Bucket List VS Goals: All Major Differences To Tell Them Apart!
When we talk about topics like goals and a bucket list, we know we are talking about serious matters since both involve your future.
Now, we have a lot of people wanting to create a bucket list and also set goals, but, do we have to do them separately? What is the difference between a bucket list and goals?
If you are interested in knowing the answers to these questions, then just continue reading the comparison between bucket list VS goals mentioned below, in this article.
Bucket List VS Goals: Major Differences
A bucket list and goals are correlated – however, although they have a few similarities, they still serve different purposes and features.
Definition
A bucket list is a collection of your achievements, aspirations, and experiences you want to have at least once in your lifetime. It includes things you want to try before you die.
On the other hand, goals are specific. You can have different types of goals in your life, and they can be either derived from your hobbies and fun activities or your future and career.
Purpose
A bucket list, prioritises life experiences, enjoyment, and fulfilment. It does not include anything serious in most cases – just something you want to feel doing at least once in your lifetime.
Unlike a bucket list, goals mostly focus on progress, growth, and achievement of something, and the majority of the time, goals are specific for educational and career purposes.
Time Frame
A bucket list involves long-term and mostly lifetime-oriented goals and inspirations since they talk about experiences you want to do in your lifetime.
As for goals, they could be short-term, mid-term, or long-term depending on different factors, and they mostly come with deadlines.
Tone
You sound joyous, happy, and excited when you make your bucket list because it is tied with your adventure, fun, dreams, and life fulfillment.
But, since goals are linked with your personal growth, career, self-improvement, responsibility, and similar factors – you need to sound serious, motivated, and confident here.
Structure
A bucket list is not exactly structured because it is more like a wishlist where you add things you would be doing in your free time, with no set deadlines, and out of happiness.
As for goals, it automatically mostly revolves around the SMART framework – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, where everything, or at least most of it, is planned.
Examples
To give you a better idea of what you can include in a bucket list and goals, here are a few examples:
| Bucket List | Goals |
| Spend a Christmas in Switzerland | Lose 12 pounds in 4 months |
| Learn to play volleyball | Eat only healthy fats for 2 weeks |
| Attend a traditional Japanese festival | Save $2500 in 3 months |
| Travel to South Korea for skin treatment | Call the deep cleaning service center |
| Visit Japan during the cherry blossom season | Book an appointment with the dermat |
Final Words
In case you have not realised it yet – a bucket list and goals overlap, because some of the things you add in your bucket list are goals you want to achieve in your life.
In conclusion, there are a good bunch of differences between a bucket list and goals, and while a bucket list is mostly about fun, goals are more specific and mostly on the serious end.
That is all for this article, and we hope our comparison between bucket list VS goals was helpful to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a bucket list the same as goals?
No, a bucket list includes experiences you want to have and goals you want to achieve in your lifetime, while goals are specific and talk about levels you want to achieve in career, education, etc.
What is the difference between goals and a bucket list?
The main difference between goals and bucket lists is that a bucket list includes experiences, goals, and all sorts of fun things you want to achieve and feel at least once in your lifetime, while goals are specific and talk about serious achievements in your career and future.
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