How Millionaires Live Their Bucket Lists Now
Millionaires don’t have standing check off bucket lists.
They have “what’s next” lists and rotate them.
Most people have a “someday” list for their 70s, after retirement, after the kids have moved out… by the time they dust off that list and start planning… the millionaire mindset human, has done it all…x1000.
They are the people playing the game differently have already checked off dozens of their wildest dreams — and are busy planning what’s next.
I know this, because I’ve done it. It’s what I do.
Learn to tango in Argentina – check.
Raced a camel named Michael Jackson around the Great Pyramids (we won).
I’ve lived and worked in places people only talk about visiting “someday.” (including chilling in front of King Henry VIII’s famous portrait in Hampton Palace to write blog posts.)
And every single time, that shift — from “someday” to “now” — didn’t just make my life richer. It trained my brain to believe that the extraordinary is normal.
And science backs me up on this.
The Neuroscience of “Now”
Your brain is a prediction machine.
It constantly scans your life for patterns to decide what to expect next.
When you keep your dreams locked in a “someday” folder, your brain treats them like fantasy — something out of reach. But when you fold those dreams into your present reality, even in small ways, your subconscious starts wiring itself to expect those outcomes.
This shift triggers:
- Identity reinforcement: Your brain starts to identify you as the kind of person who does these things.
- Opportunity awareness: You start noticing openings and resources you used to overlook.
- Faster decision-making: Your subconscious removes resistance because “this is just what we do.”
This is why so many self-made millionaires seem “lucky.” It’s not luck. It’s wiring.
From Bucket List to “What’s Next”
I don’t think of my bucket list as a list.
It’s a rotating cycle. It’s the ‘to do list’ literally next to my shopping list in my iPhone.
Once something is done, something new goes on. And because there’s no pressure to make it perfect or “worth the wait,” there’s a lightness to it — like flipping through an exciting menu instead of staring at a glass wall you can’t break through.
When you make this mindset shift, your dreams stop feeling like something to earn or wait for. They become just… what you do.
Stories from the Field
I’ve seen this over and over again — in my life, in the lives of millionaires I’ve interviewed, and in my friends who live this way.
Take my bestie “M” – (aka, Margaret Lindquist to those who don’t have a cute nickname for her.) She’s a self-made real estate millionaire and the powerhouse behind Flip Chicks™, a mentorship program for women ready to step into property flipping (her passion project.)
“M” doesn’t keep a bucket list on a dusty Pinterest board. She folds her dreams into her weekly calendar.
- That one time she called me up, “Hey want to go to Argentina next month- I want to buy a vineyard in their wine country.” (We had a blast.)
- Most people have a favorite coffee shop- she built one as a “community project for her ‘hood.
- That Italy trip she mentioned? It was on her schedule before the week was out.
It doesn’t start like this… but every time she has done this and continues, her mind’s sense of what’s possible expands. Her brain starts normalizing bigger and bigger wins, and her results follow.
Why Most People Stay Stuck
Most people treat their dreams like a museum exhibit — something to observe but never touch.
Here’s what happens:
- They delay until they “deserve it” or “have time” and of course, until they “have more money.”
- Their brain files the dream under “not real.”
- The dream becomes scarier, harder, and further away.
And before they know it, 20 years have passed.
The dream feels too big, or they’ve convinced themselves it’s “too late.”
This isn’t a willpower problem. It’s a wiring problem. And the good news is, wiring can be changed. And it doesn’t require. a massive self esteem dose, more time off, or more money. It starts with baby steps.
The Research Behind the Shift
Neuropsychology research shows that your subconscious doesn’t know the difference between visualization and real experience.
That’s why athletes mentally rehearse before they perform- because imagining the experience lights up the same neural pathways as living it.
When you actually start doing pieces of your dream- even small ones- you’re taking that visualization a step further:
- Your body and brain experience it as real.
- Your confidence rewires automatically.
- Your subconscious starts spotting “proof” that you belong in those rooms, opportunities, and lifestyles.
This creates what I call a possibility loop:
Dream → Do (even in micro ways) → Expand → Repeat.
The Power of Micro-Moves
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to start with racing camels or buying beachfront homes.
The brain loves proof, and it doesn’t care about the size.
A few micro-moves to start shifting your wiring:
- Tour the dream house. Even if you’re not ready to buy.
- Take the class. That art workshop you’ve been eyeing? Sign up.
- Book a local adventure. You don’t need a passport stamp to start living your list.
- Upgrade your daily environment. Flowers on your desk. Luxurious sheets. One space in your home that feels like your dream life.
Every one of these tiny actions tells your brain:
“This is who we are now.”
And the ripple effect is wild.
The mind sees this as normal and helps you create more. It helps you create the time off… it helps you create more love for investing in yourself (hello self worth), and it will even help you to start making more money for ….more of this.
From “Someday” to Tuesday
One of the biggest lies we’ve been taught is that we have to wait for permission.
Permission to travel.
Permission to rest.
Permission to go after something that lights us up.
But here’s what millionaires know:
You don’t need permission. You need a decision. Everything starts with the decision.
You don’t have to blow your savings or quit your job to start this shift. You just need to start folding pieces of your dream into your present.
- Want to live by the beach? Spend Saturday there.
- Want to publish a book? Start writing in 10-minute blocks.
- Want to feel abundant? Upgrade one small thing you use daily — a coffee mug, your sheets, the pen you write with.
Your brain will catch up. And when it does, you’ll notice your actions and results shift in ways that feel almost automatic.
What I’ve Learned from Living This Way
Clearing my bucket list — over and over — has taught me:
- Dreams get bigger when you make space for them.
- The timing is never perfect — and it doesn’t need to be.
- Momentum builds faster than motivation. Once you start, the next step always shows up.
And honestly?
It makes life so much more fun.
Because you stop living for the highlight reel and start living for Tuesday afternoons.
Your First Steps to Living Your List Now
Here’s how to start shifting from “someday” to “right now”:
- Pick one dream — big or small — that excites you.
- Find one tiny way to experience it this week. (Yes, this week.)
- Anchor the experience. Take a photo. Journal the feeling. Let your brain soak in that “this is my life now” energy.
- Plan your “what’s next.” Don’t wait to check off the current dream to add another. Keep the rotation moving.
Your Life is Built in Real Time
The gap between where you are and where you want to be isn’t measured in years.
It’s measured in decisions.
One small decision today creates a new loop in your brain tomorrow.
One tiny “yes” builds proof.
And proof stacks fast.
When you start living your bucket list now — even in micro ways — you stop chasing a life you love and start inhabiting it.
And that, more than anything else, is what changes everything.
