Writing a top-five list isn't something that just anybody can do. It looks easy to the layman, but in reality, it takes a lot of deep thought to sort all of your jumbled ideas about what is best into just five ordered slots. Because of this, I've decided to go a step further into "list-ception" and create a list about creating lists as a way of demonstrating the difficulties of creating lists.

1. Think of a topic.

Every list needs a core idea to be centered around, including this one. I've selected lists as my topic for this list because listing off ideas about writing lists while writing lists interests me. It's important to be invested in what you're writing about at all times. Try thinking of what you like thinking about, and make a list of possible topics if coming up with a topic for your list is troubling you.

2. Brainstorm ideas.

You'll get nowhere trying to create a list or a list about lists without first creating a list of ideas for the numbers on your list. These ideas should be relevant to your chosen topic, but otherwise, there should be no limits. This step is just to get ideas down, and it doesn't matter how good or bad they are yet.

3. Take a snack break

By now, all those ideas you're thinking of may have given you a migraine or you might just be kind of hungry. Or both. Either way, now would be a great time to treat yourself since you'll be diving into the hardest part of list creation soon after. I, for one, will be having some chocolate Pop-Tarts in a moment. I expect them to be delicious.

4. Narrow down your options.

Here's where things get tough. You need to narrow down your choices from back when you brainstormed to just five. Start by eliminating the clearly bad ideas, then move onward. Eventually you'll probably have to take out some good ideas too, which can be disappointing, but prioritization is key. Think about what you really want to convey with your list, and which options match that goal the most.

5. Give up when you realize you can't decide on an order and just list off a ton of stuff you really like instead because it feels better.

Once you have your five list items together, you'll likely find it impossible to decide which order they go in. That's OK because you don't have to. Life isn't made of lists of top-fives and that's what makes it worthwhile. It's made of top millions of experiences and you should be able to appreciate that without always needing to rank everything.