7 Life Lessons from the Movie “The Bucket List”
Imagine you were told you had 6–12 months left to live.
Talk about terrifying.
What would you do with your time left?
This was the premise of the 2007 comedy / drama film The Bucket List, which I recently re-watched.
It’s about billionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and car mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) who meet in the hospital and learn that their respective illnesses will kill them in less than a year’s time. Instead of letting the news bring them down, they decide to create a bucket list together, which is basically things each of them want to do in life before they die. The rest of the movie explores the relationship between the two men as they go out and try to live their bucket list.
It’s a beautiful movie that I’d definitely recommend. The end had me tearing up, which I can’t say about a lot of movies.
Here’s 7 life lessons I learned from The Bucket List:
1. DEATH OFTEN COMES OUT OF NOWHERE.
Yes, Edward and Carter were in their old age when they found out they were going to die. But it still crept up on them. They were living normal lives, and then suddenly their time was going to be up.
Whether old or young, death often comes when you least expect it. You really never know what can happen and when your time on this planet will be up. That’s why you need to grateful for every day you wake up and make sure you’re living the life you want. The more you can think about death and its inevitability, the better lens you’ll have on life and the more prepared you’ll be when it comes.
2. MAKE YOUR BUCKET LIST(S) NOW.
Seriously. Don’t wait until life passes you by and it’s too late. Start today!
Write down all the things you want to do in life. Dream big.
Sure, you could just have one bucket list that’s personal to you. But I like the idea of creating different ones with other people in mind too, e.g. your significant other, sibling(s), or best friends. Why not, right?
Everyone needs a blueprint for a great life, and a bucket list is the perfect measuring stick. What are you waiting for?
3. ACTIVELY PLAN TO EXECUTE WHATEVER IS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST, AND CONTINUE TO ADD TO IT.
This lesson is more of an extrapolation from the previous one than something directly attributable to the movie, but I thought it was important enough to mention here.
Making the bucket list is the easy part and only Step 1. It’s worthless unless you start planning out how you’re going to accomplish the things on it.
Edward and Carter couldn’t really plan since their time was limited. They just took action, which is a major part of the equation too.
While you likely have a lot of time to accomplish the items on your bucket list, don’t wait for “some day” to come. Again, you never know when your time is up here, so there needs to be a little sense of urgency and desire to take action. Squeeze everything out of life while you can. Start by picking an item that is attainable in the short-term and take the first step to figuring out how and when you can do it.
Regularly revisiting your bucket list gives you the opportunity to tweak it. Maybe there’s something you thought you wanted to do but change your mind about. Or even better, something new you’re excited to try. In terms of a cadence, try revisiting your bucket list at least monthly.
4. SEE THE WORLD.
One of the central themes of Edward and Carter’s bucket list was traveling around the world. They do things like see the pyramids in Egypt, take a safari in Africa, and ride across the Great Wall of China on a motorcycle.
Travel is invigorating. Many of us wish we could do more of it, but don’t really do anything about it. It’s really a matter of priority.
It’s so important to see the world. We can experience different cultures and events, meet new people, witness the beauty of Earth, etc. Make sure you do it with people you care about.
5. FIND THE JOY IN YOUR LIFE.
At one point in the movie, Carter shares a myth with Edward about what happens when you get to the gates of heaven. According to the story, the gods ask the recently deceased two questions, one of which is “Have you found joy in your life?”
In other words, figure out what makes you happy and keep doing those things as much as you can. Even if you think you haven’t achieved full happiness yet (is there such thing?), everyone has things they do that make them feel good. Think about the last time you laughed, or did something that was really fun, or had a great conversation. Never stop seeking that joy and making it a regular part of your life.
6. BRING JOY TO OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES.
In the same story about the deceased waiting to get into heaven, Carter tells Edward that the second question the gods ask them is “Has your life brought joy to others?”
Life isn’t meant to be all about you. Yes, your dreams and goals matter, but it’s really about impact and legacy. How many people’s lives can you touch while you’re here? How can you be a role model for others?
As Carter said in the movie, “You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you.”
7. BE ADVENTUROUS.
When Edward and Carter saw the world, they did it in style. Their journey was all about having fun and doing things they had always wanted to do. They pushed the boundaries of what they thought they were capable of and grew in the process.
We should all try new things more often. There’s so much out there to be experienced that it’s almost an insult to not do anything about it. If there’s something that’s been on your mind a lot that you’ve wanted to do, just go do it. Take someone with you. Create memories you can hold onto. Have the most fun possible. Do it all.
I hoped this post not only convinced you to go rent The Bucket List and make one of your own, but also inspired you to start living a more full life today.
It’s time to pick up a pen and a piece of paper and start writing that bucket list. The world is your oyster, my friends.
