An Updated Impossible List

This Impossible Lit was first posted in July 2017. Back then, the focus of this blog was on art, so the list only contained art goals. This is now an updated version, with all the added categories - and some housekeeping on the art goals as well.

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Almost everyone has a bucket list. Things they would like to do in their life, if circumstances, luck or money permit it. But too few of the items on such lists are ever realised. That is why Joel Runyon created the Impossible List.

I recently came across an old bucket list of mine, and it made me sad. It had too many old things that I no longer wanted, and even more things that I still wanted but had made zero progress towards.
Now, I like lists, and especially crossing things off of them, so that made me sad. But right around the same time, I started watching the excellent College Info Geek Youtube channel, and the owner Thomas Frank made a video about The Impossible List.

The concept is relatively easy - you list your goals (yes, even the impossible ones), and you check them off as you go along. But it differs from a bucket list in some very important points:

You keep it updated as you go through life. You lost interest in learning to play the guitar? Throw it off the list. You want to learn how to sail instead? Put it on.

You review it often. Be honest, how often do you look at your bucket list? Hardly ever, even if you are into bullet journaling and decorating every page. The Impossible List is meant to be reviewed, and reminds you of your goals. 

It has iterative goals.

Does your bucket list say things like 'travel to 20 countries' or 'save 100.000 EUR'? Do you think you will reach those goals?
The Impossible List tries to help you by leading you step by step. By saying 'travel to 5 countries', then 10, then 20, your list becomes instantly more achievable.  

Making that list for yourself is already very helpful. But Thomas Frank decided to share his publicly, as a sort of manifesto which he updates if new goals are added or old ones crossed off, and I quite like the idea. (I have left out the money goals, but everything else is on here.)


CAREER
- volunteer in a EU or UN related project
- design and program my own blog theme
- go to a conference in my professional field
- finish a second degree / course on additional skills (data science / programming)

LIFE
- collect 50 recipes | 100 | 150 | 200
- read 50 non-fiction books | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 400 | 500
- read 50 fiction books | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 400 | 500

ART

Learning
- Finish 1.000 Art Hours (restart counter Dec 1, 2018) | 2.500 | 5.000 | 7.500 | 10.000
- Finish 5 SVS Courses | 10 | 15 | 20
- Attend a life-drawing class
- Study an art history introduction curriculum

Projects
- finish a 52-Week challenge
- finish a digital drawing challenge
- fill a Handbook sketchbook in one month
- design a boardgame
- complete a 'Wreck this journal'
- illustrate the Malfuria trilogy by Christoph Marzi
- design a memory palace
- use all my art supplies

Professional
- exhibit at a local art fair
- open an online shop
- become a published illustrator
- write my own illustrated story
- publish my own self-illustrated story
- be chosen for Spectrum
- Instagram: 100 followers | 200 | 300 | 400 | 500 | 750 | 1000 | 2000

FITNESS
- run 5k in <40 min | <35min | <30min
- run 10k in <100 min | <90 min | <80 min | <70 min | <60 min
- run a half marathon
- run 365 miles in 365 days
- manage 1 pushup | 5 | 10 | 20 | 35 | 50
- manage 1 pullup | 5 | 10 | 20
- do a handstand
- visit a boulder gym
- try parcouring

EXPERIENCE / TRAVEL

Travel
- visit all countries in Europe
- visit 100 world heritage sites
- finish the 66-lakes-route around Berlin
- visit every continent
- do an Interrail trip
- travel for three months
- outside Europe: Marrakech | Penang | India

Experience
- Indian Summer
- BBC Proms
- World Soundtrack Awards
- bungee jumping
- visit an Expo in another country

KNOWLEDGE

- learn how to ride a horse
- learn how to ride a motorbike
- learn how to drive a boat
- go to divinity school or take a philosophy course
- take a photography course
- collect my best photos into a book
- learn decorative stitching

Music
- join a choir
- learn acoustic guitar | learn to play Willy Astor's 'Höhenflug'
- learn to play the Irish Flute
- work through a clarinet workbook

Languages
- get a 1000-day Duolingo streak
- French: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on French artists
- Swedish: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Swedish artists
- Russian: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Russian artists
- Italian: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Italian artists
- Dutch: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Dutch artists
- Hungarian: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Hungarian artists
- Irish: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Irish artists
- Czech: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Czech artists
- Polish: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Polish artists
- Hindi: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Indian artists
- Arabic: get a golden / Level 5 Duo tree | read a book | complete a C1 course | journal for 1 week | write an essay on Middle Eastern artists

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Obviously this is not something I will complete in one year, or perhaps even ten.
But having a list gives me something to work towards, and having it on this blog helps to remind me and hold me accountable.

If you would like to use my list as an inspiration to create your own, feel free to share your ideas in the comments below.

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Images (cropped) from pixabay