The premise of 101 Things in 1001 Days is simple: come up with a list of stuff you really want to do, and then do them!
If you’re anything like me, there’s a bunch of stuff fermenting at the back of your mind that you’d love to do ‘someday’, or when there’s a bit more cash, or when you’re a little less tired. Too often those things get pushed to the side repeatedly, but we never stop wishing for the chance to do them. Seems kind of dumb to never start that passion project or read that book when we somehow always find the time to brush our teeth.
This is my 4th 101 list, and my favourite one yet. It’s got a few meaty challenges (mostly broken down into more achievable sub-goals) and a bunch of nonsense tasks to keep things fun as well.
If you like the sound of this, here are my tips for creating a bulletproof 101 Things in 1001 Days challenge of your own.
START: 1 January 2024
END: 28 September 2026
| 77 | Not started |
| 19 | In Progress |
| 5 | Complete |
THE LIST
| HEALTH & FITNESS | |
| 001 | Track my health and fitness goals for 12 months |
| In 2024 I am keeping a paper habit tracker that sets out all of my monthly goals, including a bunch of health-related targets | |
| 002 | Complete Couch to 5K |
| 003 | Run 3km |
| 004 | Run 4km |
| 005 | Run 5km |
| 006 | Run 6km |
| 007 | Run 7km |
| 008 | Run 8km |
| 009 | Run 9km |
| 010 | Run 10km |
| 011 | Complete a fun run |
| 012 | Complete 30 day yoga challenge |
| 013 | Complete 30 day push-up challenge |
| 014 | Complete 30 day squats challenge |
| 015 | Complete a 30 day core challenge |
| 016 | Complete 30 day arm challenge |
| 017 | Complete 30 day TRX challenge |
| 018 | Complete a 30 day challenge with my home bench |
| 019 | Rejoin the gym |
| 020 | Distance challenge: Hume Highway (Melbourne to Sydney – 840km) |
| Starting January 2024 | |
| 021 | Learn to meditate |
| 022 | Have a skin check |
| 023 | Weight loss goal #1 |
| 024 | Weight loss goal #2 |
| 025 | Weight loss goal #3 |
| CREATIVITY | |
| 026 | Draw or paint 10 buildings |
| 027 | Draw or paint 10 streetscapes |
| 028 | Draw or paint 10 still life |
| 029 | Draw or paint 10 figures |
| 030 | Draw or paint 10 faces |
| 031 | Draw or paint 10 animals |
| 032 | Draw or paint 10 plants and trees |
| 033 | Draw or paint 10 hands and feet |
| 034 | Draw every day for 30 days |
| 035 | Finish my travel patch blanket |
| 036 | Record 25 piano covers |
| 037 | Record 25 guitar covers |
| 038 | Write a song |
| 039 | Record a song with somebody else |
| 040 | Record a multitrack song on my recording desk |
| 041 | Record 10 time lapse videos |
| 042 | Complete an alphabet photo challenge |
| 043 | Take 101 photos with black & white film |
| 044 | Record a tiny video every day for a year |
| Starting January 1 2024, with some help from 1 Second Everyday | |
| 045 | Sculpt something useful or beautiful |
| 046 | Make a collage from found objects |
| 047 | Make a very fancy cake |
| Pistachio and Lemon Curd Layer Cake from the magnificent Beatrix Bakes by Natalie Paull | |
| 048 | Learn how to make 10 origami objects |
| 049 | Design a printed book / photo album |
| 050 | Build and maintain a website to document my 101 Things progress |
| This is she! Lots of work to be done, but it’s a start. | |
| SELF-DEVELOPMENT | |
| 51 | Complete a basic course in home audio engineering |
| I’ve signed up for this course to help me learn more about my equipment | |
| 52 | Take a short course in a personal interest |
| I am currently enrolled in a course about The Science of Wellbeing so that I can say I graduated from Yale (go bulldogs) | |
| 53 | Complete an online guitar course |
| 54 | Complete a career-related accreditation or qualification |
| 55 | Cook a recipe from 25 different cookbooks from my bookshelf |
| 01 Beatrix Bakes by Natalie Paull (Pistachio and Lemon Curd Layer Cake) | | |
| 56 | Learn how to make 10 meals at home that I normally order |
| 57 | Maintain Duolingo streak (follow me @elzxbth) |
| By the time this challenge ends my streak will be 1729 days and I’ll be able to insult you thoroughly in French | |
| 58 | Watch 10 French films |
| 59 | Read 10 childrens books in French |
| Currently reading: 01 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgeson Burnett | | |
| 60 | Read 10 young adult fiction books in French |
| Currently reading: 01 Sexy by Joyce Carol Oates | |
| 61 | Read 10 books by Indigenous Australian authors |
| 62 | Read 10 books by refugees |
| 63 | Read 10 biographies of people I admire |
| Currently reading: 01 Nick Drake: The Life by Richard Morton Jack | |
| 64 | Read 10 books by investigative journalists |
| Currently reading: 01 Doppelganger: A Trip Into The Mirror World by Naomi Klein | |
| 65 | Read 10 Miles Franklin award winning books |
| 66 | Read 10 books that I already own, but have never read |
| 67 | Read 10 books recommended by a friend |
| 68 | Read 5 career-related books |
| Currently reading: 01 Good To Great (Jim Collins) | 02 The Modern-Day Assistant (Lucy Brazier) | | |
| 69 | Rewrite my resume |
| First thing crossed off my list! Nice. | |
| 70 | Find a fulltime job that I love |
| One of the first things I did at the beginning of this challenge was find a brand new, incredible work opportunity. I am marking this complete having completed my 6 month probation period, and I’m happy to say that I still love going to work every day. | |
| EXPERIENCES | |
| 71 | See live music in 20 different venues (3/10) |
| 01 The Forum (Gregory Alan Isakov, Jose Gonzalez, Angie McMahon) | 02 The MCG (Taylor Swift) | 03 George Lane (Sarah McLeod) | |
| 72 | Try 20 new restaurants (1/20) |
| 01 Hanoi Rose (Brunswick) | | |
| 73 | Make pasta from scratch |
| 74 | Have a Melbourne hotel staycation |
| 75 | Visit 5 new places in Australia |
| 76 | Visit 5 new places in Victoria |
| 77 | Sleep under the stars |
| 78 | Camp on the beach |
| 79 | Camp solo |
| 80 | Watch every Christopher Nolan film |
| 81 | Watch every Wes Anderson film |
| 82 | Watch a TV series I’ve never seen |
| 83 | See an outdoor movie |
| 84 | Play a game of mini golf |
| 85 | Build a snowman |
| 86 | See the Phillip Island penguins |
| 87 | Donate blood |
| 88 | Watch a sunrise from a beach |
| 89 | Watch a sunset from a beach |
| 90 | Go ice skating |
| 91 | Visit 10 different art galleries |
| 01 Australian Galleries – Collingwood (Dale Cox, Glenn Morgan, Simon Perry) | | |
| 92 | Hike in 10 different places |
| 93 | Play a game of tennis |
| 94 | Go to the Australian Open |
| 95 | Winter trip to the Peninsula Hot Springs |
| 96 | See a play |
| 97 | Take a cooking class |
| 98 | Go to the zoo |
| 99 | Surprise Mum & Dad with a visit |
| 100 | Volunteer |
| Completed a website redesign project for a fantastic NFP organisation, Story Dogs. | |
| 101 | Donate $x for every item I complete |