Complete the set

If you've done a lot of something, why not do all of it?

I was talking to someone recently who mentioned she was planning a trip to Nebraska. It turns out that this person had been to 46 of the states in the US. Nebraska was one of the few she hadn’t visited…so she was looking to complete the set.

Nebraska might not be the world’s most common destination, but the truth is, I’m sure she’ll have an amazing time. We need to spend our leisure time in some way, and if you’ve done a lot of something, there’s a certain satisfaction to be gained in doing all of it. You might try something you otherwise wouldn’t and have a lot of fun along the way.

The collected works

My guess is that some people are already more oriented toward having the “complete set” of anything than others. If, 20 years ago, you collected a commemorative quarter from every state or saved up your lawn-mowing or babysitting money for a boxed set of all the CDs from your favorite band, then you already see the appeal of what I’m talking about.

But for the rest of us, this might be worth looking into. Think about the things you’ve done a reasonable amount of. Then think about what it might take to do all of it. Would it be possible?

For many things, the answer is yes. I’d read a lot of Shakespeare in school, so in 2022, I decided to read all of his works. I really enjoyed reading through my illustrated Shakespeare anthology! Likewise, this year, I’m listening to all of Bach. I’ve listened to, played, or sung a great many of his works, but no where near all of them. It turns out the man was prolific, but you can listen to the lifetime works of someone in much less time than it takes to compose those works. The complete set is totally doable.

Think of the possibilities

If you like to cook, it’s fun to just try new recipes, but you could also do so with some purpose — and cook your way through a cookbook, like in the book-turned-movie Julie and Julia. You’ll build new skills, learn about new ingredients, and feel some real satisfaction as you get to the end.

You could watch every movie by a given director, or see every piece of art by a certain artist that’s publicly available. You could visit all the Thai restaurants, wine bars, or dog parks in your town, or try out all the weekend exercise classes on the schedule at your gym.

Sure, some will be duds. And some won’t be as appealing as others. I was not a huge fan of Henry VI part 2. I really love Virginia Woolf — an author I’m considering for my next “complete set” — but there is a reason teachers assign To the Lighthouse more often than, say, Night and Day. Still, reading The Voyage Out can shed some light on her style that then lets you approach To The Lighthouse with new eyes.

Seeking out the complete set can nudge you to spend more time on your chosen leisure activity as you pursue your goal. And, just as important, you don’t have to spend as much time racking your brain trying to figure out what to read next, listen to next, cook next, or where to travel next. Aiming for a complete set lets you spend less time wondering and more time just doing. And who knows, maybe your cookbook project will become a movie starring Meryl Streep. Wouldn’t that be cool?