Book Review – “100 Things: What’s On Your List”
Have you ever allowed yourself time to think about what’s really important to you? Something you have always dreamed of doing?
After the loss of a friend, Sebastian Terry took this time to reflect on his life and come up with a list of 100 things he truely wanted to do.
The book begins with Sebastian coming to a realisation that Death puts things into perspective, and that we only have one life, so why not live it to the fullest? This prompted him into establishing a list of 100 things he always wanted to do. The list would begin to fill with various dreams, goals with various physical, mental and emotional challenge levels. Sebastian believed that a life focused on money, driven by money and the “daily grind” wasn’t something he cared for.
Continuing on a very lengthly, detailed and incredible adventure, Sebastian starts to tick off things on his list through-out his book, beginning with “#2: Marry A Stranger” and following with even more outrageous ones like #19 Guinness World Record, $58 Skydive Naked or even #73 Get Shot.
The book has a really humourous yet serious feel, and speaks very clearly again and again that money is definitely not the key to happiness. It shows how opportunities can arise at the best and worst of times, and that going with the flow can somehow lead to these opportunities falling into place naturally.
“For a journey that started out as my way of finding happiness, I really can’t believe the positive effect it’s had on the people around the world” – Sebastian Terry.
So what was my takeaway?
It’s quite rare that I read a book in 3 days, so this book really had an impact.
The book made me stop and reflect at various stages with one question or variations of the one question in mind, “What are you doing with your life? Are you pursuing things in your life now that you can stop and say “Yep. This makes me happy”, and quite frankly in some cases of my life, the answer was no.
Now I’m not saying this book highlighted all the things I wasn’t doing, but also allowed me to reflect on the things I was doing right, what things I could actually say yes to.
This book really continued to solidify my new perspective on life, and that is if things don’t make you happy, or don’t reflect your values, don’t do them. Lack of money, a job you dislike, fear and just general daily restraints people believe stops them from achieving their dreams and aspirations, like they don’t have a choice anymore.
In this world you always have a choice, whether you think you do or you don’t. It all comes down to mindset, and you’re the only one holding yourself back from changing it.
What can you take-away from this review?
If you needed one takeaway from this book, I think you just need to ask this one question.
“Are you pursuing things in your life now that make you happy?”
Whether it be in your career or personal life if you can confidently answer no, maybe you should make a change.