Day One...

This is the first day of my "101 things to do in 1001 days". It took me about 5 days to come up with the list, using my own ideas and borrowing some from fellow listers. The originator of this project is a guy named Michael Green from New Zealand, and he set-up a web site called Day Zero. Basically, here are the guidelines for the list:

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Green also has sections on tips to make your list, how to figure your end date, and other websites for inspiration. (A good one to look into is The Happiness Project blog.) Most of the ideas I came across were from lists of other participates. At Day Zero, on the left side, is "Recently Added Lists". Underneath that is a "View All" button which will bring up a very long list of people who have made public their lists. You can get some really great ideas from these lists and adapt them to your own. Some people like to categorize their lists to make it easier to find things, but I figure if I have to search for something I might come across a task that I have completely forgotten about and get the ball rolling again.

I plan on going into more detail on some of my tasks eventually (ha, I'm still a procrastinator at heart!) and I'll be posting my "lists" within my list. (e.g. #84) Also, where I have stated "start an envelope", it means I'm saving up for that particular item.

And while you're making *your* list, why don't you blog it? It's free here and you can make it private or public. It might be a great way to get some support.

Well, that's it for my very first blog post. I hope I can inspire other people to start their "101 things to do in 1001 days". I sure don't want to have all the "fun" doing this by myself. ;)

Starting date: Monday, November 17, 2008
Ending date: Monday, August 15, 2011