The phrase ‘bucket list’ has become a part of modern vernacular, and the concept is easy to relate to—it’s a list of all the things we want to achieve before we kick the bucket (i. e. die).
But how did this phrase come to be associated with these goals, and what does it even mean? With this article, we will explore why it’s called a bucket list, where it originated, and what exactly it should be used for.
So if you’ve ever wanted to know more about the phrase ‘bucket list’, read on!
Why is it Called a Bucket List?
Bucket list. Most of us have one, whether we write it down, keep it hanging in our head or find some other way to keep track of all of our life goals.But when we talk about bucket lists, where did the phrase come from?The phrase “bucket list” was first coined by author Justin Zackham in his screenplay for “The Bucket List,” a movie starring two Hollywood greats, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.
In the movie, the two elderly men who are both terminally ill, embark on a global trip together, fulfilling their individual “bucket lists” filled with an assortment of activities each wanted to do before they “kicked the bucket. “Since its initial release in 2007, the phrase “bucket list” has become a cultural phenomenon referring to the list of goals and experiences one wants to achieve in life.
But despite now being so commonly used, many of us still don’t know why it’s called a “bucket list. “
Why “Bucket List?”
Bucket lists, according to Urban Dictionary, can be defined as a “list of all the goals you want to achieve, dreams you want to fulfill and life experiences you desire to experience before reaching an age where it’s too late.“The phrase bucket list is an English idiom which is derived from the term “kicked the bucket”. This phrase itself is derived from a longer “list of things to do before you kick the bucket.
” So basically, the term “bucket list” can be understood to mean “list of goals and experiences before you die. ”
Turning a Negative into a Positive
The phrase “kick the bucket” refers to a person’s death and the end of life. However, the term “bucket list” actively chooses to use the phrase in a positive connotation and instead celebrate life as opposed to focusing on death.As people started to make bucket lists of their own, the phrase took an uplifting use and turned an expression of death into an expression of life aspirations. Simply put, a bucket list represents a person’s hopes and dreams, goals in life and all the moments that they want to make the most of before they leave the world.