How much of your bucket list have you actually done?
Most people think about their bucket list but rarely count how far through it they are. Tick what you have done and see how you compare to the rest of the population.
How many bucket list items does the average person complete?
Research from the Bucket List Institute and YouGov surveys suggests that most adults complete fewer than 10 of their intended life experiences. The gap between intention and execution is large: 72% of adults report having a bucket list, but fewer than 25% actively work toward it. Studies on life satisfaction consistently show that novel experiences have a stronger impact on wellbeing than material acquisitions.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, research by Kumar et al. (2014) found that experiential purchases produce more lasting wellbeing than material ones. Novel experiences also create stronger memories. However, the relationship is complex: expecting an experience to be transformative can reduce enjoyment. Approach experiences with curiosity rather than outcome-focus.
Cross-cultural surveys consistently show: see the Northern Lights, visit a new continent, learn a new language, run a marathon, and learn an instrument as the most common entries. Travel-based items dominate. Items that require skill development (instrument, language) have the lowest completion rates relative to intention.
Approximately 6% of US adults have skydived at least once, according to the US Parachute Association. The USPA reports approximately 3.5 million jumps per year across about 200 licensed drop zones. Despite appearing frequently on bucket lists, the cost barrier (a tandem jump typically costs $200 to $350) and fear barrier keep the actual completion rate low.
Research in positive psychology suggests that anticipatory experiences, meaning planning future activities, contribute to wellbeing. A 2010 study in Applied Research in Quality of Life (Nawijn et al.) found that anticipation of a holiday contributes more to happiness than the holiday itself. A bucket list also serves as a life audit: the items you consistently postpone may reveal something about your fears or priorities.
Survey data suggests the average adult has completed roughly 20 to 30 items from a comprehensive 100-item list by age 40. The distribution is highly skewed: frequent travellers with high disposable income often complete 60 or more items, while many people complete fewer than 15 due to financial constraints, health limitations, or different priorities.
The rarest completed items are those requiring extreme expense, physical capability, or opportunity: visiting all 7 continents (under 1% of Americans), publishing a book (1 to 2%), starting a business that succeeded for more than 5 years (roughly 2%), and living in a foreign country for more than a year (about 3% of Americans). Money alone is insufficient for the hardest items; they also require time, fitness, or specific circumstances.
Yes. If you complete the checklist without an account, your selections are saved in your browser's localStorage and will persist when you return. For permanent cross-device storage, create a free Find The Norm account, which syncs your bucket list across all devices and lets you update it over time.
The FTN bucket list is a curated set of 100 items designed to span a wide range of life experiences. It is not personalised to individual interests. The value of a standardised list is comparability: because everyone takes the same quiz, your completion rate is meaningful relative to others. Future versions may add optional personalised items, but the core 100 items will remain consistent.
- YouGov. Life Experiences and Aspirations Survey, 2023.
- Kumar A, Killingsworth MA, Gilovich T. Waiting for Merlot: Anticipatory Consumption of Experiential and Material Purchases. Psychological Science. 2014.