Complete 101 Things in 1001 Days

By Trisha Bartle Friday May 1, 2009

Last week I talked about working on a bunch of goals versus focusing on just one at a time. You may recall me mentioning I have over 60 goals myself…and counting.

Well, there’s currently a huge craze on ye old internet, first started by Day Zero. It’s called the 101 Things in 1001 Days project.

Everyone’s doing it. Why not you?

Here’s the purpose of the project, straight from the horse’s mouth:

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

What preset tasks? This could be anything. It could be your life goals. It could just be a list of 101 books you want to read.

Here’s some things you could put in your list:

101 things you’d like to do with your life, separated into different areas, like ‘relationships’, ‘fun’, and ‘career’.
101 steps to achieve a larger overall goal. Each step would be related. As you move through the list, you’d get closer to that big goal (owning your own home, becoming a successful novelist, winning a marathon.)
101 travel spots you want to visit, locally and abroad.

Keep in mind: the goal is to complete your list of 101 things in 1001 days. That around 2.75 years.

Examples of 101 Things Lists

Lots of people are doing the 101 Things in 1001 Days project. Here are some real lists so you can get inspiration for your own:

There are so many more people who have done this challenge, and you can check out the official list at Day Zero.

Tips for creating your 101 Things list

Ready to start your list? Here’s some tips to help you become more productive with these goals:

Choose real, concrete goals. “Fly a kite in Central Park” is better than “Have fun this summer.:
Vary your list between easy to achieve goals and items that take a bit more effort. “Dye my hair blonde” versus “Learn basic German language skills”.
Use multiple steps for a single list item. For instance, “Be vegetarian for 30 days (0/30)” where the step won’t be complete until you reach day 30. Throw several of these on your list.
Don’t be afraid to go with one or multiple themes. This list doesn’t have to be random.
Always remember the time frame. You probably can’t ‘Cure Cancer’ in 1001 days. (Although it’s worth a try, right?)

And once you’re done making your list:

Record each thing that you achieve. Make sure you put the date it was completed. Even better, take a picture to prove you got it done! Create a scrapbook or start a dedicated Flickr photo album devoted to your 101 things.
Publish your list online and be held accountable. Post it on your blog, MySpace or Facebook pages. Start a Twitter account just for your 101 things so you can update friends on your progress. If you start a webpage for your list, post it on Day Zero.
Print out your list on some nice, thick paper and post it where you’re going to see it every day. Or, use some techniques to help visualize your goals.