I want to shoot a lion. It's on my bucket list.

I know that it's not entirely politically correct, but I really really want to shoot a lion and then pose with it on Instagram. I get that it’s unsustainable if EVERYBODY’s going to shoot lions like there is no tomorrow, but everybody won’t be able to afford that anyway. Problem solved.

In 1909 Teddy Roosevelt went with his son on an expedition to the eastern parts of Africa. Together they shot over 500 animals. Among others they killed 17 lions, 29 zebras, 11 elephants, 8 hippos and 4 crocodiles. 

I think this was a bucket list thing, even though the concept itself came quite a bit later.

Bucket list - i.e. a list of things to do before you die - is a concept that occurs quite often, even though there are probably not that many people who actually have a list written down. But as a concept it exists to a very high degree and Instagram and other social media are platforms to show off trophies.

It's no longer about shooting lions though. Or is it? My observation is that it still is about that. Kind of. It's about adrenaline, travel destinations, owning stuff and generally things that are extremely self-oriented, but with the purpose of impressing someone else. It's a pretty weird list that way. It’s about me but at the same time not at all. It’s always based on our common agreement on what constitutes high status.

Classic bucket-list stuff:

• Visit all continents
• Swim with dolphins
• Parachute
• Run a marathon
• Dive among coral reefs

Imagine being the person who’s done all that! That would really maximize my chances of passing on my genes. We never say out loud. But isn't that what it’s all about?

There’s something about bucket lists and sharing achievements in social media (regardless of whether they were on a list or not) that makes me feel sick: The total egocentrism and the fact that so much is about unsustainable behavior.

100 years ago it was cool to shoot lions. It isn't anymore, but isn't it time we evolve that list one more step? I think a new contemporary list should have a more holistic perspective. Not just me, myself and I. It could also consist of those things that we know are really important. Those that people who are about to die often express they wish they would have done. 

"I regret never skydiving"

No one said ever.

This new list is more difficult to create. It’s not possible to google it and look at the suggestions from travel companies or experience centers that tell you that you are what you consume. It’s a more private list that may not be as easy for others to understand and not as easy to display. But it will be real.

I do have a list. But I won’t share it on Linkedin because it's too private. But it consists of two categories:

1. Who do I want to be to other people

Things that are about who I want to be to the people closest to me. Was I the one who showed up or was I the one who never had time? Was I the one listening and trying to understand or was I the one who knew best? Was I the one who gave or took energy? Was I a friend?

2. How I want to change the world

Things that are about positive impact. Doing things that don't just trigger my own reward system, but that have a greater purpose. Take a stand, speak out, volunteer, show civil courage, help a stranger, donate money and perhaps the most important thing in the time we live in: consume less.

Now this sounds very grandiose. But why not? You only live once. Make a difference. And if you feel like saving the world is a little too much for you to handle on your own - consider what you can do with your little piece of the puzzle.

I think that wanting to impress is part of our DNA. We want to appear successful. A brain hack might be to think about who we really want to impress? I'm thinking that the person I hope to impress is a child yet to be born. It's obviously tricky to know what will impress that child, but I'm pretty sure it's not how many lions I've shot. 

I'm also pretty sure there are a lot of things we try to impress each other with today that will be just as underwhelming and dated as shooting lions.

And the difference between you and me and Theodore Roosevelt is that I think we know that now already.