Between 10th April 2010 and 5th January 2013 I attempted the 101 things in 1001 days challenge. I did reasonably well – I managed almost half the things – but I decided I wanted another go. The second list ran from 6th January 2013 to Sunday 4th October 2015 and I managed 37 of the things.

I’m now on my third try and it seems, with only a few months to go, every time I attempt this I complete fewer of the items! Maybe it’s because there’s less on there I genuinely want to do … maybe I’ve done most of what I want to do. Or maybe I’m being too ambitious and putting on dreams I can neither afford nor practically complete. Yet. maybe when I write the list for the fourth time I need to think about what I really want to do…

I used to document my list on this website but for the third attempt I’ve switched to Day Zero, so the base list is below but you can keep up with my progress over there: Go to Day Zero Project

More about the 101 things in 1001 days Challenge:

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).

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 organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

My third 101 Things in 1001 Days list

Crafts and hobbies
1	Paint a plate (or mug or bowl) [Target: Feb 28, 2018]
2	Try a new craft
3	Play a recognisable tune on the guitar or ukulele
4	Take a picture for each letter of the alphabet and make a photo book
5	Take an art class
6	Get prints of my 101 favourite photos and make an album
7	Take a photo of the same place every month for a year, and then make a calendar
8	Hide a geocache
9	Find a personally inspirational quote and work it into a piece of art or home decor
Experiences
10	Go to a comedy club
11	Punt down the Thames
12	Go swimming in the sea at night
13	Go to a murder mystery event
14	Beat Steve at FIFA on the Xbox
15	Host a board games night
16	Attend an ethnic/cultural festival
17	Be in the audience for a radio show
18	Win a competition
Food and drink
19	Visit a food festival
20	Make my own ice cream
21	Open a cookbook to a random page and make whatever is on it
22	Drink 20 different kinds of gin
23	Visit the Pudding Club
24	Bake an unusually flavoured cake
25	Brew my own beer or wine
26	No fast food for a month
27	Eat food from three new-to-me cultures/countries
Learning
28	Complete a course
29	Build an iPhone or iPad app
30	Learn to identify 10 constellations
31	Research my family tree at least five generations back on both sides
32	Learn how to crochet [Target: May 31, 2017]
33	Learn another language to conversational level
34	Learn how to apply make up properly
Money
35	Save £500 in an emergency fund
36	Create a four figure monthly passive income
37	Get a new (to me) car
38	Build a new affiliate website and earn £100
39	Buy something at an auction and sell it for 10x the price
40	Put away £5 for every goal completed
41	Go a month without buying anything that isn’t a necessity
Personal development
42	Reach my goal weight [Target: Apr 01, 2018]
43	Wear a pair of size 14 jeans
44	Incorporate meditation in my life
45	Get another tattoo or piercing (or both!)
46	Dye my hair a crazy colour
47	Drink more water
48	Quit Facebook for a week
49	Don’t complain about anything for a week
50	Stick to an exercise routine for at least six months
51	Make a new friend [Target: Jul 31, 2017]
52	Say “yes” to something I would not normally do
Physical activities
53	Discover a new sport of exercise I enjoy
54	Take part in the Race for Life [Target: May 20, 2018]
55	Go white water rafting
56	Walk a coastal path in its entirety
57	Go skydiving
58	Go to an international football match
59	Go to a banger racing event
60	Go to a live wrestling event
61	Watch a roller derby match
Reading
62	Read a book from my childhood
63	Read a book based entirely on its cover
64	Read the His Dark Materials trilogy
65	Read a banned book
66	Read a book written by an author with my initials
67	Read a book that came out the year I was born
68	Read a Pulitzer Prize-winning book
69	Ask 10 friends to suggest one book, and read them all
70	Read a book that was originally written in a different language
Sound and vision
71	Watch films from ten different countries
72	Watch 10 TED talks
73	See 10 classic movies I’ve never seen
74	Listen to The Observer’s 50 Albums That Changed The World
75	Discover a new favourite band
76	Discover five new podcasts to listen to
Things for other people
77	Talk to a homeless person and have a “normal” conversation
78	Send a card or flowers to someone going through a tough time
79	Pay for someone else’s food or drink at a restaurant/cafe/pub
80	Send someone a surprise gift
81	Volunteer in a developing country
82	Donate blood
Travel
83	See the Northern Lights
84	Visit five (new to me) UK seaside resorts
85	Go to Morocco
86	Go to the Edinburgh Festival
87	Visit the Minack Theatre (England) [Target: Jun 30, 2018]
88	Visit the Lake District (United Kingdom)
89	Go to three more places from the Bollocks to Alton Towers/Far From the Sodding Crowd books
90	Go to a water park
91	Travel to a different continent
92	Go on a road trip without a pre-set destination
Writing
93	Leave an inspirational note inside a book for someone to find
94	Write five letters to people who have made a difference to my life
95	Complete Nanowrimo
96	Enter a short story contest
97	Write myself a letter to open in ten years’ time
98	Make a list of 101 things I have already achieved
99	Create a list of 20 quotes that inspire me
100	Answer the “50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind”
101	Write a new 101 in 1001 list for when this one finishes