The Waiting Game: Bucket Lists, Goals & Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments

There’s a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers song that’s been stuck in my head for years—“The Waiting.” It’s not necessarily his biggest hit, but man, do I love the message.

Because let’s be real—I hate waiting. I hate waiting at restaurants, I hate waiting in traffic, and if there’s one thing that makes my stomach turn, it’s a flight delay. But as much as I despise waiting, I’ve learned that some of life’s best moments—the ones that make your bucket list worth having—require patience.

Lessons from a Nine-Year-Old’s Hustle

When I was a kid, my parents took me to an open practice with the Houston Rockets at The Summit. Picture this: NBA players casually hanging out, signing autographs, chatting with fans, just being larger-than-life legends. I was about nine or ten, and my only mission that day? Quantity over quality.

I darted around, collecting as many signatures as possible, barely stopping long enough to appreciate who was signing my program. My best friend, however, had a different approach. He wisely pointed out that the longer lines probably meant the bigger stars. It turns out, he had a better grasp of supply and demand than I did at the time.

And looking back? He was right. I could’ve met Moses Malone—one of my all-time favorite basketball players—but I didn’t have the patience to wait in his line. Instead, I spent my time getting autographs from guys whose names I probably don’t even remember now.

Lesson learned: Some things in life are worth the wait.

Checking Off the Bucket List



Last night, one of my good friends met one of her role models and crossed a big item off her bucket list. Was I excited for her? Absolutely. Not because I had any personal investment in meeting Lisa Vanderpump (who, admittedly, I had never heard of until yesterday), but because I love seeing people accomplish goals that mean the world to them.

I’ve been lucky enough to check off quite a few bucket list encounters myself. Over the years, I’ve met childhood and young adult heroes like:

  • Lionel Richie
  • Hakeem Olajuwon
  • Joe Montana
  • Pete Rose
  • Clyde Drexler
  • John Maxwell
  • JJ Watt
  • Earl Campbell
  • Weird Al Yankovic (because why not?)
  • …and many more.

But for every legend I’ve met, there are others I never got the chance to—Jimmy Buffett, Eddie Van Halen, Walter Payton, Kobe, Michael Jackson, Tom Petty, Ronald Reagan… the list goes on.

Who’s Still on My List?

The dream isn’t over yet. There are still plenty of people I’d love to meet:

  • Magic Johnson & Larry Bird (Basketball royalty)
  • Michael Jordan (The GOAT)
  • Stevie Nicks & Don Henley (Musical icons)
  • Sammy Hagar & David Lee Roth (Van Halen legends)
  • William Shatner & James Spader (Because I appreciate a good monologue)
  • Phil Collins (Because In the Air Tonight is that song)

So, if you happen to have connections… help a brother out! 😉

The Takeaway

Life moves fast, and opportunities come and go. Some moments require patience, while others demand that you run toward them before they pass you by. Either way, the waiting truly is the hardest part.

So, what’s on your bucket list? Who do you dream of meeting, what do you long to achieve, and what moments are you still waiting for? Because the only thing worse than waiting… is waiting too long.

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