My Life List News

Better than a pipedream: Make a life list

2011-10-16T12:47:00.000-04:00

By Shelagh Braley

Sometimes I forget how challenging it is for people to see the value of a life list. I mean, after all, it’s just an inventory of impulses that may never come to life.

But I have been keeping my list for so long now, its worth to me is incalculable. My life list holds the course for all the ambitions I’ve ever had, and creates the momentum I need to make them into goals and then successes. Before I had a list, sure, there were experiences I hoped to have—but the process was static. It just made for cloudy pipedreams. “Maybe I’ll go to Tahiti someday. Wow, Tahiti’s far. It’s an expensive trip. Who will go with me? How will I make time for that? How will I pay for it?”

Each question, driven by a mild fear of the unknown, created an obstacle, a reason it would never happen.

But once I started my life list, it became a dynamic process where I committed in my mind to making good on my goals. I wanted to lose 15 pounds. Done. I wanted to learn to sail. Did that, too. What made the difference? I created and defined my desires. I got practical with them. I got excited about them. I found unlimited support and insight from others who shared my drive to accomplish these things. I became accountable to myself and to my circle of encouragers and advocates—because if they were putting in the mighty effort, why shouldn’t I? I didn’t want to let them down, either, in case they needed just one voice of reassurance to lift them up and inspire them to keep going.

I also learned how to celebrate the accomplishments I had—something many of us are reluctant to do, out of fear of being seen as arrogant, or perhaps just because we don’t see the value in what we’ve done with our lives. When you look at sharing your success as contributing to collective knowledge, when you see yourself as a mentor rather than as a braggart, it becomes easier to look objectively at what you’ve done and learned and see the value in sharing.

There are certainly circumstances (and people) that create obstacles for us and breed an environment of expected failure. It’s that defeatist perspective that seeps into our consciousness, makes the excuses for us, and becomes toxic to our ability to grow and do things that may seem out of our reach. There are those who haven’t ever traveled, or gone to school, or taken a risk at work or even among friends and family—so why should you? It’s up to each of us to decide whether our hope and strength can overpower that tide that pulls us under to mediocrity and tacit acceptance of our place in the world.

I haven’t been to Tahiti yet, but I have done a whole litany of other things that seemed equally out of reach at first. For me, it’s isn’t a matter of how anymore. It’s just a matter of when. Because I have adopted this process of continually setting goals and challenging myself, I know I’ll get there. It will make it to the top of my list soon.

And I’ll shout about it when it does, just in case anyone wants to come with me. I hear Tahiti’s gorgeous all year round.

Shelagh Braley is CEO of GoalsCorp Media, loves to travel and is especially fond of men in sarongs.

Sometimes you have to create your own wind...

2011-09-23T12:48:00.000-04:00

Today is my 41st birthday. And I have been blessed by much this year. I'm engaged to a wonderful woman. I have a beautiful and fun eight year old to spend time with and I've positioned my company with a strategic partner who can help us grow MyLifeList.org to what it is meant to be, which is to make a difference in people's lives.

As many of you know, I am an avid sailor. The thrill of sailboat racing is something that challenges me given how unpredictable the wind can be. To win a yacht race requires an ability to adapt to what the wind gives you. The times we work hardest are on the extremes, when there is no wind or when the wind is blowing dogs off chains.

When there is too little wind, it takes massive concentration to keep the boat moving. Every little thing that happens on the boat matters as does an awareness of what shifts will occur that can help us avoid a hole. When the breeze is on, it's a struggle to keep the boat in control and ensure that the boat does not get overpowered and wipe out.

Throughout my life, I have done well by focusing on these two extremes. When there is not much going on, I focus on creating new opportunities and developing new relationships. When things are going well, I try to control the momentum to ensure that I do not get caught up and steer off course.

Much of life is on autopilot but it's the extremes that we build into our everyday lives that help us to accomplish our goals. If there are things that you have been wanting to do that you have been putting off, why not share them with others to see if you can create some momentum? If you are overwhelmed by things in your life, why not try to gain some control by seeking out people who can help you?

What ever way the wind blows for you in your life, do all you can to keep moving in the direction of your goals.

Celebrate life's little accomplishments, too

2011-06-29T15:50:00.000-04:00

By Sarah "Alys" Lindholm, My Life List Member

Wow.

As I was writing my 750 words today, I randomly started thinking, "What new things have I done for the first time this year?" So I tried making a list. I'm sure it's incomplete, but it was pretty interesting.

-first ever professional foot massage (that I can really remember; first Chinese one anyway)
-first time ordering my own professionally printed business cards
-first time playing a video game that has tag mode
-first translation of a death certificate
-first whatever the hell that Paradise Lost thing is
-first automatic monthly charitable donations
-first donation to the Sea Turtle Conservancy
-first physical therapy for TMJ (the jury's still out)
-first contract with [name of client redacted]
-first paid yoga classes, which is also my first hot yoga experience
-first fitness membership with Persephone
-first time playing laser tag
-first disc QC @ FUNimation (partial)
-first director's invitation to the booth to listen to a dub of my show just for fun
-first time seeing my name in print as the translator of a novel
-first Groupon purchase
-first Barnes & Noble membership card
-first coconut steamer at Starbucks
-first time seeing any Glee
-first visit to Texas by my sister
-first time playing games at Lumosity
-first experimentation with self-acupressure
-first time eating at Rafain
-first time eating at Mooyah

I'm sure we all do new things all the time (or at least, I hope we do), but I often don't sit back and think "Hey, I am doing a new thing now!" I did with the foot massage, because that was a deliberate "reward myself with a new experience" type of thing. But a lot of these, like the business cards--I've tried making them myself before and it's a waste of time and money--and the new drink I tried at Starbucks? Totally not things I thought about. It's actually pretty cool to look at this and think in a deliberate way about how I really am a person who experiments and grows, even in little ways, and how most of us are growing all the time in little ways, and how we make our lives richer and more interesting.

Here are some more firsts I hope to have under my belt before the end of 2011:

-first stay in a bed & breakfast as an adult paying my own way
-first time attending a wedding in a state park
-first time memorizing the names of all the relatives at a family reunion before I go
-first facial
-first time riding Star Tours
-first pedicure
-first time eating the omakase meal at Ino's (a Japanese restaurant in Richardson, TX)
-first time staying at my brother and sister-in-law's house

I'll have to try noticing more of these more frequently. It's fun! And maybe recording new things will spur me to try even more new things!

Sarah is a Japanese-English translator, musician, compulsive reader and an active member of the My Life List community of achievers. Check out her public profile here to see if you share any major life experiences!

This list reveals a life well lived

2011-06-14T09:01:00.000-04:00

Alice and her Lab, Mabel

By Shelagh Braley, COO

I don't know if you've heard about her yet, but 15-year-old Alice Pyne, who is dying of cancer, made a bucket list that's been read around the world. We hardly ever refer to bucket lists, much preferring to encourage people to make their LIFE lists and start earlier, before they're dying. But in this case, sadly, I think Alice knows what she's talking about. Bucket list it is.

The good news is that she understands how important it is to act now, to capture those dreams we have and focus on making them happen no matter what, because that's what makes life rich and wonderful at its end. "You only have one life," Alice writes. "Live it!

I heard about this British teen as her list went viral late last week, and it hit me so hard: This little girl has been fighting cancer since she was 11 and yet, she doesn't seem to feel bitter or cheated. She's trying to use her list to empower her family, helping her sister raise money for cancer research. She's designing a mug to sell for charity. She is encouraging everyone who can to become a bone marrow donor.

Beyond wanting to leave a legacy of stewardship and activism, Alice's biggest goals put in perspective something we all know but lose sight of when life gets complicated ... our relationships should be constantly cherished and nurtured. She's planning a photo shoot with her sister and other dear friends. She wants to throw them a movie party. The simple things that make memories.

The most poignant goals are the ones she indicates just can't be done. She can't travel. She won't have a career she loves. If this doesn't help us realize how important NOW is, I don't know what will.

Here's a link to Alice's bucket list. http://www.alicepyne.blogspot.com/ Follow her journey, support her if you can. She is a special person with an important message, and I feel blessed to have heard about her.

And here's to a life well lived, no matter how short. Great work, Alice. We at Mylifelist.org are praying for a miracle for you. Thanks for the inspiration.

7 Ways to Get More Out of Your Workday

2011-06-08T08:54:00.000-04:00

Rizzo taking notes while on a shoot

By Paula Rizzo, My Life List Member

Everyone has had one of those days – where you feel like you didn’t get anything accomplished at work. I’ve been there myself. You went to work, you talked to people, you wrote emails — but you didn’t really get anything finished.

Here’s a list of ways to rethink your workday so you’ll be more productive:

1. Make a list: You saw this one coming, didn’t you? I sound like a broken record because it works. Everyday before I leave work I make a list. Even if I’m dying to get out of there or I’m running late – I make time to make my list for the next day.

I look at my calendar and run through the following day in my head. I write out everything that I need to do – emails I need to write, phone calls I need to return, appointments I need to keep, shoots I need to go on, etc. I usually make two columns – one for work and one for personal stuff. Then the next day when I come in – I don’t even have to think about what needs to get done – I just follow my list and cross out tasks as I finish them.

2. Add to the list: Throughout the day I write down other things I need to do that I might forget. If I get sidetracked…I write down what I was in the middle of doing so I make sure to finish it later. It seems neurotic – but it’s incredibly effective. It’s so easy to forget what you’re in the middle of doing. How many times have you said, “Now, what was I doing?” You waste time and energy trying to remember and get back on task if you don’t leave yourself a note.

3. Leave yourself reminders: My Outlook calendar is ridiculously filled with appointments. Not because I’m so popular – but because I use it as a tool to remember what I need to do. When I leave work and I remember something I need to do but didn’t put on my list – I make a meeting maker for it. That way a reminder will pop up at some point the next day and I’ll get that task accomplished. You can also write notes or use Post-its but I tend to lose track of those. If it’s in my phone and it pops up – I can’t lose it. Oh, it’s also easy to ignore the pop-up alerts – so just add the tasks to your list when they first appear.

4. Use different folders: This is something I started doing early on. For each shoot I’m working on, I make a folder in Outlook. Then every time I get an email related to that project – I put it in the appropriate folder. It’s so easy to mix things up if you don’t have a place for each project. This is much easier than relying on searching through old emails, which wastes time and effort.

5. Bribe yourself: I’m serious – do it! Make deals with yourself. “If I finish this and this, then I can go on Twitter for 20 minutes,” or “When I finally cross this item off my to-do list, I’ll reward myself with a manicure.” That one works for me every time! If you have a goal or a deadline that you set, you are more likely to finish the job.

6. Unplug: If you have trouble getting work done because you are inundated with phone calls and emails — shut off your phone ringer and close your email. You don’t have to do it for the entire day – that would be crazy. But just for a little while until you catch up. Seeing that you have a new email will throw your focus off and you might get pulled onto another project. Same goes for the phone. Just give yourself a little alone time to finish what you need to do first. Believe me – it’s empowering!

7. Put on headphones: When I’m not out on a shoot, I work in a loud newsroom with a lot of people. I’ve mastered tuning out people, TVs and loud sounds. But it’s not that easy for some people – and sometimes I have trouble myself. My solution? Put on headphones – listen to music or whatever will drown out the sounds around me. It also sends a visual message to people around you that you’re “busy.” It takes a little practice to not actually listen to the words of the song and just hear it as background noise – but try it. It might help you get into the zone.

Paula Rizzo is Senior Health Producer for Fox News and founder of www.ListProducer.com. She's an Emmy Award winner and attributes much of her success to her compulsive list making. She makes a list about just about anything and started www.ListProducer.com to help others become more organized, focused and efficient while being less stressed.

Summer on the horizon: What will you do?

2011-06-03T08:54:00.000-04:00

By Shelagh Braley, COO

Every year before I worked with My Life List, I felt a pang when summer arrived. I’d start work at 9, miss every ray of sunshine all day and head for my commute home after dark.

As a child, my summers were full: Trips to the beach, swimming every day in the pool, bare feet in the grass, smores on the fire. Vacations with my grandparents and cousins.

Once we reach the serious stage of adulthood, we lose that sense of elation and relief that arrives with the last bell. Our schedules are no longer predetermined, so it takes more effort to plan our time off.

Summer can still be a time of great memories, to replenish our energy and reconnect with loved ones and friends. But you have to start now, step out of the grind and decide what you want to do with your time off.

Take a vacation. It isn’t even that you “deserve” it. It’s that you REQUIRE it. Your balance, fulfillment and future success demand it.

So explore a new location, take your children somewhere that will open their eyes and fill their scrapbooks with new experiences.

Here’s one member who took six weeks off and packed her bags for Thailand. Where are you going to end up? Share your travel adventures with us on www.mylifelist.org and inspire someone else to seek a change of scenery.

Don’t discount power of travel goals

2011-04-27T14:00:00.006-04:00

By Shelagh Braley, COO

Are you an urban explorer or a country connoisseur?

I think I’m a little of both, based on my own life list dream trips: I want to immerse myself in the Italian countryside, speaking the language, riding a bicycle to the farmer’s market and cooking to my heart and stomach’s content. I want to enjoy sangria and a restful siesta in Spain, and linger under Tahiti’s Fautaua Waterfall. But I also want to feel the hustle and pulse of the discoteques of Rio and jazz cafes of Costa Rica.

Have you considered your travel goals lately? We all have them. True stat: 100 percent of mylifelist.org members have set at least one travel goal. Most of us have many more.

In order to make them a reality—to experience other cultures and find the place in the world you feel the most renewed—you have to PLAN, not just the details, the flights and accommodations, but the time, too. If you don’t get out of your groove and make time to explore other places a priority, you’ll miss the opportunity for new experiences, to find balance, family time, real joy. There is so much pressure around us, it’s easy to just absorb it and make that our way of life, without releasing the valve and seeking new stimuli, and the restorative peace and fun we need to truly be happy.

If you have a travel goal, do you have a time frame in mind for when you will achieve it? Think about setting a date and working toward it as you would any other measurable goal on your life list. The fun goals are no less crucial to your success than any others.

Don’t let your travel goals languish for “someday.” Or if you have traveled somewhere amazing, share your story on www.mylifelist.org! You could inspire someone to explore an unrealized travel goal of their own.

Shelagh Braley, COO of MyLifeList.org, is an experienced entrepreneur and former journalist. She lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

What should I ask Oprah?

2011-04-06T15:52:00.000-04:00

By Paula Rizzo, My Life List Member

One week from today, I’ll be checking off one of the biggest items on my life list! I’ll be sitting in the audience of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” This life goal has been a long time coming for me. Eighteen years to be exact. I’ve always had mentors throughout my journalism career but Oprah is one that I had from early on.

I would watch her show with my mother every day without missing an episode. When I was 13 years old, I wrote her a letter and actually got a response! She (or rather someone from her staff – I know how this goes) sent me an autographed photo and a personalized letter. I was thrilled, as you can imagine, but my young self never had a clue that I’d have a shot at meeting her one-day.

Visualize Your Goals

I must admit that crossing this item off my list didn’t come without some help. First off, I’m a list maker. I have a list of all the things I’d like to accomplish – going to the Oprah show is just one of them. Writing a book, visiting Italy and owning a huge apartment in Manhattan are some others. I think it’s imperative to be able to visualize your goals, even if only on paper.

I also have my vision board. I’m a huge believer in this. If you can imagine it, you can live it! (Did Oprah say that?) So yes, on my vision board with the photos of a bigger apartment, a fabulous wardrobe and a dream vacation is a picture of Oprah. I have this visual reminder on my closet door and look at it each morning when I get dressed. If nothing else, it makes me smile.

I also subscribe to the principles in the book, “The Secret.” Quite simply, they get me a seat on a crowded New York City subway every day. If you’ve ever been to NYC, you know this is a small miracle. But I’ve also applied it to bigger things, like going to the Oprah show! I think believing that I was going to get the tickets and visualizing myself in the audience helped, too. My husband thinks this is all nonsense – but I’ve proven him wrong now, haven’t I?

A Little Help From My Friends

My friends also helped me to achieve this goal. Because as I’ve learned: It’s not what you know, but who you know! My best friend, Danielle, and I have been trying to get tickets for the last season of the Oprah show all year long, to no avail.

We were turned down yet again, this time with a friendly little email telling us both that our names were not chosen in the lottery. But because one of Danielle’s friends from L.A., we are going to the show! Jessica, who I’ve never met before, was nice enough to put us down as her guests when she was chosen for the ticket lottery! What are the chances of that?! How cool is she? Another principle of “The Secret” is not to worry about how your goals will be accomplished, just know that they will. And there it is! I would have never guessed this one.

When Danielle told me we got the tickets, I was screaming like an audience member in an “Oprah’s Favorite Things” episode. I’m talking top of my lungs … with that crazy look in my eyes like I was being sent to Australia for free. I’ve spent many years as a line producer for live TV newscasts where breaking news ages you nightly and whatever might go wrong does go wrong. But to my credit, I’ve been told that I’m very calm under pressure in the control room. Not on this day. What were the chances?! There are only 325 spots per show and we were going to be in the audience for one of the final few tapings of Oprah’s very last season. Wow!

Preparing for Chicago

Now that the initial shock is wearing off and we've booked our flight and hotel, I have a week to prepare. I've been making lists of lists that I have to make. I'm a bit neurotic but very efficient.

I never take a trip without a packing list, so I’ve been working on that. I’ve found that if you write down every last thing that you’ll need, you won’t forget anything. I’ve also been writing down recommendations for restaurants in Chicago. This is a culinary city that I want to cash in on!

My Next Life List Item

As an eternal optimist, I’m thrilled to be going to the show, but I’m banking on being able to meet and speak to Oprah. I’m just putting it out there into the universe – it doesn’t matter how it happens, just that it happens. So to be absolutely prepared for this life-changing moment, I need a list.

What would I talk with Oprah Winfrey about? I’m making a list of potential questions I might ask her. I refuse to be caught like a deer in headlights if given this opportunity. In life, the more you can prepare for big moments the better. But I need some help with this one. What would you ask Oprah, if given the chance? I appreciate your input and am looking forward to hearing from you.

How can we achieve SMARTER goals?

2011-03-30T14:55:00.000-04:00

By Shelagh Braley, COO

Conventional wisdom says in order to reach your goals, they must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely. This process has been proven successful time and again in business. But when you want to rev up your life across the board—not just at work—creating SMART goals can get a little boring, just like work.

So how can you infuse the SMART goal method with more motivation, to put to good use in all areas of your life?

Try adding these two tips to generate SMARTER goal power.

1. Explore areas beyond your knowledge.

Are there places you don’t know about? Experiences you’ve never heard of? If you stretch your imagination, your information-gathering skills and your concept of what is possible, you might find the world is even bigger and more exciting than you thought.

This was one discovery I made on the site, quite by mistake, and it’s always been my favorite. I instantly added it to my life list. The brilliantly colored, mystical photos alone are reason enough to go. http://www.mylifelist.org/experiences/experience.aspx?ID=2616

2. Reconnect with your past successes.

Are there moments you look back on that make you feel amazing and accomplished? What did you do to make them happen? It’s likely you had a point of inspiration, support and a solid plan. But did you take enough time to share your new-found knowledge to solidify your expertise or to help someone else achieve a similar goal?

According to positive psychology studies from Harvard Medical School, happiness generates far-reaching results (even for people we do not know, through social network effects) and this becomes a major influence on our emotional stability, achievement motivation and collective knowledge.

Here’s a link to my personal profile: http://www.mylifelist.org/members/PublicProfile.aspx?PID=1320

Maybe there’s something on My Life List that will inspire you today. If you find it, be sure to celebrate that inspiration, get yourself in action and pass it on. These two little extra steps will ensure that your goals match your dreams—and help you actually achieve them.

And the winner is ...

2011-03-16T14:11:00.000-04:00

My Life List!

My Life List was recently awarded a $50,000 prize and given the honor of “Best Startup in Boston,” by Mayor Tom Menino and VenCorps, the world’s first crowd-sourcing venture capital firm. It was an unforgettable moment, an award the My Life List team is honored to have earned. (And we plan to quickly use it to help our community members reach their goals faster.)

To be successful in this business competition, we had to develop a strategy and work smart. Without a well-defined goal, major preparation, commitment and execution, that moment of victory and elation would not have been possible.

No different than any of your major life goals.

Just as companies define their growth strategy and identify benchmarks as stepping stones down the path to success, personally, you have to stay aware of your goals and incorporate the same process into your everyday life.

Your “big picture” should be represented in your life list. What is the overall vision for your future?

Once you have that list defined, you have to get tactical. This is where My Life List’s goal-achievement tool works, to help you create a roadmap, tangible mini-goals, each one designed to eradicate barriers and get you in motion.

Every celebration story on the site is full of the same joy and sense of accomplishment we felt last Thursday night. Pick a goal on your life list today and put yourself in action. Your life portfolio should be full of promise, and bursting with moments you’re proud of.

Your own victory is right in your hands.

Shelagh Braley, COO of MyLifeList.org, is an experienced entrepreneur and former journalist. She lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

Skydiving Courage Vs. Long-term Confidence

2011-03-09T14:00:00.006-05:00

By Austin “The Freedom Skater” Szelkowski

Jump and Kiss!
I give a speech that I call “Is That Fear or Excitement?” The speech is short and explains that, in humans, the physical and chemical events associated with fear are almost precisely the same as those associated with excitement. I use the examples of skydiving and stealing a first kiss with a new flame to show how it is easy to feel both fear and excitement simultaneously. (Try this game – it works!) The whole point is to compel people to take the necessary risks to reach goals and live full and interesting lives.

I’m a serious fan of bold action. As a matter of fact, I think it might be the very difference between a mediocre life and a great life. Well, to be truthful, it’s part of it, but I suppose it’s not the whole difference. Recently, I rediscovered something a little more substantial ... more about that in a moment, but first, let’s talk about big journeys.

Embark to Grow
Anyone who knows me to any level knows that my life is currently consumed by a ludicrously large adventure: a 3,000-mile in-line skate across America. That skate is meant to inspire youth across the nation by serving up a larger-than-life example of the courage and commitment it takes to be a pioneer. I’m out to inspire the bold entrepreneurs and leaders of the next generation. Interestingly, the tour has already taught me as much as it has taught the people I speak to along the way. At the time of this writing, I’m just more than 1,300 miles in.

Leaping vs. Committing
Being bold is not enough. This 3,000-mile adventure is teaching me about something else: long-term confidence and commitment. If you want to build something of lasting value and purpose, you have to seek more than a temporary “high.” For me, the tour isn’t always an endorphin-rush. Often, it’s more painful than fun.

The Dilemma
So how do you remain excited and committed when progress feels more like hard work than an exciting exploit? Two points on that:

1. Your long-term goals must align with who you are as a person. They have to strike a deep chord that is not easily drowned out by the ups and downs of emotions. It’s gotta be you, because in the long run, anything less won’t keep you going. I like the simple advice offered by famous author and businessman Gary Vaynerchuk: “Be true to your DNA.” Obvious? Yes. Commonly adhered to? No. If it’s not you, then do you have the guts to quit it? Is that fear or excitement? Get it?

2. You’ve got to stay in your groove. Working toward a goal that deeply resonates with you is great, but you can easily do this the wrong way and burn out. Remember that old “Fear or Excitement” game I play? I like it because it gets me in my flow. It reminds of the daring, open, and energetic person I like to be. When I’m there, I’m unstoppable. And the same goes for you: You have to know how to get back in to your own personal flow.

That two-point combo seems simple, but don’t be fooled: Simple doesn’t always mean easy. Fight to keep those two points at the forefront of your mind, and you’ll be on your way, not only to achieving an incredible thing, but also to loving it every step of the way. That’s long-term confidence and excitement you can count on.

Austin “The Freedom Skater” Szelkowski is co-founder and president of Motor City Challenge, Inc. He gets involved with interesting projects. When he’s done skating, he’ll live in Detroit.

How good a friend are you?

2011-02-23T12:22:00.000-05:00

By Bill Starr, CEO
I spend a great deal of time reviewing articles and qualifying the value of a friend or follower on Facebook and Twitter. And it seems to me the definition of friendship has taken on new meaning in this digitally connected age.

In my experience, I can identify three distinct groups of friends based on the type of activities we do and the depth of engagement we create together. All of this is supported by the way we communicate with each other.

Acquaintance or Colleague (200 to 500 people)
At one point, we may have shared a common activity, occupation or interest. We went to the same school, we worked at the same place, we took a course together. These friends form part of our wider network and typically we communicate via social media. For a business acquaintance, we will engage on Linked In and for a personal acquaintance, we may engage on Facebook. The depth of engagement is minimal and these are easy friendships to maintain. In our experience, 1 in 10 people will support you if you ask a direct favor and only if they are not busy and believe in your cause. Their participation is 100 percent optional.

Good Mate (25 to 50 people)
At one point, you may have lived in the same city or neighborhood, perhaps you were best friends, but due to distance may have grown apart. While initially you met as an acquaintance, with time you developed a deeper friendship by sharing more experiences or time together. These are the people we fondly think of when we recall our past. We invite them to our weddings and we try to connect when we can. When we meet, it is as if no time has passed at all. We typically communicate via email but in some cases may share a note on social media. The depth of engagement is based on circumstance, and although they’re not present all the time, these friends rally when asked. They can champion you when need be and can be very helpful in sharing information and advice. In our experience, 1 in 2 will support you if you ask a direct favor. Not considered optional to support but sometimes due to time and other commitments may not be able to participate.

Best Friend or Life Partner (5 to 10)
When you have amazing news or when things feel a little out of control, these are the friends we call. They comprise our inner circle, the people most present in our lives who provide both practical and emotional support, especially when it comes to our major life goals, challenges and achievements. When you ask a favor, they respond with their tool box and will do whatever they can do to help. These are the friends we ask to stand beside us in our lives. We share our deepest desires, hopes and dreams. We typically communicate via phone but will use whatever medium we can to stay present in each other’s lives. Nothing is optional with these friends and we feel the same way about them as they do about us.

For many of us, it is easy to identify who in your life falls into each category of friendship. The question is: Are the people we communicate with more of an acquaintance or a good mate? Has the form of communication you use impacted the depth of your relationship? How we communicate matters and how we share matters. So take charge of your relationships. Why not send an acquaintance an email and become good mates or even better, pick up the phone and call a good mate and make them a best friend. You will be surprised how the form of communication impacts the depth of your relationship.

Bill Starr is an avid life lister and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (http://www.mylifelist.org/), the premiere social network for goal achievers.

Reveal a deeper you to your social network

2011-02-17T13:30:00.000-05:00

By Shelagh Braley, COO

I have been swimming in the shallow end of the social networking pool this week, promoting My Life List as one of nine finalists in a business competition here in Boston, to let our “friends” know that we need their votes to win. It’s really important—increased profile and credibility, and desperately needed venture capital funding.

I’m posting. Give me a “like” if you read me.

It’s becoming so clear: Social media users have broadcast fatigue. We’re getting too many messages to respond to them all, so we choose the funny, the random and the superficial, put in just enough effort to create the illusion of engagement.

And we tell ourselves we are connected.

When you update your status to share clever revelations, a video for your favorite new song or a happy birthday wish on Facebook, you no doubt get responses from your average network of 300 who want to stay involved in your life.

But sharing a goal that requires real support and action from others is a very different process. When you post a goal on Facebook, the people who respond are generally your closest friends and supporters, the ones who would respond with the same intensity offline. Those who don’t want to engage in your goal ignore it and focus on the more surface comments of those in their network. Goals are too much information, too real, for some “friends.” You are also only connecting with your limited network, and working within the boundaries of their homogenized perspective. We “friend” those we’ve already known, though we hardly ever grow that way, or cultivate a different cast. We isolate ourselves by never sharing our obstacles and challenges, even though we know everyone faces them.

What I learned from asking for votes reinforces what makes the My Life List community so special. By participating on My Life List, you become part of a greater network that cares and responds, and most importantly, mobilizes. This network supports you based on your level of engagement within the MLL community. The more you share, the better they know you, the more they want help.

You are exposed to an ever-growing cohort of people who share your goals and have accomplished your goals—people who understand what it will take to accomplish your goals and who have experience, resources and information that will help you.

What’s even more unique, MLL's members are motivated not only to accomplish their own lists but to strive for new horizons and exchange ideas with others to widen that circle of support, achievement and inspiration. This communication also builds new goal-oriented relationships that add value to your achievement process and your life.

And to prove my point, if you want to vote for My Life List in the VenCorps Best of Boston Challenge:

1. Go to vencorps.com and register (top right-hand side of page).

2. Go to Pick Winners tab and select My Life List LLC.

3. Rate us (All 5s is the best score possible) and add a comment.

We appreciate every voice that makes our network stand out, in the business community and in this greater social media experiment. Thank you for being part of it.

Shelagh Braley, COO of MyLifeList.org, is an experienced entrepreneur and former journalist. She lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

Only real failure is not to try

2011-02-09T14:43:00.000-05:00

By Shelagh Braley, COO

You know what irks me?

How willing everyone is to believe the negative hype surrounding New Year’s resolutions, and goals in general. “Nearly 75 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail.”

Almost every reference in the media over the last 30 days has taken a tone of defeat. “The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions have died a sudden and uneventful death …” “Your resolution should be not to change …” “By now, all our New Year’s resolutions have gone down the toilet …”

Boo. Bad attitude.

No wonder we’re so reluctant to engage others in our goals. Every mention becomes a massive risk, as people couch their possibility and speak as though they’re already beaten. Who would attempt to set and share a goal, when it’s common knowledge that three-quarters of them are blown by the end of the month? Don’t we have any choice? Any strength of will? Courage to try, even in the face of obvious obstacles?

The My Life List community does.

Through the 21-Day Challenge, a crowd of nearly 100 MyLifeList.org members committed to a goal, reached out for support and achieved exactly what they set out to do. From paying down debt, to staying in better touch with important people in their lives, to establishing healthy habits, Challenge participants had incredible success! They credit their victories to the support of those who were following their progress throughout the challenge. Accountability, when coupled with unconditional encouragement, has a life-changing effect on our capabilities.

“The accountability factor actually propelled me past the comfort zone to do the simple small things … And what an incredible difference it made. 10.5 lbs in 21 days?!! I'm so amazed at that figure,” said 21-Day Challenge first-place winner Andrea. “It makes me realize that things you think aren't possible really are once you've made a decision and committed to a plan. The choices we make absolutely determine the life we lead.”

So ignore any messages that give a “why bother” impression. Recognize that kind of attitude is only a protection for those who are too afraid to try. Make your list of goals and engage the support you need, whether in your own circle or through the anonymous cheering squad of www.mylifelist.org. There is nothing sweeter than knowing you are in control of your own life, so create some momentum and shout about your success.

If we're doing our job, the 25 percent of goals that DON’T die a silent, end-of-January death will get the respect they deserve. And goal by goal, with focus and a sense of purpose, we'll change our lives.

Shelagh Braley, COO of MyLifeList.org, is an experienced entrepreneur and former journalist. She lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

How valuable is your time?

2011-02-03T14:05:00.000-05:00

By Shelagh Braley, COO

I’ve been thinking lately about time. How much of it do we spend annoyed with our place in the world, worrying, spinning our wheels? How much of it will we want back when we check the rearview mirror?

It’s all over the news and blogosphere now, that the American Dream has officially stopped delivering. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research’s newest study, America ranks lowest in paid annual leave, averaging 13 days a year to other wealthy nations’ paid time-off average of 20-35 days. And if that isn’t bad enough, Americans don’t even use it all. “Only 57% of American workers take their full vacation time, often fearing losing their jobs or not being able to keep up with their workload,” the study says.

That strong sense of duty and responsibility made America stand out and succeed in the global economy. Previous generations worked hard and kept striving through challenging times with the faith that their admirable work ethic would pay off. And until the most recent generation, it did.

Then work became harder, the hours longer, for less pay and less vacation time. American capitalism is no longer sharing the wealth. The International Labor Organization just last week released a study that said America is No.1 in productivity and hours worked, yet dangerously low in compensation and vacation time. As a result, American workers are trying to fend off an endless cycle of overload that has resulted in massive societal malaise: disconnection, consumption, obesity, depression, financial bankruptcy—and total dissatisfaction.

Time to re-imagine the dream.

It starts with rejecting a life on autopilot: working, studying, stressing, going to the mall and pretending it’s a fun day out, retreating to the escapist world of Farmville and the mundane reality of others’ lives to make ourselves feel better.

As you assess your level of personal fulfillment, take a breath. Daydream!

Read through some of the awesome stories of other members’ life experiences on MyLifeList.org, and most importantly, apply some of the ways they have improved their attitudes and their circumstances. Once you start planning, you’re back in the driver’s seat. That’s all it takes.

Focus on the practical steps to reach your major life goals, and you will recapture the control to live the life *you* dream about.

Progress on goals is a balancing act

2011-01-26T09:01:00.000-05:00

By Laura Simpson, My Life List member

Balance. Mostly what comes to mind when I hear that word is how to maintain mine when I've had a few too many margaritas. I have come to realize, however, that balance plays a critical role when it comes to achieving my goals.

Take dieting and exercise, for example, the current bane of my existence ... eh hem, I mean goal. I want to get into shape because I want to look good. I want to be in such good shape that I'm mistaken for Angelina Jolie when I hike Machu Picchu with my kids in May. I want to look so fabulous in a single-digit-sized mini-dress that I turn George Clooney's head when I jet-set off to Tuscany with one of my oldest and dearest friends in October. I want to walk on the beach in Bali wearing a cutie-patootie bikini without people wanting to jab a hot poker in their eyes upon seeing me. But there are two things that stand in the way of my accomplishing these: my mouth (or should I say my inability to close it) and my abhorrence of anything that resembles work (think exercise).

Because I'm fond of the adage, “work smart, not hard,” I initially discarded the ideas of diet and exercise, as both fall under the “hard” category. There are two reasons I don't do diets. The first is that I seriously love food. I am not one of those girls who takes two bites of her salad and declares herself full. Instead, I roll up my sleeves and ask for a bib. Eating is truly one of my greatest pleasures. Secondly, diets are just too extreme for me. I lose weight on diets—not because I'm eating healthy food, but because I'm literally starving. And as I shed those unwanted pounds, I also lose some of my sanity in the process. I fear that if I go on another diet, I'll just end up trying to stab someone with a fork over the last bite of a stale bagel because I will have starved myself senseless up until that point. See what the absence of carbs can do to a person? So diets are out.

I ruled out exercising as well. Someone like me does not handle exercise well because exercise involves sweating and I wasn't made to sweat. Also, as most of my friends know, I am coordination-challenged. Combine that my super competitive nature (I have been known to try and trounce my fellow exercisers in a competition they didn't know they entered), humiliation inevitably follows. And I'd rather staple my tongue to a table than suffer the slightest humiliation. So, in my efforts to be creative, I briefly thought of investing in a 1970s vibrating belt massager. That way, my little fat globules can be vibrated away as I simultaneously take another guilt-free bite of my crème brulee. Once I had the unfortunate occasion to see one in action, though, I thought better of it.

So as it stands, I don't want to diet. I don't want to exercise, but I still want to lose weight and look good. What a dilemma. I know from previous experience that problems of this magnitude can only be conquered with the help of girlfriends and copious amounts of alcohol (wine preferred). During one such brainstorming session, one of my friends had an epiphany ... balance. She suggested that instead of subscribing to a costly diet program, which would inevitably end badly for me and those around me, I should modify my intake. Instead of having seven epically evil but decadently delicious mochas per week, I should drop it to three. That way, I could still indulge and get my fix, but not overdo it. She then I could apply the same thinking to exercise. Wow, she's on a roll! So, rather than subjecting myself to the mind-numbing monotony of the gym every day, maybe I could go to the gym three times a week and take a brisk walk in the park with my sugar-love-muffin-of-the-moment the other four days. At this point, my mind is reeling. Brilliant.

So, there it is. So simple. Actually, it’s not simple, but it's not that hard, either. Yes, I had to change some habits. For instance, when I'm having a stressful day, my Pavlovian response is to drive to Starbucks and have them hook me up to a mocha IV. Now, instead of consuming enough calories in one sip to sustain an Ethiopian village, I eat a banana. Admittedly, a banana doesn't evoke warm and fuzzy feelings quite like the nectar of the gods does, but there is some satisfaction in knowing that it is healthier, and that I'm not limited to a diet of ex-lax and water ... I can still indulge a bit. The same is true of exercise. I learned that not all exercise is evil. And believe it or not, I actually enjoy walking (gasp!). I've even gotten to know my neighbors a few doors down. I didn't even realize that I had neighbors that far down the road. For all I knew, they were empty houses with abandoned cars.

Do I have my occasional setbacks? Of course I do, but I also have had a wee bit of success. And that tangible success is enough to keep me motivated to continue to find the balance.

Laura Simpson, a My Life List folk hero in the making, is a simple girl living a complicated life. Born and raised in New Jersey, she now resides in Idaho until she can find a way to become independently wealthy and travel the world.

Goals and the pursuit of happiness

2011-01-19T14:00:00.010-05:00

By Sally Barrett-Page, M.A., M.S.W.

“I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain

It is common for achievers to say they want more money, a great job and a perfect partner. Underlying all of these wants is really a desire to be happy. You have to train your brain for happiness. Check out these pointers:

Take responsibility for your happiness. It's a personal journey, and one that you should be driving. Determine what makes you happy, create a plan for your life and start living your dream. Pursue the things you are passionate about. Your past achievements hold the clues to your passions.

Focus on the positive. Happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, it comes from appreciating what we already have. Be grateful.

Accept yourself as you are. You are a special and unique human being with a special place and purpose in the world.

Focus on the present. You have only now to live it and enjoy it. Let go of the past by forgiving yourself and everyone else for mistakes made.

Nurture your relationships and participate in your community. People who take the time to do these things are happier.

Use social networking with purpose. Use the tools and engage the community on http://www.mylifelist.org/ to create a life list, act on your goals and celebrate your accomplishments. It will help you stay focused on your goals and make more progress.

Hire a personal life coach. Many achievers in varied fields credit the influence of a special teacher, mentor or coach for much of their success.

Sally Barrett-Page grew up in Massachusetts and has lived in Boulder, Colo., for 27 years. Her first exciting career was as a filmmaker, her second as a life coach.

Life List trumps Bucket List

2011-01-12T14:51:00.000-05:00

By Bill Starr, CEO of mylifelist.org
Since the movie 'The Bucket List' came out in 2007, I've heard a lot of people compare a life list to a bucket list. But they are not exactly the same thing.

I first became aware of the concept of creating a life list after reading the story of the real-life Indiana Jones, John Goddard, in the first Chicken Soup for the Soul book in 1993. I had just graduated from university and was reading everything I could get my hands on to help me in my new career as a financial planner. As the story goes: "One rainy afternoon, an inspired 15-year-old boy named John Goddard sat down at his kitchen table in Los Angeles and wrote three words at the top of a yellow pad, "My Life List." Under that heading, he wrote down 127 goals. These were not simple or easy goals. They included climbing the world's major mountains, exploring from source to mouth the longest rivers of the world, piloting the world's fastest aircraft, running a mile in five minutes and reading the entire Encyclopedia Britannica. Now, a generation later, he has accomplished 109 of these quests, and has logged an impressive list of records in achieving them."

John Goddard created a road map for his future by writing down his life list. A bucket list, as referred to in the movie, is a list of all the things you want to do before you die. The key difference is outlook.

It’s important to see a life list, not as a static thing but a dynamic list that reflects the ongoing changes in your life. While I was young and single, I had education, sports and career goals at the top of my list. As I got older, I added more travel and adventure activities. Recently, I have been adding more family and lifestyle experiences to my list.

Although John Goddard started with a list of 127 goals, he added things to his list and has achieved more than 400 over the course of his life. I can assure you, John, now in his 80s, is not writing his bucket list. He has lived a full life and followed through on his life list by setting new goals all along. John is the original inspiration for mylifelist.org and a few years ago, I had the pleasure to meet him at the Adventurers' Club in LA. With a twinkle in his eye and a presence that could make a rushing hippo stop, he greeted me as a kindred spirit.

So here’s my advice: Skip the bucket list and don’t rush to complete a finite number of goals before the end is near. Make your life – and your life list – something to strive for and savor every day.

Don't give in to call of the Comfort Zone

2011-01-06T11:58:00.005-05:00

By Carrie Stack, M.Ed.
Congratulations! You've joined My Life List, created your profile, and written down your incredible, inspiring, exciting goals for your life. You've shared them with your network at MyLifeList.org and you’re feeling pretty proud.

Now what?

You have done step one. You just set rock star goals. (What are rock star goals? Concrete goals that specifically identify the "how much, how many, by when" piece that so many others overlook.) For a lot of people, this can be where things go awry. Daily life happens and what they want to "become" slides back into what they have "been." The backward slip is pretty seductive. Our comfort zones call us back – desperately, zealously, relentlessly, promising Chinese takeout, beer, endless chocolate and flannel PJs if we'd only return!

So what do you do? You pull this key strategy out of your back pocket.

Know what motivates you.

Most people don't know what they are motivated by, or what keeps their energy flowing to maintain focus and forward movement. Right now, let’s assess what has helped to propel you in the past.

Think of a goal you successfully reached and answer these questions:

What helped you maintain momentum, energy and movement?
Why did you push through any obstacles?
What kept you going until you reached it?

Was it people? Was it a reward at the end? Was it because you followed a timeline or a list? Was it recognition? Was it because you were moving toward something, or did you succeed because you were moving AWAY from something?

If you want to keep going, then you need to know what KEEPS you going.

Now build that into your goals.

Look at each of your goals and figure out how you can incorporate your past patterns of success. Bottom line: You want to replicate what has worked for you in the past and use it now.

From my work as a life coach and motivator, I know that a great majority of us respond to accountability, shared connection and recognition/celebration – making MyLifeList.org an incredible source of support and energy around reaching your goals! So make sure you keep us posted on your progress. I speak for the entire My Life List community when I say, we just LOVE this stuff!

Carrie Stack, M.Ed., is a certified life coach, trainer, author and motivational speaker with more than 20 years’ experience providing people with the strategies to make positive changes in their lives. She is also the founder of the Say Yes Institute and co-founder of EO Your Life, a personal development site that helps people to live life fulfilled.

Become the Person You Want to Be

2010-12-14T09:45:00.000-05:00

Please check out (and share) this link to a story on My Life List in Canada's Globe & Mail. Thank you to the members who were quoted!

Become the Person You Want to Be -- Canada's Globe and Mail

My Life List® Best of 2010

2010-12-09T13:46:00.000-05:00

The holidays are happily under way, and here at My Life List, we are preparing for our busiest and most important time of year – New Year’s Resolution time. We’ve got more momentum than ever and we think we have a lot worth celebrating.

Which got us thinking: You’ve probably accomplished a lot this year, too, haven’t you? An exotic adventure with your best friend? A hard-earned degree? A job you love? A change in behavior that has made your life easier, healthier or more exciting?

Why don’t you share it on mylifelist.org right now? In the spirit of sharing this season, we’re going to name the best story for each category on the site (Travel & Leisure, Relationships, Personal Development & Community, Career & Finance, Lifestyle & Culture, and Sports & Adventure) as My Life List® Best of 2010. They will be featured as part of some exciting upgrades on the site in January, and the writer will receive one of six $100 American Express gift cards.

The deadline for stories is December 28, with winners announced December 31. So get celebrating! Your accomplishment will inspire many, and acknowledging your progress will push you forward, too.

And don’t forget these exciting upcoming events:

The 21-Day Challenge Win cash and prizes to help you achieve your goals, Jan. 10-31
The Life Listers’ Ball Black-tie party at Seaport Hotel Boston Feb. 5

Why are you not accomplishing your goals?

2009-11-06T14:38:00.000-05:00

So why are you not accomplishing your goals? Surely you realize that if you’ve set a major life goal, achieving it will help to improve or enrich your life. So what’s holding you back?

I’m going to assume it may be because you lack one or all three of the following:
1. Available time;
2. Clear priorities; or
3. Accountability.

If you identify with any of the above, what you’re really lacking are the skills to get organized. The good news is that getting organized is a skill you can learn any time.

This week on My Life List™ Radio, I had the opportunity to interview Shelagh Braley, an organizing expert and owner of Linear Thoughts (www.linearthoughts.com), a Boston-based organizing consulting company.

Here are some of her practical tips for getting organized and making the most of your time. (Source: www.linearthoughts.com)

• Make a list every day.
• Keep a longer-term calendar and mark down upcoming project deadlines.
• Clear your space and your head will feel clear, too.
• Schedule your break times and take them without fail.
• Assign your time a monetary value.
• Take care of yourself with by taking breaks and rewarding yourself for small achievements.

So if you want to start achieving your major life goals, why not take the first step and add getting organized to the top of your list?

“Organize your life around your dreams – and watch them come true.”

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org.

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

About My Life List™ Radio
My Life List™ Radio, is a half hour talk show featuring personal insights on goal achievement and interviews with inspiring guests.

Are you up for an Adventure?

2009-10-23T13:40:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I came across an interesting article in the Globe and Mail. “Goodbye husband and career, hello high seas.” The article tells the story of Roz Savage who ditched her career, her husband and her house to row solo across the Atlantic.

“I was stuck in this job, feeling like I was just on a treadmill of having to earn enough money so that I could afford to buy the house that was near enough to my job. It was just like this crazy cycle … And I’d think, you know, we don’t have to do this. … I felt like I wasn’t being true to myself.”

Now, I’m not suggesting people ditch their careers, family and take to the high seas. What struck me about this article was the sudden realization that she was not following the path she saw for her life.

Many of us have things that we have a desire to accomplish. This may not be to row across the Atlantic but you must have a goal that speaks to the spirit of who you are.

So are you up for an adventure?

“A man practices the art of adventure when he breaks the chain of routine and renews his life through reading new books, traveling to new places, making new friends, taking up new hobbies” – Wilfred Peterson

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org or if you have already created a Life List pick one goal and add it to the top of your list so others can help you achieve your goal!

Why not check out My Life List™ Radio, a half hour talk show featuring personal insights on goal achievement and interviews with inspiring guests.

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Have you made any new friends lately?

2009-09-25T14:09:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I got a note from a friend telling me how excited her 6-year-old daughter was after meeting a new friend at school. "I made a new friend today! Her name is Annie and she likes to jump rope just like me!"

Meeting new people is exciting yet as we get older we tend to become more distant to connecting with new friends. When was the last time you were excited to meet a new person?

Imagine if you came home from work as excited as my friends 6-year-old. “I made a new friend today! His name is ____ and he likes to ___________ just like me!”

Go ahead fill in the blanks, a big part of getting the most out of life is meeting new and exciting people who share your interests.

So have you made any new friends lately?

“Having a new experience will introduce us to new friends and through these new friends we will be introduced to other new experiences.”

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Have you made any big decisions lately?

2009-09-11T13:35:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I shared a conversation from a guy who was planning to go to South East Asia. I ran into him last night. He had just returned from spending 70 days in Thailand and Vietnam!

It was hard to believe this was the same person I met who was debating whether to go or not. He could not stop smiling as he shared the stories of his adventure. It was infectious to be around him and you could see that the trip had a profound effect on him.

He now has plans to return in a year and teach English in Vietnam. It is quite evident he has been inspired by his experience.

We’ve all made decisions throughout our life that have had an impact on our future. The key is to be present to all the events that will occur once you make a decision to strive towards an inspired goal.

So why not sign up for those classes at a college, buy that gym membership or to book that epic trip? The possibilities are endless…

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”– Flora Whittemore

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Are you making the grade?

2009-08-28T14:30:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago met up with a group of friends and one of them asked me if I kept score with how I was progressing with my life. It was a great question and the shocking reality was that I had never seen a way to measure how I was doing.

So here is my first attempt at creating the My Life List™ Report Card.

Relationships (25%)
1. Do you have a romantic partner? If yes how would you rate the quality of your relationship? (0 to 10)
2. Do you spend quality time with your Friends (0 to 5)
3. Do you have Children? If yes how would you score your relationship with your kids? If you don’t have kids are you happy with your decision? (0 to 5)
4. Are you close with your family? (parents, brothers & sisters) (0 to 5)

Score ____/25

Career & Finance (25%)
1. Are you happy in your Career? (0 to 10)
2. Are you financially secure? (0 to 10)
3. If you had the opportunity to create your dream job/business would you be able to do it? (0 to 5)

Score ____/25

Personal Development & Community (20%)
1. Are you involved in a charity or community project? (0 to 10)
2. Have you done or are you doing any courses/coaching to improve yourself? (0 to 5)
3. Are you teaching/mentoring what you have learned to others? (0 to 5)

Score ____/20

Travel & Leisure (10%)
1. Do you take an annual trip to a place you enjoy going? (0 to 5)
2. Do you have a plan to go to a place you have always wanted to go? (0 to 5)

Score ____/10

Sports & Adventure (10%)
➢ Are you actively involved in a sport you enjoy or do you participate in an adventure activity annually? (o to 10)

Score ____/10

Lifestyle & Culture (10%)
1. Are you living a healthy and happy lifestyle? (0 to 5)
2. Are you actively involved in the arts or have a cultural passion that you participate in? (0 to 5)

Score ____/10

Total Score ____/100

So what was your grade? Are there areas in your life that you need to focus on more than others? I’d love to know what you think about this? Join the discussion at Create a My Life List™ Report Card

“In the end you’re measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish.”– Donald J. Trump

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Are you working in a career that reflects what you are passionate about?

2009-08-14T13:38:00.000-04:00

When I was younger I remember someone telling me to never allow the things you are passionate about to become your business. I found it sound advice at the time and duly separated my career from what my true passions were. (So I became an accountant!)

I now look back and recognize this was misguided advice that stopped me from doing more of what I really loved doing. In fact what I should have done is define the things that make me happiest and organized my career around this.

To this end I recently met someone who has aligned their passion with their career. Candice has launched an incredible website and I invite you to check out her inspiring story:

Launched my new website Paratinovia.com

The reality is when you find your true purpose in life the things that give you the greatest joy are in alignment with this purpose.

So in a perfect world ask yourself what would you love to be doing that will allow you to work in the area of your greatest passion?

“Figure out what you love to do as young as you can, and then organize your life around figuring out how you can make a living at it”. – Pat Williams, Professional Speaker

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

So Who's Holding You Back?

2009-07-29T14:35:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I overheard a conversation between a patron and a bartender. It went something like this.

Patron: - “I have been planning this trip to Thailand & Vietnam for over a year, and now my friend says he can’t go. I could go alone but my Mom is worried sick of me traveling by myself. I really don’t know whether to go or wait for another time.”

Bartender: - “Really you would let the others hold you back? Were you taking the trip for your friend or was it something you’ve always wanted to do?”

Patron: - “No the trip was my idea and something I’ve been wanting do since college…”

It was at that moment it dawned on the patron that his friend not joining him and his Mother’s concerns were just barriers he needed to overcome to go on his dream trip.

I’m sure you’ve all been involved in similar conversations like the one above. Whether it was to go away to School, leave the job that was making you miserable, or to enter into that new relationship. The reality is we all have people that our close to us that are imparting their fears and concerns on us. It’s important to listen and understand their point of view, but keep it in perspective and be careful not to let their fears hold you back from achieving your dreams!

So is there anyone holding you back from achieving something you’ve always dreamed of doing?

“You cannot be wimpy out there on the dream-seeking trail. Dare to break through barriers, to find your own path.” – Les Brown, American Author

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Are you friendly?

2009-07-17T12:08:00.000-04:00

The last few weeks I’ve been spending time with my family on the East Coast of Canada. Every time I come home to the Maritimes I’m happy and love how friendly everyone is here. I’m currently doing a book signing at a local Coffee shop and the support of friends and others has been fantastic.

I want to give you an example of the hospitality that is typical here on the East Coast. I was delivering the boat I raced on in the Marblehead Ocean Race (Boston to Halifax) back to Saint John. We were a bit low on fuel so we decided to pop into Yarmouth on the southern tip of Nova Scotia. This was my first time into Yarmouth so I was pretty happy we decided to pull in.

As we got to the dock a town official by the name of Terry greeted us. No sooner had we tied up the boat, Terry was offering up advice and assistance. He was like pure sunshine and with the biggest smile called a taxi for us to get fuel, suggested a place for breakfast and told us what was going on in his town. He even offered to charge my iphone in his office.

As we left Yarmouth we all talked about Terry and how wonderful he had made our visit. Later on when we got back to Saint John I talked with the Skipper of another boat who we passed as we were leaving Yarmouth. He also met Terry and was equally complimentary as to how friendly he was. Terry was memorable because he was friendly.

So let me ask you this, how friendly are you? Are you the rain or the rainbow?

“Meeting a friendly person is like a rainbow on a rainy day, it just makes you feel good!”

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

This weeks blog has been sponsored by my friends at Coastal Contacts www.coastalcontacts.com where you get great contacts and glasses @ half the price.

Are you living your life without regrets?

2009-07-03T17:19:00.000-04:00

A few months ago I met Patrick Mathieu, he has a wonderful outlook on living the life you want. He recently shared his story about Doing Stand-Up Comedy on the My Life List™ site and I wanted to share this with you.

Doing Stand Up Comedy

Patrick is someone that inspires me with his message and zest for living a life without regret. As he says “Just imagine how much more powerful your life would be if you actually decided to choose the life you want!”

So are you living your life without regrets?

“If we’re lucky, we survive the first heart attack or car crash or brush with cancer. We suddenly see the light. And we hope its not too late.” –Patrick Mathieu

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

This weeks blog has been sponsored by my friends at Coastal Contacts www.coastalcontacts.com where you get great contacts and glasses @ half the price.

Is Anything Possible?

2009-06-26T13:40:00.000-04:00

I recently watched a documentary about a group that climbed Mount Everest. Incredibly 90% of the people who ever attempt to reach the peak of Everest fail and many have lost their lives. One of the people featured in the story is Erik Weihenmayer, a former middle school teacher and wrestling coach.

He’s written a book about his experience called 'Touch the Top of the World'. Here is an excerpt from his book:

“I had dreamed about Everest since I had begun climbing, and it was almost beyond my imagination just being here, experiencing this legendary mountain for myself. For half my life, I had been acquiring thousands of skills and special techniques that would keep me safe in the mountains. Our Everest planning had taken two years, the physical training, a year. I had run the foothills of the Rockies a hundred times, had sprained my ankles a dozen. I had shivered through endless blizzards near the tops of mountains around the world. For two months, we had been shuttling loads up and down the mountain, while pushing through tremendous doubt and fear. So by mid May, as time dwindled away, I found myself at Base Camp, awestruck and disappointed as I thought about all we had been through to get to this point. Mike O. and I sat in our tent engaged in long conversations about what constitutes success. You could do everything right, make few blatant mistakes, and still fall short. I worked hard not to buy into the idea that standing on top meant tremendous success while falling a few feet short meant utter failure. This savage unpredictability was the very element I loved and hated about mountains, and made this pursuit an adventure, not just a sport. But even though I could rationalize falling short, it was no less painful.”

Eric proceeds to climb Everest with his team and has subsequently climbed the seven summits (the highest mountains on each of the seven continents). A feat that fewer than 100 mountaineers have ever accomplished!

What makes his story so compelling and seemingly unimaginable is that Eric lost his vision at the age of 13.

Obviously he has never let his blindness interfere with his passion for living an exhilarating and fulfilling life. Clearly, Erik's accomplishments show that one does not need to be able to see to have extraordinary vision.

So if a blind man can climb Everest is anything possible? What dream have you had that you considered impossible? You may want to think again about what is possible and what is not…

“Twenty years ago, when I went blind, it was tough to even find the bathroom. Now that I've climbed Mount Everest, well, I guess I've come a long way.” -Erik Weihenmayer

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

This weeks blog has been sponsored by my friends at Coastal Contacts www.coastalcontacts.com where you get great contacts!

What can we learn from a young person?

2009-06-19T12:57:00.000-04:00

This week a friend of mine shared this wonderful story about his daughter.

My nine year-old just started Gracie's Creamy Heaven Ice Cream Company, "It's heavenly delicious"! She researched Ice Cream Makers, then took a loan from me to buy one. She made 5 different ice creams and found one that was really good. She then made a bunch of samplers and sold them for ten cents and then took orders.

She not only had great Ice Cream, she had the courage to say I am going to do it. She stood outside and watched the cars go by until some stopped. She was determined not to end the day without sales so she turned up the heat on the customers to get the sales. She made $14 off the samplers and another $16 off the pre-orders. She told me that by the end of the day she had learned what people wanted to hear that made them commit to buying.

What you would never guess is at 3 Grace had a stroke that left her with temporary hemiplegia (paralyzed on the left side) and has since made a full recovery. She is an impressive girl who just gets things done!

The line of the day, "You know Dad... I have to start somewhere."

So the next time you see a young person selling Ice Cream, Newspapers or Lemonade why not stop and buy something. You might just learn something!

“Good Character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece by thought, choice, courage and determination.” - John Luther

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

Get your copy of the My Life List™ Guided Journal at Amazon.com!
“Everyone should have one of these!” – Jack Canfield

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Who can you learn from to help you achieve your goals?

2009-06-12T10:40:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I was watching ‘Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back’ and it reminded me of an important lesson many of us can learn from. In the movie the young Luke Skywalker had a goal to be a Jedi, so he got in his space ship and flew to learn from Yoda. Yoda was clearly a master and Young Skywalker wanted to learn from him.

Now many of you probably don’t have a goal to be a Jedi warrior but what if you want to run your own business, learn a new language or write a best selling book. Who can you learn from?

This week I went to a conference with a group of extraordinary people with the goal of being best selling authors. The big draw of the conference was the opportunity to learn from Jack Canfield the co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul. He is certainly the master of selling books having sold more than 100 million books.

Like Luke Skywalker every person in that room made the decision to learn from one of the Masters.

Now consider your own personal goals. Is there a master you can learn from?

"If you're passionate about what it is you do, then you're going to be looking for everything you can to get better at it."- Jack Canfield

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

What have your learned from your mistakes?

2009-06-05T14:36:00.000-04:00

By the time I was 18, I considered myself pretty comfortable around the water. I was a lifeguard, a water skier, a scuba diver and a sailor. So when the opportunity came to go white water kayaking I felt I was up to the challenge.

The venue of choice for our kayak adventure was the heritage listed St. Croix River, which separates Canada and the US on the Maine/New Brunswick border. On the day we arrived the white water would have rated class 5 and looked pretty sporty!

As we prepared to take on the rapids one of the other paddling crew gave me some encouragement by saying a log will always find it's way down the river so just consider yourself a log and you’ll do fine! (I didn’t even consider the fact that a log spins the whole way through the water and tends to hit rocks!)

I set off from shore with great enthusiasm and pointed my kayak down the rips thinking 'be the log'. I got lucky with the first rips but the second rips were ugly and soon I was upside down in all sorts of trouble. It became a struggle for survival and an equipment yard sale as I bailed from my kayak. I had been caught in a pretty big hydraulic and was struggling to get free as I got pushed under water. Thankfully I got myself out of the danger zone and got to shore!

As I sat on shore trying not to be sick and tending to my wounded body (and pride), I wondered what went wrong. I had made a huge mistake and it could have cost me my life. I had underestimated the river and over estimated my skill! Up until this point in my life so many things had come naturally to me but on this day I realized that taking on bigger challenges requires more work and preparation to succeed.

I could have easily given up on kayaking after such a dramatic failure but I did the opposite, I spent more time learning from others and gaining valuable experience. Since that time I have successfully paddled white water on some of the world’s great rivers including the Kicking Horse in Canada, the Zambezi River in Africa and the Paquari River in Costa Rica.

The lesson I learned that day has impacted all aspects of my life as I now fully apply myself to new challenges and refuse to ever ‘be the log’ again. With whitewater if you stop paddling you are at the mercy of where the river wants to take you, but if you decide where you want to go and paddle hard you can control the path you take. A great lesson in life!

So think back on some of the mistakes you’ve made in your life, what did you learn?

“Some of the best lessons we ever learn are learned from past mistakes. The error of the past is the wisdom and success of the future.”– Dale E. Turner

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Can achieving goals improve the quality of your life?

2009-05-29T13:57:00.000-04:00

I received a note this week from a college friend who completed an item on her life list and ran a marathon. As a wife, mother and professional she certainly had a full schedule but she made the time to dedicate to this personal achievement. To her surprise and joy she ran the marathon in under 4 hours. An amazing achievement for her first marathon! Check out her story Running a Marathon

These are the kinds of experiences I love hearing about and sharing with others. It was a significant goal and the thing I love about it was how her family became such a big part of the experience. Think of the lessons she has taught her kids about setting a goal and achieving it. Immediately after the marathon she signed up to complete an Olympic triathlon. She is benefiting from the power of momentum and it is enriching her life in many ways by achieving these personal goals.

So is there a goal that you can set for yourself today that would have an immediate and positive impact on the quality of your life?

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Rohn

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Are you prepared to say YES?

2009-05-22T13:06:00.000-04:00

I’ve been thinking about some of the significant experiences I’ve had in my life and the one thing that is clear is they all started with me putting myself in a position to say YES!

Let me give you a couple of examples. A few years back I was living in Vancouver studying to be a Chartered Accountant. I had just finished the uniform final exam and was waiting for the results when I got a job offer to work in Bermuda. I said yes right there while on the phone to the surprise of many people around me.

A few years later a good friend was telling me about a trip he was planning to Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. He then asked me if I would like to come with him. I said yes right there on the spot. He was surprised how quickly I said yes and kept asking me if I was sure. But I was absolutely certain and booked the flights the next day.

In both these examples these choices may have seemed quick to others but for me it was easy to say yes because I had already created the goal for myself to do these things. Mount Kilimanjaro has always intrigued me after I heard a radio DJ broadcast from the top of Africa. I put it on My Life List as something I really wanted to do. The same goes for wanting to live and work in Bermuda so when the offer came it was obvious to me that I would say yes!

In the above examples I was prepared to say yes, as I had already decided that these experiences were something I had a desire to do.

Putting yourself in a position to say yes is a powerful mindset and through practice can become a habit. Think back at the moments in your life that you regret having said no to an opportunity. If you're unprepared, the easy answer is always no, however if you’ve created a roadmap for your life and an opportunity arrives it becomes easier and even automatic to say yes!

So if I were to ask you today to do something you’ve always wanted to do would you be prepared to say YES?

"Every choice moves us closer to or farther away from something. Where are your choices taking your life? What do your behaviors demonstrate that you are saying yes or no to in life?”- Eric Allenbaugh

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

To Struggle or Strive?

2009-05-15T13:16:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back I planned on going for a ride on my Bicycle but when I got to the garage I found that the lock was cut and the bike was stolen. With no bike I then went to my car and found that my radio had been stolen as well.

As I thought about my misfortune, it reminded me of a story I recently read in "Today is Your Day to Win" by Mike Brescia.

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was very old and the well needed to be covered up anyway. And since it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey, he invited all his neighbors to come over and help him.

They all grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw.

With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Let me ask you a question are you likely to get some dirt thrown on you as you move forward in life? Probably!

One of the keys to achieving your goals is recognizing that you will face challenges. How you respond to these challenges will ultimately reflect on your character. You have a choice you can either struggle with it (and whine) or you can strive to find a solution.

Now think about some of the barriers you have to accomplishing one of your top of list goals. Will you struggle with it or strive to overcome it?

"You can overcome anything if you don't bellyache." -Bernard M. Baruch

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

What to expect when you strive for greener pastures?

2009-05-07T23:08:00.000-04:00

I was recently talking with my brother about some challenges I was going through and he reminded me of something I said 18 months ago. “Where the grass is greener it probably rains a lot!”

When I said that I was getting ready to leave my well paying corporate job to launch www.mylifelist.org. I was off for greener pastures and I was acknowledging that I would be facing challenges.

Looking back I had no idea how hard it would be to create a new business and the challenges I would be facing! It all came to a head three months ago when it seemed like everything that could go wrong was going wrong. I was running short on cash and the week before the end of the month I was getting chest pains as I waited at the bank to see if I could get another cash advance. The sound a bank machine makes dispensing cash was music to my ears! I even went to the Grocery store and cashed in my coins. $83 Bucks felt like a small fortune.

It was time to make a decision!! Was it worth it to continue or should I just give up my dream and go back to a corporate job?

As I considered what to do next I met John Goddard (www.johngoddard.info) who is considered the world’s greatest goal achiever. John drove 100 Miles just to hear me speak at the Adventurers’ Club. After I gave my talk he came up to me and said he was touched, moved and inspired by my presentation. He then went on to say what I was doing with My Life List™ was very important & necessary work. (This from the man who had a Life List from when he was 15!)

In that instant John’s words of encouragement helped me see the joy again in what I was doing. That night I went home and started to visualize My Life List™ helping thousands of people to accomplish their goals. I began to see that to succeed at anything, whether it be career, health, relationships, finances or education, you've got to see what you want. You absolutely must be able to imagine yourself celebrating the accomplishment of your goal.

I began to see the challenges I was facing as rain that would soon pass. I realized that making mistakes is a part of life and when you see them as temporary they are fixable. Most people visualize and imagine success, but when things don't go right, they quit!

Since that time many positive things have happened as I regained my confidence and continued to take the actions necessary to execute our business plan. I had faced my fears and with the support of others I was again back on track.

I still believe where the grass is greener it will rain a lot but when the rain stops a beautiful rainbow will appear as a reward for weathering the storm.

Who do you know in your life that is working towards achieving their dream? Ask yourself what you can do to help them and offer your support. Believe me the bigger the dream the greater the need for support!!

“Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it's not. It takes patience, it takes commitment, and it comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won't. It's whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere.” – Barack Obama

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

Are Your Best Days Ahead Of You?

2009-04-30T13:32:00.000-04:00

While I was in college my parents friends would tell me that their College days were the best years of their life. I remember thinking how depressing this seemed. After 4 years that was it, it would be downhill from there. What a terrifying thought..

I’ll be honest I loved my College days, I played first grade Rugby, was on student government and had an amazing spring break trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. On top of that I had the best summer job on a Coast Guard Inshore Search & Rescue boat. If these were going to be my best years I was going to make the most of it!

After leaving college I started my first job and the reality of what my parents friends were saying sunk in. To build a career I had to dedicate all of my time towards that pursuit. Many things changed as I started spending less time with people who were not in my line of business. Then one day I realized how unhappy I had become. My life had become one dimensional, no longer was I surrounded by new and exciting people. I had allowed myself to become boring!! My best days were behind me!

I thought about why college was so good and what I could do to recreate that feeling again. I even debated going back to school and while interviewing at Western Business School they gave me an insight that changed my life! They said your 24 years old and you’ve never traveled overseas you don’t have enough life experience!

Over the course of a two-day drive from London, Ontario back to my hometown of Saint John, New Brunswick I thought about life experience. I pulled into a gas station and right in front of me was a Tony Robbins Cassette tape. I bought the tape and listened to Tony talk about living an extraordinary life! I started making a List of what I wanted to achieve in my life. As I did this I began to realize that my best years were indeed in front of me, all I had to do was take action on my goals.

When I got back home I started taking actions that would change the course of my life. I decided to leave my job and 4 months later I was on a plane to South East Asia & Australia. That trip changed the course of my life as I made a decision that I would take actions for my best days to be ahead of me!

So are your best days ahead of you? What do you have an intense burning desire to do with your life? It may not be as drastic as taking an overseas trip but is there something you’ve always wanted to do? Maybe learn a new language, coach at your local high school or start your own business?

“All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

Latest 5 My Life List™ Member Experience Stories:
➢ Run Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon
➢ Read the Book Non-Violent Communication
➢ Products to Reduce Plastic Bottle Waste
➢ Play Great April 12th Concert
➢ Running a Marathon

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

What's on your Earth Day list?

2009-04-21T14:04:00.000-04:00

Start a recycling program. Organize a carpool. Buy products that minimize packaging. Organize a community cleanup. Ride a bicycle to work. Cancel your name from junk mail lists. Plant a tree. Stop using plastic bottles. Help save the environment!

Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd, and though many of us are actively attempting to help the environment little by little every day, now's a great time to create a Life List goal to help the environment. I wanted to provide the impetus for some fresh, green thinking to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment.

As part of our commitment to the environment, My Life List™ has partnered with EcoUsable™ to create awareness on the impact that using plastic water bottles has on our environment. Every day 60 million plastic water bottles go into landfills! To learn more check out the EcoUsable™ story.

In the spirit of Earth Day, we will be giving away an EcoUsable™ stainless steel filtered water bottle to 3 members with the most viewed Earth Day Event Stories shared on www.mylifelist.org. I challenge you to create an Earth Day goal or join our cause by enrolling your friends to stop using plastic water bottles.

I look forward to hearing some of your innovative ideas and stories from Earth Day! Why not visit the EcoUsable™ Profile (Which highlights their 3 goals to help save the planet.) Better still why not purchase an Ecousable water bottle and stop using plastic water bottles!!

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

2009-04-10T14:43:00.000-04:00

I was struggling to think of what to write today, so I decided to take a walk along the beach! There were boats leaving the Marina, rowing teams practicing, plenty of dogs to play with, and everyone I came across was very friendly as they went about their morning routines. When I got back from my walk I felt energized and was in a great mood to start the day.

I started thinking about the impact that our activities and people can have on our moods. Today I’m in a great mood because I effectively filled my mood glass by doing an activity that energizes me. The other side of this is doing an activity or spending time with a negative person that can drain your mood glass.

We all have things and people in our life that will impact our moods. If these things or people drain your mood you will probably feel empty at the end of the day. If you do things you love or spend time with positive people you’ll probably feel full and energized at the end of the day! Now think about the impact your mood has on the people around you! If your mood glass is full you probably bring great energy to those around you. But if you feel drained you probably don’t have a lot to give back and you may even end up draining their mood!

So is your glass half full or half empty? This weekend consider all the activities you do and the people you spend time with. Do they fill your mood glass or empty it?

“If you keep your glass full, you never have to worry whether your glass is half full or half empty!” 

Check out the Latest My Life List™ User Experiences
➢ Guest Speaker The Adventurers Club of LA
➢ Slept under the stars in Monument Valley
➢ I learned to love my mom unconditionally
➢ My own business
➢ Designed Exercise Equipment for Amputees

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

What's Your Passion?

2009-04-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I was working with one of the top speaking coaches in Australia. I was getting ready to give a presentation to a group of my company’s retail investors. Before I gave my prepared presentation he asked me to talk about my passion. I proceeded to enthusiastically tell him about sailing in the Sydney to Hobart Ocean Race. He then asked me to give my Investor presentation, which I gave somewhat less enthusiastically.

In the end he said the investor presentation was good but when I talked about sailing I gave a great presentation. He went on to say it’s not a matter of presentation skills but the difference between a topic one truly embraces and one where the presenter demonstrates expertise with no real passion. I thought about what he said and decided I should focus my energies on giving great presentations by talking about things I’m passionate about!

Now let me ask you this. If you were asked to speak to an audience what would you talk about? What topic would you feel so at ease with that you’d lose track of time as you spoke. When you can answer this question you have found your passion!

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About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org), an award winning goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

Who Inspires You?

2009-03-25T12:51:00.000-04:00

This should be an easy question to answer! Go ahead try it, in one minute write down the names of 5 people who inspire you?

How’d you do? When I first did this I found it quite difficult to immediately think of 5 people who inspire me! So I asked others the same question and they came up with a few more names, but most people struggled to think of 5 names! I was actually quite surprised by this. Perhaps I didn’t understand the meaning of the word “Inspire”, so I looked it up.

1. to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural inspiration
2. to exert an animating, enlivening, or exalting influence on
3. to spur on: impel, motivate.
(Source: Websters)

Interesting, now ask yourself, “Who in your life influences, guides, or motivates you?”

I bet you came up with a few different names and I’d imagine you’re starting to think of people in your immediate circle of friends and family. Now lets break it down even further and look at who inspires you across six areas that impact your life:

Travel & Leisure: Who do you know that inspires you by the opportunities they create for themselves to travel? Who would you most enjoy being on a trip with?

Relationships: Who do you know that has a relationship with their spouse, children or parents that inspires you?

Personal Development & Community: Who do you know that inspires you by the community projects they participate in or the impact they have on others?

Career & Finance: Who do you know that has a career they love or who has managed their financial affairs in a responsible manner?

Lifestyle & Culture: Who do you know that has overcome a negative addiction or has a hobby or pursuit that inspires you to want to explore their passion with them?

Sports & Adventure: Who do you know that embraces life as an adventure or is passionate about a sport they participate or support?

Hopefully you have a few more people on your list! Now think about the people on your list, have you ever told any of them that they inspire you? Probably not, but I’m guessing you’ve mentioned that you appreciate how they: spend time with their kids, enjoy their job or take care of their garden. (Fill in your own comment).

The point of the above exercise is help you realize that most of us have people around us that inspire us everyday. A person who inspires is not limited to world leaders or celebrities but is someone who has mastered an area of their life in a way that positively influences and motivates others. So why not send this note to someone who inspires you and let them know you appreciate them!

Creating Your Life List

2009-03-09T16:32:00.000-04:00

I’ve been researching Life Lists and goal achievement for nearly four years and I’m convinced having a Life List is one of the most empowering things a person can do to get focused on what they want from their life. Life lists have been around for years in one form or another. People all over the world have lists of things to do, lists of things they dream of doing. A Life List acts as a roadmap for people to achieve their dreams.

I’ve met many people who have amazing dreams but fail to write them down and they never seem to make them happen. Studies show that when you write your dreams down, and engage others to support you, they become achievable goals. This is why we created www.mylifelist.org, which provides a structure, and uses the power of the latest social networking tools, to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

One life list story that I find personally satisfying is from an ex-colleague who had just finished studying. She created her life list and realized she had the ability to accomplish all the things on her list within the year. She’s now climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, started a new career and has run in the New York City Marathon. As she celebrates one experience she meets new people who expose her to new experiences, which she adds to her list and the cycle continues.

Create. Act. Celebrate.™ is the name we give to our methodology that supports and encourages people to be aware of the sequence of events that can be created by simply accomplishing a life list goal. Everyone has some idea about what it is that they would rather be doing, however sometimes they lose focus or get sidetracked by what I’ve heard referred to as the ‘Weapons of Mass Distraction’. These weapons are designed to hold us back and are the manifestations of our fear.

When people ask me what is the best thing they can do to create an inspired Life List, I recommend they share a story of a significant and successful experience they have had in their life that they are proud of. The process of reflection and celebration will create a story of success from their own life that they can use as a reminder of their having achieved a significant goal.

Another strategy I recommend is to seek out people who inspire you and find out about their significant life experiences. Hopefully after this you will see that a life list is not a laundry list of 101 things you would like to do, but a list of significant experiences you intend on having in your life. Experiences that you will someday look back on as changing or confirming the direction of your life!

How To Get Started:

1. CREATE: - What’s on your Life List?

Travel & Leisure: Where in the world have you always dreamed of going but haven't been able to get to yet?

Relationships: What experiences do you want to have with the people who are important in your life? You may want to fall in love, get married, become a parent or organize a family reunion, re-connect with a long lost relative, get in touch with a former partner… the possibilities are endless.

Personal Development & Community: Do you want to take a class at a local community college? Lead a more balanced life by learning to meditate? Volunteer with a local group? Get involved in politics? Become a Big Brother?

Career & Finance: This doesn't only apply to your career goals, but also to things such as home ownership, retirement planning and investing.

Lifestyle & Culture: Do you want to lose weight or stop smoking? Learn to paint in Italy? Go to the ballet? The possibilities are endless and may include expressing yourself through learning a new language.

Sports & Adventure: Parachuting, bungy jumping, hiking… the list goes on! What sports or adventure experience have you always dreamed about having?

2. ACT: - Build a plan to achieve your goal.
The second step is to select 3 goals you want to take action on immediately and add these to the Top of Your List. The 3 goals you put on the Top of Your List should be the priority goals you want to focus on and build a plan to achieve. You may even want to share one or all of these goals with your friends who can give you advice and ultimately make you accountable to your plan.

3. CELEBRATE: - Share your story to inspire others
The last step is to celebrate your achievements by telling the stories to highlight the significance of your accomplishments and to inspire others. The direct impact of celebrating your success will help you get focused on what your next Top of List Goal will be!

As a final point, I think its important to see a Life List not as a static list to be ticked off within a certain time but a dynamic list that reflects the ongoing changes in your life. While I was young and single I had education sports and career goals at the top of my list. As I got older I added more travel and adventure activities to my list. Recently I have been adding more family and lifestyle activities to my list. The game of life keeps changing as you add new players (Partners, Children) and with each new player you discover new experiences you want to have in order to maintain balance.

My Life List™ releases new site features

2009-03-06T20:06:00.000-05:00

March 6th, 2009

Press Release

Los Angeles, California - My Life List LLC, a Venice, California based social networking company focused on helping people to achieve their goals, today announced the release of new site features.

www.mylifelist.org is an exciting new destination on the web designed to inspire users to CREATE a Life List of things they've always wanted to do, ACT on these goals by making a plan and CELEBRATE their accomplishments by sharing stories and photos to inspire others.

My Life List™ CEO, Bill Starr, said, “We are very excited to be releasing new features that will further enhance the site experience for our members. We talked with a number of our users and gained valuable insight on how to improve the site and I'm very pleased to announce that many of these are now live.”

One of the newest features on the site is an ability to follow the updates of other members as they work towards accomplishing their goals. A member can now visit the public profile of a member that has a top of list goal or story that inspires them and follow their updates or comments by adding them to their network.

The site has also expanded the Public Profile to include a short Bio and website link for members who want to share more information about themselves. A member can now add a link to their blog or website for others to view in their public profile.

Mr Starr added, “The ability to follow other members is an important feature, as it allows members to actively engage with friends to provide advice and resources that will help them achieve their goals.”

For further information, please contact:

Bill Starr, CEO
My Life List™
Tel: 310-717-6953
bill@mylifelist.org
My Life List Profile
Twitter: @mylifelist

About My Life List™
My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org) is an award winning* goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List LLC.

*My Life List was awarded a 2008 Davey Silver Medal for website design and functionality.

My Life List Experience Highlight: Leaving Law to Pursue Design

2009-01-14T14:36:00.000-05:00

The start of a new year is an excellent time to reflect on what you truly desire in order to enrich your life. In this special time of new beginnings, I’d like to challenge you to explore your inner desires and follow your heart to create an inspired vision for your life.

In that spirit, I'd like to introduce you to one of our members whose story is highlighted today because of the strength she found to follow her heart's desire. In the pursuit of finding her true purpose, the rewards of the journey became even more meaningful than the actual outcome.

Leaving Law to Pursue Design

Some of you may be facing major challenges, like a career change or perhaps you’re looking to enrich your life by supporting an important cause. My Life List is a community of individuals who commit to enriching their lives and the lives of others. I invite you to visit www.mylifelist.org and use the power of social networking to support you as you achieve your goals!

"So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable."
- Christopher Reeve

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.org. CREATE your life list, ACT on your goals and CELEBRATE a story of a significant experience to inspire others!

Latest 5 Experiences

Japan Winter Wildlife Feb 2008

Fund Raising for the Royal Far West

Quit Smoking

Take my Father sailing

Someone special to share my life with

CREATE. ACT. CELEBRATE.™

Bill Starr
CEO, My Life List™
bill@mylifelist.org
My Public Profile
Twitter@mylifelist

My Life List™ Launches www.mylifelist.org Goal Achievement Website

2009-01-02T13:17:00.000-05:00

January 2, 2009

Los Angeles, California - My Life List LLC, a Venice, California based social networking company focused on helping people to achieve their goals, today announced the launch of www.mylifelist.org.

www.mylifelist.org is an exciting new destination on the web designed to inspire users to CREATE a Life List of things they've always wanted to do, ACT on these goals by making a plan and CELEBRATE their accomplishments by sharing stories and photos to inspire others.

My Life List™ CEO, Bill Starr, said, “Life Lists have been around for years in one form or another. They act as roadmaps for people to achieve their dreams. We've found that many people have dreams but fail to write them down. Studies show that when you write your dreams down, and engage others to support you, they become achievable goals. This is why we created www.mylifelist.org, which provides a structure, and uses the power of the latest social networking tools, to help people achieve their goals.”

The site offers inspiration through the My Life List 90 and provides the methodology necessary for users to accomplish their goals. To encourage balance the site is organized into 6 categories; Travel & Leisure, Relationships, Personal Development & Community, Career & Finance, Lifestyle & Culture and Sports & Adventure.

The website experience is best summed up by a user from New York City who wrote, ‘I've never been one to keep a journal or see what is remotely interesting in Facebook... but found your site a genuinely enjoyable experience to reflect back, escape the here and now, and set your mind thinking again’.

Mr Starr added, “A key benefit of the site is that it enables users to learn how others achieve their goals. We're providing a platform for people to inspire others and to share valuable resources to achieve what they desire. It's incredible to read about peoples journeys.”

The site generates revenue through strategic partnerships and via targeted one-on-one advertising relevant to the users needs. An example of this is linking users to the best resources that match their Life List interests.

“www.mylifelist.org is an inspirational feel-good site designed to spur people into action and impact their lives in a positive way,” Mr Starr added.

For further information, please contact:

Bill Starr, CEO
My Life List™
Tel: 310-717-6953
bill@mylifelist.org
My Life List Profile
Twitter: @mylifelist

About My Life List™
My Life List™ (www.mylifelist.org) is an award winning* goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals and inspire others.

About Bill Starr
Bill Starr is an avid 'life lister' and a founding partner and CEO of My Life List LLC. Bill is a Chartered Accountant with 15 years of corporate experience with PwC and most recently with an Australian Investment Bank. Bill is originally from New Brunswick, Canada.

*My Life List was awarded a 2008 Davey Silver Medal for website design and functionality.

What's on your Life List for 2009?

2009-01-01T20:41:00.000-05:00

Are you ready to start 2009 with a renewed sense of purpose and direction for your life?

The start of a new year represents a new beginning and it's an ideal opportunity for us to make a fresh start toward achieving our goals. Now that the roller coaster that was 2008 has finally stopped (or at least slowed down), now is the time to reflect on where you see your life going in the upcoming year.

With this in mind, I'm very excited to give you a sneak peek of our award-winning* goal achievement website that uses a proven methodology, and the power of social networking, to help you achieve your goals and inspire others. The site will be officially launched on January 2nd, but as part of a select group, I wanted you to have the opportunity to visit www.mylifelist.org pre-launch to see what all the buzz is about!

You will also get a first look at the My Life List 90 , an inspirational list of 90 life experiences to add to a Life List. Your own list may be different but we hope that the MLL90 inspires you to create a Life List that represents your own values and beliefs.

"The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach."
- Benjamin Mays, Social Activist

Go to www.mylifelist.org and check out the site today! It's FREE and easy to sign up. Please feel free to forward this note to your friends and give them some healthy inspiration for 2009!

CREATE. ACT. CELEBRATE.™

Bill Starr
CEO, My Life List™
bill@mylifelist.org
My Life List Profile
Twitter: @mylifelist

*My Life List was awarded a 2008 Davey Awards
Silver Medal for website design and functionality

My Life List Highlights #2

2008-10-16T11:27:00.000-04:00

Have you ever done something that you look back on as changing or confirming the direction of your life? Some of these experiences may be obvious such as graduating from school or falling in love. While, other experiences may have seemed insignificant at the time but looking back you realize how important that moment was for you and perhaps others.

mylifelist.tv provides users an opportunity to reflect on the significant experiences they have had in their life. Today I want to share with you a story that really touched me. Many of us have aging parents and the lessons that have been learned by Micha will likely be relevant to all of us.

At the end of a great life ... http://mylifelist.tv/experiences/experience.aspx?ID=120

As I write this I'm looking forward to Canadian Thanksgiving with my family. I'm grateful for the time I spend with them and I realize now that this is significant for me. While many of us have places we want to visit and adventures we want to have on our Life List. I would suggest you add an item to your List that involves sharing a significant experience with your family.

"happiness only when shared"
- Christopher McCandless, "Into the Wild"

If you are not a member yet, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.tv and please feel free to share this note with your inspiring friends.

CREATE. ACT. CELEBRATE.™

Bill Starr
CEO, My Life List™
bill@mylifelist.tv

My Life List Experience Highlight #1

2008-10-16T10:56:00.000-04:00

A year ago we came up with the idea to create a web community to inspire people to create a Life List and take action on their goals. In September we launched www.mylifelist.tv. The site will guide you to CREATE. a Life List of things you've always wanted to do, ACT on these goals by making a plan and CELEBRATE, your accomplishments by sharing your stories and photos to inspire others.

One of our key promises is that we'll help you take action to achieve your Life List goals. As part of this commitment, we'll periodically send you a note to introduce you to an inspiring Life Lister who has celebrated achieving a Life List goal. Today I would like you to meet one of our users, who celebrated overcoming her fear of riding by taking up Motocross! http://www.mylifelist.tv/experiences/experience.aspx?ID=119

We hope you enjoy our site, it's free and easy to join by visiting www.mylifelist.tv

CREATE. ACT. CELEBRATE.

Bill Starr

CEO, My Life List

bill@mylifelist.tv