Last updated November 2023
What is an Impossible List?
Originally created by Joel Runyon, the Impossible List improves upon the bucket list style of goal setting to give way to a more iterative and living series of goals. I’m not sure where I first heard about this (probably a Tik Tok, let’s be honest), but I know it was this video, created by YouTuber Thomas Frank, that inspired me to include this on my website. I choose to make this digital and public so that I could keep myself accountable and give others ideas about how they want to goal set for their own lives.
How it Works
Instead of having a conglomerate of goals on a single chunk like a bucket list, the impossible list groups goals into common categories and allows for modification when goals are completed. Because these goals are meant to be built upon, you leave room to keep growing in a set skill or achievement instead of throwing it to the wayside. I just started this list, so hopefully, the changes will be more evident as I complete some items!
Life Goals
Go vegetarian for a month- Write a song that doesn’t suck and that you are proud to share
- Get a poem published… outside of this website
- Get a paper published
- Live abroad for some amount of time (universal healthcare, anyone?)
- Attend a Pride parade
- Nail the walking-while-turning thing while roller skating
- Take my dad to Macchu Picchu
- Take my mom on a cruise around Alaska
- Go ice skating on a frozen lake
- Perform at an open mic
Climbing
- L
earn to lead climb at a gym(November, 2021) - G
o outdoor climbing (with proper gear, of course!)(November 2021) Make someone new to climbing fall in love with itComplete a 5.10 – top rope route(January 2021)Complete a 5.10- (January 2021)
Complete a 5.10(October 2021)Complete a 5.10+(January 2021)Complete a 5.11-(Flashed!! in March 2022)- Complete a 5.11+
Complete a V3-V5 bouldering route(Completed two on the same day! December 2020)- Complete a V5-V7 bouldering route (Technically did this in December 2021, but used tall person beta…)
Outdoor climb in Arkansas(January 2022)- Outdoor climb in Colorado
Life in Colorado
- 14ers
- Mount Bierdstadt (July 2021)
- Visit the Sand Dunes
Get a leadership role in the craft shop(Assistant Director, Feb 2021)- Hike the Old Fall River Road in the winter
Sustainability
- D
on’t buy new clothing for 6 months - Convince one person to stop using plastic water bottles
- St
art using shampoo/conditioner bars Start seriously composting(started fall 2022)
Travel
- National Parks:
- Visited so far: Grand Canyon (November 2018), Rocky Mountain (May 2019), Arches (July 2019), Canyonlands (July 2019), Yellowstone (July 2020), Volcanoes (December 2021)
Visit Iceland- July 2023
- Visit Greece
- Visit… somewhere in Asia?
- Go on an expedition in Antarctica!
- Visit Africa
- Visit Alaska
- Visit Italy
- Visit Banff, Canada
Skills
- Become able to comprehend spoken Spanish
- Learn to juggle three balls
Tie a cherry stem in my mouth(January 2023)
Physical Skills
- Take a gymnastics class
- Take a martial arts class
- Slackline for more than a few steps
Try mountain biking(Fall 2022)- Try to surf
- Try to ski or snowboard
Run a half marathon(Lincoln Half, May 2023; Good Life Halfsy, November 2023)- Run a full marathon