How to Turn a F**k-It Trip into Something That Matters

Have you ever thought of getting a last-minute flight to a city you can’t even pronounce, just to see what happens, or perhaps booking a table at the most unusual restaurant you can find, even if you have no idea what’s on the menu? Well, you may not know it, but this new kind of “bucket list” that’s about spontaneity, short-term experiences, and illustrating a “carpe diem” mindset is what many travellers in 2025 are calling the F**k-It Lists.

The F**k-It Lists concept exploded on social media and in articles, spurred by pandemic fatigue, ageing, and mostly, the pursuit of authenticity. It is all about the spur of the moment when suddenly you realise you want something and think F**k-It, I’ll climb Kilimanjaro or leave everything to embark on an expedition to a remote island.

But what is it that turned this human and natural aspiration into a trend, and why is this becoming, for some, a lifestyle to embrace?

It is safe to assume we’ve all imagined, one day, showing up at an airport with no ticket, picking the next departing flight, and going—no questions asked. Although for some, this feels like an impossible dream because, outside our imagination, we will never do it due to all the constraints and responsibilities we carry in our daily lives. Then there are all the risks something like this would entail that make us start doubting ourselves and, all of a sudden, we put that idea aside as a dream. More often than not, we add to it the label “if only…”

The F**k-It mindset is, in a way, about tearing up that label and deciding you will actually do it, despite everything, or perhaps because of all the reasons you had to put the idea aside and keep it in the “dreams box”. And as more people started embracing this mindset following the restrictions and unpredictability of the pandemic, after realising that life can change overnight, this triggered a desire to stop postponing dreams and act on impulses while they can. And that felt liberating, and for some, intoxicating. Social media then did the rest, with the posts of those affluent, adventurous, and in pursuit of authenticity going viral and inspiring more to follow their lead by doing the same.

Of course, F**k-It Lists aren’t something new. We just didn’t coin the term even ten years ago, much less a century ago. Ernest Hemingway didn’t use it when he embarked on African safaris driven by the idea of self-reinvention. Nor did Lord Byron when he fled societal judgment to travel through Switzerland and Italy with no plan. Or Paul Gauguin, who abandoned his stockbroker career and family in 1891 to move to Tahiti and then the remote Marquesas Islands, declaring “I’m going to be free” to escape the bourgeois Parisian life he found oppressive. So what is it about the F**k-It Lists trend that makes it different from what these illustrious artists did long ago?

In essence, there is no fundamental difference in the human impulse to break free and seek transformative experiences, but there is a difference in how those impulses materialise and are embedded within our broader contemporary social, technological, and economic systems. Think of it like this: Was travel back then as accessible as it is today? Was society as accepting of spontaneity as it is now? Most importantly, whereas these rebellious artists were acting out of a need to break free from the constraints imposed by the society of their times and embarking on a transformational journey only achievable through travel, we are now often motivated by fun, thrill, or ticking off wild experiences for personal satisfaction or, often, social sharing.

The question is therefore, how could we bring together both “definitions” of F**k-It List travel? How can we enjoy and pursue the lightness of this trend with the meaning and transformational outcome of the past? Is this even possible?

Well, the short answer is yes, absolutely. It is even simpler than one might think.

Today we have countless incredible tools at our disposal. First of all, the internet, and the capabilities of modern AI to look out for what we don’t know. Instead of following others and going where the trend takes us, we can pause and ask ourselves what drives us, and what it is we want to explore or discover, or experience. Then, it’s about going beyond the obvious. Instead of asking ChatGPT or any LLM for travel suggestions, ask and challenge the LLM on meaning and exploration. Shifting the mindset is something anyone can do, as long as we refrain from taking the easy path.

So start by asking yourself “What do I truly want or need right now? Is it escape, inspiration, connection, or just fun?” Don’t overthink, or even plan. Just let a genuine urge guide your next move and, most importantly, do it yourself. Your PA or travel agent cannot know how you feel or what you need if you don’t know it yourself.

Then, do not pick a destination. Pick a story that’s truly yours. When destinations are the main drive, you miss what really matters and you narrow your possibilities. Worse, the destination-centric approach is most of the time misleading because you have no real reason to go there other than the mirage of you wanting to go there. But when you find the story first, the destination will become the consequence and it will become meaningful and truly limitless. If your dream and passion is about wild horses, for example, it is pointless going to the Maldives. Go to the steppes of Central Asia, even if that’s not a “luxury bucket list” worthy destination. It will be personal, and that is what really matters.

And finally, once you embark on your trip, be present and engage. Put down your phone and meet the people around you. Discover their culture, their beliefs, and be open to them. Travel, after all, means nothing if it isn’t about self-enrichment and growth. That is where meaningful travel experiences begin.

This is the approach we’ve taken at Ariodante since inception. As we never curate or tailor, but instead create one-off personal travel stories, the handful of ultra-discerning individuals are not mere travellers but the authors of their personal journey. One that challenges conventions and pushes boundaries to fulfil their dreams. Although the complexity of our creations is usually not suitable for “last minute travel” and the spur of the moment, they always pursue the idea of transformation, inspiration, and creating everlasting memories that matter. And to be honest, we’ve created, a few times, colossal projects in a matter of weeks rather than lengthy months — so we understand spontaneity.