Five questions to find your Big Five for Life.
The idea that gave this page its name.
In short
On safari, guides talk about the Big Five: five animals you hope to see before you leave. In his book "The Big Five for Life", John Strelecky turns that into a question for a whole life: which five things do you want to see, do or experience? Five questions can help you find yours, about regret, losing track of time, quiet envy, empty rooms in your days and what you would stop if time felt short.
What would you regret never doing?
Or seeing, or becoming. Regret is a compass. Read it early.
Imagining a future regret is a gentle way to see what matters now. Try this: finish the sentence "I'd be sad if I never..." three times without stopping to think.
When did you last lose track of time?
That's where your energy lives.
The moments when hours feel like minutes often point to something you love doing. Try this: write down the last two times this happened and what you were doing.
Whose life makes you a little jealous?
Which part exactly? Jealousy is often a wish in disguise.
Envy is uncomfortable, but it can be surprisingly specific. Usually it's not the whole life, just one piece of it. Try this: name the exact part and ask what small version of it could fit into your own life.
If your days were a museum, which room would be empty?
Walk through the rooms of your last year. Which one did you never enter?
Maybe it's the room for adventure, for friends or for making something with your hands. Try this: picture your year as a building and notice which door stayed closed.
What would you stop if you had five good years left?
Then ask what's keeping you from stopping now.
A shorter horizon makes priorities very clear. Try this: write down one thing you would drop, and one small step that would make room for something on your list.
Why not write your five down before you sleep?
How do you feel, out of five? Take the 2-minute check-in →
Watch on InstagramWatch on Facebook
Save the cards
Tap a card to see it bigger. Free to share: every card you download carries ifeelfive.com as the source, and we ask you to keep it there. Image use
Questions people ask
What is the Big Five for Life?
It's an idea from author John Strelecky. Borrowing from the safari term for five famous animals, it invites you to name the five things you most want to see, do or experience in your life, and to use that list to guide your choices.
Who came up with the Big Five for Life?
John Strelecky, in his book "The Big Five for Life". He also wrote "The Café on the Edge of the World". This page is only inspired by his idea and is not affiliated with him.
How do I find my own Big Five for Life?
Start with reflective questions: what you'd regret never doing, when you lose track of time, what part of someone else's life you envy, and what you'd stop if time felt short. Write the answers down and look for what keeps coming back.
Can my Big Five change over time?
Yes. Your list can grow and shift as your life changes. Coming back to it every now and then is part of the idea.