Via AOL’s new & improved front page interface, I found this story today: four guys building a documentary around the concept of “what’s the one thing you want to do before you die.”
They’ve invited people to contribute to a list of 100 things. Then they help the contributors accomplish their respective goals. Film it, etc. etc.
One thing that strikes me is how mundane a lot of the items are. “Plant a tree”? “Take a kid on a toy shopping spree”? Who needs help doing stuff like that? For dog’s sake, people, if “throw a surprise party” or “donate blood” is all that stands between you and a sense of lifelong accomplishment, what are you waiting for?
There are a few items that are a bit meatier, of course. But even some of them are more a question of a little research & planning. “Drive a race car,” for instance. Assuming you’re sound of body, there are car racing training outfits that will deliver you to that dream.
Last category are the “dreams” that require a mix of pluck, work, and an alignment of stars. “Go to space.” “Start a television show.”
Those are the minority. IMHO those are the only sorts of dream that really matter. But I suppose it’s because those are the sorts of ideas that really get me juiced.
So. What’s your dream? What’s the thing that, looking back from your deathbed, you’ll count as the thing that made the difference between a life-well-lived and one not?
And what are you doing about it?