The 300 List: Why I am Writing Everything I Want to Do Before I Die

A week ago, I was doing what we all do far too often - mindlessly scrolling through social media. In between the news, memes, and vacation posts, I stumbled across something quietly powerful: a podcast video titled “Why You Need a List of 300 Things to Do Before You Die”.

It was created by Jake Hurwitz and it’s been described as one of the most profound things he’s ever done — and I can see why.

The concept was simple. No filters. No fluff. Just one human being reading a list of the things he wants to do before he dies.

It stopped me in my tracks.

It wasn’t the dramatic bucket-list-like items that got me. It was what and how the list represented: a deliberate, deeply human attempt to live with intention. He didn’t just note them down in a journal. He printed the list out - all 300 items - on a four-foot poster (roughly A0 size, for those who know). The entries weren’t designed for likes or applause. They were honest. Raw. Present. Things like:

• “Hold a loved one’s hand while they die”

• “Send surprise letters to my top five closest friends thanking them for a lifetime of friendship”

• “Buy a stranger’s lunch and walk away”

• “Fly a plane”

That list lingered in my mind for days. 

And then came the question that changed everything for me:

If I had only 30 healthy years left, how would I want to spend them before my time is up?

That quiet question lit a spark - and I found myself beginning my own The 300 List.

If you haven’t seen the video or heard the podcast yet, take a few minutes. You might walk away changed, too:

A Personal Inventory of What Truly Matters

At first, it was just for me. A way to reflect. A way to take life off autopilot. But as I started writing, something shifted. The act of putting it all down - hopes, fears, dreams, regrets, silly ideas, serious ambitions - gave me a strange kind of clarity I didn’t expect. And now I want to invite others to do the same.

This isn’t about creating a “bucket list” to collect trophies or tick off boxes. It’s about living on purpose. Designing the years we have left with care. And for me, it's become a deeply human exercise - one I plan to share with the world.

We often postpone joy. We delay meaningful change because we believe we have time. However, when I did a rough calculation on 30 more years of health (or about 10,950 days), I realised how finite time really is. That realisation was somewhat scary, but highly motivating.

We don’t often stop to reflect on time - not in a personal, practical sense. We say we’ll travel “someday”. We’ll write the book “eventually”. We’ll apologise “when the time is right”. Truth is:

There may not be more time. But there is enough time. Enough to live deliberately. Enough to do things that matter.

And so, I started my list - not with the pressure to be impressive, but with the invitation to be honest. The list started with about 20 items. Then 50. Then 100. And soon I found myself sketching out a framework for 300.

The first 50 to 100 items came quickly. Step foot on all 7 continents. Break a bad habit...

But then the deeper ones emerged. Make peace with someone from your past. Write a letter to my younger self. My personal favourite - Recreate and Master Grandma's famous dish and pass down its recipe.

Some were exciting. Some were hard. Some made me laugh. Some made me tear.

Writing them down was like opening a door to the truest version of myself.

From a Notebook to a Life Framework

As the list grew, I knew I needed more than just a few pages in a notebook. I needed a way to stay connected to the process, to see progress, and maybe even to invite others along the way.

So I opened Excel.

So I started building a digital version of my list in Excel, organised by 15 categories, with 20 goals each:

1. Epic Travel & Unique Destinations

2. Adventure & Adrenaline

3. Career, Legacy & Learning

4. Fitness, Physical Goals & Challenges

5. Creative & Artistic Expression

6. Personal Growth & Inner World

7. Food, Drink & Culinary Curiosity

8. Relationships & Emotional Connections

9. Giving Back, Kindness & Service

10. Nature, Wildlife & the Earth

11. Culture, History & Human Civilisation

12. Spiritual, Soulful & Sacred Goals

13. Money, Freedom & Lifestyle Design

14. Once-in-a-Lifetime / Just for Fun

15. Legacy, Death, and Timeless Impact

Each entry includes a description, the reason it matters to me, when I hope to do it, and how I’ll know it’s complete. Quickly, this became more than a spreadsheet. It became a blueprint for how I want to live.

But because I like patterns and progress, I took it one step further.

What I’ve Learned So Far

I haven’t finished all 300 yet (it will continue to evolve and I plan to revisit this list at least annually) - neither the writing, nor the doing. 

This process has made me more present. More attuned to what lights me up, and what weighs me down. It’s encouraged more honest conversations, more bold choices, more quiet time. It’s helped me reconnect with people I’ve lost touch with. I’ve started saying “yes” to small things that previously would’ve been postponed for “someday.”

Even things as simple as having a birthday meal alone, or writing a thank you note to someone who once helped me - these have brought a sense of aliveness I didn’t know I was missing.

Most importantly, I’ve stopped assuming there will always be more time. Instead, I’m trying to honour the time I have right now.

Stories That Keep Me Grounded

When motivation dips, I revisit a few stories that remind me why this matters.

Dorothy Smith, who finally completed her dream of visiting all seven continents - at 102 years old. Her comment in an interview still echoes in my head: “You can either rust out or wear out. I’m trying to wear out”.

Randy Pausch, the computer science professor who, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, gave his unforgettable Last Lecture at Carnegie Mellon. “We don’t beat the reaper by living longer”, he said. “We beat the reaper by living well”.

Nick Vujicic, who was born without limbs and now travels the world as a motivational speaker. He once said, “If you can’t get a miracle, become one”.

These stories remind me that life doesn’t need to be perfect to be meaningful. It just needs to be intentional and purposeful.

Creating Something to Share

When I first shared my 300 List with friends and colleagues, most reacted the way you might expect: “Three hundred? That’s crazy!”. But to my surprise, just as many eyes lit up. People said, “I want to do that too”. It turns out that dreaming big - really big - gives others permission to do the same.

A list of 300 things to do before you die may sound like a lot, but over a lifetime, it's quite manageable. Spread across 30 years, it amounts to just ten items per year. Many of the goals can be small or easily achievable, and you’re likely already doing some without realising it. Additionally, many items can overlap or be accomplished together, making the list even more practical and rewarding.

A 300-item list isn’t about ticking off boxes - it’s about staying curious, alive, and open to life’s possibilities. That’s when I decided I would share this publicly - not just the idea, but the tools that make it real:

• A blank Excel template anyone can use to start their own list.

• A sample version of my personal list - with the vulnerable bits, the exciting bits, and everything in between:

Sample version of my personal list

This isn’t about productivity. It’s about presence. These tools aren’t about optimisation. They’re about intimacy with your own life.

If even one person is inspired to start their own list after reading this, that will be worth everything.

You Don’t Need a Wake-Up Call

Many people begin reflecting deeply on life only after a major loss, a diagnosis, or a burnout. But we don’t have to wait for pain to push us into purpose.

Sometimes, a list is enough. A list that whispers, “You still have time. You still get to choose.”

As Steve Jobs once said, “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose”.

We already have what we need. We just have to begin.

What You Can Do Now

You don’t need to write 300 items in one sitting. You don’t need a spreadsheet or code. You just need a moment of honesty.

Sit with yourself 30 minutes everyday and ask:

• What have I always wanted to do, but never made time for?

• What would make me proud if I did it in the next year?

• What do I want to leave behind?

• Who do I want to be?

Write what comes. Let it surprise you.

And when you're ready, share it, or keep it close. It’s yours.

If you do it with intention, it will change you.

Final Thoughts

This journey isn’t about collecting experiences for the sake of ego or escape. It’s about aligning the life I live with the life I want to live. It’s about making memory, meaning, and maybe (just maybe) peace.

The 300 List is not about racing toward death. It’s about walking with life. Whether you’re 25 or 65, healthy or healing, lost or already lit up - this invitation is for you.

Start your list.

Live it slowly.

Track it if you like.

Share it if you dare.

And remember: the point isn’t to finish it. The point is to feel alive while you’re still here.

Let’s live these next years as if they’re our best ones yet. 

Because they can be.