# Lists of 100: A great tool self discovery and self improvement



## silverlined (Jul 8, 2009)

I'm basically posting this because I wanted to share this great concept which has helped me a great deal and I think other NFs may especially appreciate it.
I was wondering if anyone else has heard of it. Also if anyone's interested it would be fun and inspiring to share lists and list ideas in this thread. If you decide to make one and feel like sharing it, feel free to post it here.
I've been deeply inspired through what I've discovered and how I've transformed through these lists and just wanted to pass the ideal along. 

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Here's the link where I got this from: Tackle Any Issue With a List of 100
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## silverlined (Jul 8, 2009)

The List of 100 is a powerful technique you can use to generate ideas, clarify your thoughts, uncover hidden problems or get solutions to any specific questions you’re interested in. 
The technique is very simple in principle: state your issue or question in the top of a blank sheet of paper and come up with a list of *one hundred answers or solutions about it*. “100 Ways to Generate Income”, “100 Ways to be More Creative” or “100 Ways to Improve my Relationships” are some examples. 
_ “*One hundred entries*? Isn’t that way too many?” _
Bear with me: it’s exactly this exaggeration that makes the technique powerful. 
When starting your list you may believe that there’s no way to get it done. But then, at some point during the exercise, you will naturally have your subconscious mind naturally engaged in the process. That’s when you will uncover many new and surprising answers, and ideas will start flowing again. Making a List of 100 is a beautifully articulated cooperation between the conscious and subconscious minds tackling one single problem. 
Unlike the related Idea Quota tool — whose primary goal is to acquire the habit of coming up with ideas — the goal of a List of 100 is to take your mind by surprise. While both techniques are based on the concept of getting good ideas from lots of ideas, the ideas generated by each method are usually different in kind. With the Idea Quota you tend to have more elaborate ideas, because you have time to incubate them throughout the day (often without being aware of it). With a List of 100 you tend to get more unexpected ideas, because you catch your subconscious off guard, not giving it any time for its behind-the-scenes editing.


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## silverlined (Jul 8, 2009)

* Ground Rules*

There are only two simple principles to keep in mind when making Lists of 100:
* 1. Do it at one sitting*

This is the *one crucial element for the technique to work*. If you end up doing your hundred entries, though over many sessions, you’ll defeat the point of the technique. Before starting your list, make yourself comfortable and try to block all potential interruptions. 
* 2. Eliminate distractions*

Just like most brainstorming techniques, you should strive to* eliminate all activities unrelated to idea generation* during the brainstorming session. Just focus on getting the ideas out of your head as quickly as possible following these rules:


Don’t judge or evaluate ideas; you’ll review them later.
Don’t write complete words or sentences if that slows you down.
Don’t stop to wonder how far in the list you are; number the lines from 1 to 100 in advance or use numbered lists if you’re using a word processor.
Don’t worry too much about repeating entries; duplicates can shed light on your patterns of thought.

*The Dynamics of Making Lists of 100*

To understand why creating a List of 100 works, consider what happens during the process of making one. There are three distinct phases you will usually go through when making your list:
* 1. First 30 entries or so: where you escape circular thinking*

The first items are the easiest to come up with. In this first phase, your conscious mind is still in charge and you’ll most probably just dump ideas you’re already familiar with. 
* 2. Next 40 entries: where patterns emerge*

In this phase you’ll start noticing recurring themes and patterns of thought. Phase two is usually the hardest one, as you may find it difficult to let go of the ideas you had in the first phase in order to come up with new, distinct ones.
Bear in mind that it’s exactly this struggle that enables you to get to the third and most fruitful phase, hence the importance of not giving up at this point. 
* 3. Last 30 entries: where the gems are*

At this point you will already have exhausted most “logical” answers, allowing your subconscious mind to express itself more freely. Don’t be surprised if you get at least one or two really nonsensical or seemingly illogical entries. You may feel tempted to not write them down (“_How_ on earth did I think _that_?”). Write them down anyway: these wacky entries may sound far from profound, but it’s exactly those items you’re after. 
Also, after coming up with so many entries, it’s not rare to experience a shift in perspective: items that you first felt as being awkward will seem to better fit now than when you started the list. Moreover, your whole attitude towards the problem can change as you develop your entries: you may even come to the conclusion that you should be dealing with a different list topic altogether.


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## silverlined (Jul 8, 2009)

* Applications of Lists of 100*

Although I have known a variation of the List of 100 technique for several years (thanks to Michael Gelb’s How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci), it was only recently that I realized the technique’s full potential by reading Kathleen Adams’s Journal to the Self: 22 Paths to Personal Growth. This is an excellent book that has many great journaling techniques — and the List of 100 has its own chapter. 

 The List of 100 technique can be used for a lot more than solving specific problems; it is a general-purpose personal development tool that can help increase your self-knowledge, motivate yourself, and much more. To illustrate its myriad of uses, find below a *List of 100 Lists of 100*. The list was mostly taken from Journal to the Self, and slightly adapted with some of my own ideas.
* 100 Things to Write a List of 100 About*



100 Things I’m Grateful For
100 Ways I Could Nurture Myself
100 Ways I Sabotage Myself
100 Things I’m Good At
100 Things I Like About Myself
100 Questions I Want Answers
100 Ways To Improve My Life
100 Things I’ve Accomplished In My Life
100 Things I’m Feeling Stressed About
100 Things I’d Do If I Had Time
100 Things I Need Or Want To Do
100 Things I Want To Accomplish In The Next X Months
100 Things To Do Before I Die
100 Things That Are Going Right
100 Things That Are Going Wrong
100 Reasons I Want To Stay Married/Committed
100 Reasons I Don’t Want To Stay Married/Committed
100 Things I Want In A Partner/Relationship
100 Things I Have To Offer To A Partner/Relationship
100 Fears I Am Having Right Now
100 Things That Once Scared Me But Don’t Anymore
100 Reasons To Save Money
100 Things I Miss
100 Sacrifices I Have Made
100 Marketing Ideas For My Business
100 Ways I Can Make Money
100 Ways To Make A Difference
100 Jobs/Careers I’d Like To Have
100 Fears About Being A Multimillionaire
100 Things I Believe In
100 Achievements (Qualities) I Am Proud Of
100 Things I Value In Life
100 Ways I Help Others
100 Things That Turn Me On
100 Things That Turn Me Off
100 Judgments I Make
100 Things I Find Hard To Share
100 Things I’m Disappointed About
100 Things I’m Angry About
100 Things I’m Sad About
100 Things [Peoples, Places] I Love
100 Things To Do When I’m Depressed
100 Things To Do When I’m Alone
100 Rules I Have Broken
100 Skills I Have
100 Feelings I Am Having Right Now
100 Childhood Memories
100 Things My Parents Used To Say To Me
100 Ways In Which I’m Generous
100 Ways To Be More Productive
100 Things I Hate
100 Things I Want
100 Places I’d Like To Visit
100 Things I’d Like Someone To Tell Me
100 Things I’d Like To Hear
100 Things I’d Like To Tell My Child
100 Things I Want My Child To Know About Me
100 Reasons To Have A Baby
100 Reasons Not To Have A Baby
100 Adjectives Describing Myself
100 Decisions Other Have Made For Me
100 Decisions I Made That Turned Out Well
100 Things I’d Do If I Had Six Months To Live
100 Expectations Other Have Of Me
100 Expectations I Have Of Myself
100 Judgments I Haven’t Released
100 Ways To Be More Creative
100 Things I Could Carry In My Pocket
100 Things I’d Save If My House Were On Fire
100 Things I Want To Tell My Mother [Father]
100 Things I’d Never Tell My Mother [Father]
100 Financial Fears
100 Excuses I Make For Myself
100 Things I Need/Want To Control
100 Fears I Have About Giving Up Control
100 Answered Prayers
100 People I’d Like To Meet
100 Reasons Why I Get Jealous
100 People I Admire
100 Tasks I’ve Been Procrastinating
100 Memories From My Past
100 Things That Nourish Me
100 Things I Haven’t Finished
100 Things I’m Glad I’ve Done
100 Things I’ll Never Do Again
100 Ways To Generate Income
100 Principles To Live By
100 People I Want To Forgive
100 People I Want To Forgive Me
100 Things To Forgive Myself For
100 Mistakes I Have Made
100 Lessons I Have Learned
100 Ways To Be Healthier
100 Things That Make Me Cry
100 Things That Make Me Laugh
100 Things I’d Delegate
100 Thing I Want For My Birthday
100 Possessions I’m Tired Of Owning
100 Responsibilities That I’d Like To Avoid
100 Things To Write A List Of 100 About


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## Miraji (Mar 12, 2010)

wow, thanks a lot for sharing this ...i am an INFP and would love to do this in order to help me in remembering that my life is not that bad, and that i have been able to go through many difficult things as well accomplished a lot


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## silverlined (Jul 8, 2009)

Miraji said:


> wow, thanks a lot for sharing this ...i am an INFP and would love to do this in order to help me in remembering that my life is not that bad, and that i have been able to go through many difficult things as well accomplished a lot


You're very welcome. Some of these lists have really helped me remember that there are many joyful things in my life and that even in dark times, it's not so bad. 

some of my favorites for that include the 100 things I'm grateful for or 100 things I value.
what really helped me were lists centered around potential, positive things and good qualities about myself.
I can get quite perfectionistic and critical about myself and sometimes I forget about my value and my high points.


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## Atenza Coltheart (Apr 19, 2010)

I am going to try this when I get the chance >O This sounds amazingly helpful


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## Third Engine (Dec 28, 2009)

Holy crap that sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!:happy:


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## Catfish (Apr 19, 2010)

Wow! This is a great idea. I've always enjoyed making lists. (yeah, I'm a dork, I know)
I just started a 100 Things I Want in a (Romantic) Relationship list. I'm currently on number 23. :happy:


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