiro

Travel to the highest point, count to three and set sail for a bird’s eye view of Rio. Considered one of most beautiful backdrops of any city in the world, you will have an opportunity to see it in no better way than flying over top of it. We hope you take a selfie while doing so, as it will be a moment you will never forget, and an experience that few can say they have ever had.

#13: Watch the Sunrise Over Angkor Wat

It’s tough to beat a beautiful sunrise. Include a beautiful girl or guy nestled beside you and throw in one of the world’s most historical and largest monuments and conditions are perfect for a great morning.

#15: Ski the Alps in Austria

Yes, Austria. We love Austria. Find the biggest stretch of powder you can and spend the day putting fresh tracks on the ground. If you do it right, we can promise you will be exhausted by the end of the day. You’re guaranteed to have a smile ear to ear while enjoying a delicious beverage in a hot tub overlooking a pristine mountain landscape.

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Whether you win the contest or not, we thought we’d leave you with a few lasting words for you to be able to accomplish your own dreams and cross anything off your list. The more items we cross off our list, the more we become convinced that anyone can do anything.

The formula comes down to these steps:

1. Stop and Think About It

What is it that you really want to do with your life? Don’t wait for a crushing loss to force you to think about what’s important to you.

2. Write It Down

Simply put, it’s not real until you write it down. Take your dream and turn it into a project. Dreams have a funny way of staying dreams, but a project is something that needs to be done. Approach it as you would any other item on your daily or weekly to-do list.

3. Talk About It

After you’ve come up with your list and written it down, start talking. Tell everyone you know. Don’t keep it to yourself as help can show up in the most unusual places, oftentimes the least expected ones.

4. Be Persistent

Most people give up just before they reach their goal. We all hear “No” a lot, but “No” sometimes just means, “Not now.” Be creative in your persistence. Think of innovative and clever ways to grab their attention. Be different, and never say die.

5. Be Ballsy

99% percent of people believe they cannot do great things, so they aim for mediocrity. The level of competition is highest for realistic goals because most people don’t set high enough goals for themselves. Statistically, you have a better chance of achieving what may seem like an unrealistic goal.

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Your dreams are closer then they appear. There’s nothing about us four guys that makes us more able than anyone else to accomplish our goals, other then the simple fact that we decided to go after them. As George Elliot said, “It’s never to late to be what you might have been.” Don’t wait. Why not start now?

Much love,

Ben from The Buried Life