Bucket List Reduction: Finding Joy by Wanting Less

John Bradley "JJ" Jackson

21 Oct 2025 • 1 min read

Most of us have heard of the “bucket list” which is that grand inventory of things we want to do before we die. Climb Kilimanjaro. Write a novel. See the Northern Lights. It’s fun to dream big. But lately, I’ve been thinking about something that flips that idea upside down: bucket list reduction.

This isn’t my idea, but it’s one that’s gaining ground. Writers like Marc and Angel Chernoff and The Minimalists have talked about creating what they call a reverse bucket list which is defined as a simple practice of listing things you’ve already done or the blessings you already have that bring you joy. When you focus on what’s already good in your life, the craving for “more” starts to quiet down.

It’s a powerful mindset shift. Instead of racing toward the next big thing, you pause and appreciate the view from where you already stand. Gratitude replaces ambition, at least for a moment. That’s where real contentment often lives.

There’s even a formula for it. Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks describes satisfaction as:

Satisfaction = What you have ÷ What you want

You can try to increase the numerator (what you have), but a faster route is to shrink the denominator (what you want). That’s bucket list reduction in a nutshell.

Life is short. It is a one-way destination. Despite what you were told, the one with the most toys doesn’t win. The real winners are those who loved and were loved in return. The ones who found joy not in chasing more, but in wanting less. The ones that gave to others and asked for nothing in return.

I’m working on my own reverse bucket list now.