The Impossible List<!-- --> | <!-- -->Jefferson Ye

The Impossible List

Created on January 21, 2022
Last updated on October 24, 2025

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

– Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

I found out about the impossible list from Thomas Frank. The impossible list is not a bucket list. It is a constantly updating flow of what I strive to accomplish. The impossible list never stays static, if something is accomplished, more tasks are added. It is virtually impossible that I will accomplish everything on this list, hence why it is called the impossible list, but it serves as a constant reminder of what my true life goals really are, and that I am capable of doing far more than I believe.

Fitness/Health Goals

  • Run a 5k (Jul. 10, 2016)
  • Run a 10k (Feb. 8, 2017)
  • Run a half marathon (Dec. 1, 2019)
  • Run a marathon (Feb. 16, 2020)
    • Run a marathon in under 4 hours
  • Run an ultramarathon
  • Bike a metric century (100 km) (Sep. 7, 2025)
  • Bike a century (100 miles) (Sep. 27, 2025)
  • Complete an Olympic triathlon
  • Complete a half Ironman triathlon
  • Complete an Ironman triathlon
  • Run a sub-6 minute mile
  • Snatch 100kg
  • Clean and jerk 120kg
  • Squat 200kg
  • Do 15 pullups in a single set
  • Do a muscle up
  • L-sit for 1 minute

Skill Goals

  • Become fluent in Chinese
  • Attend a 10 day meditation retreat
  • Read 100 books (starting from January 2018)
  • Write a book
  • Create a browser extension
  • Create a web application (Nov. 19, 2020)
  • Create a mobile app ([Jun. 23, 2023])(https://corpsclash.com/)
  • Convert this website from WordPress (Feb. 11, 2020)

Fun/Insane Goals

  • Read Infinite Jest
  • Skydive
  • Climb a (big) mountain
  • Break a world record
  • Be an extra in a movie
  • Get something named after me
  • Shave my head
  • Ride in a hot air balloon
  • Witness a solar eclipse (Apr. 8, 2024)

Travel Goals

  • Visit all 50 states
  • Visit all national parks in America
  • Backpack in Grand Teton (Aug. 20, 2021)
  • Backpack the Tour Du Mont Blanc Loop
  • Backpack in Iceland
  • Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail (Sep. 21, 2022)
  • Thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail
  • Thru-hike the Continental Divide Trail
  • Thru-hike the Camino de Santiago

Life Goals

  • Graduate from college (Dec. 18, 2021)
  • Be self sufficient and location independent
  • Get married??? Have a kid???