For the last few months I’ve been waiting for a challenge. I know that sounds a little crazy but I knew I needed a line drawn in the sand, a glove slapped across my face, a gauntlet thrown down etc. I needed something to kick start me and hold me accountable.
We all try to avoid challenges in life and I guess rightly so in some cases but not all challenges are bad. Taking on a challenge has many positives. At the core we are all goal driven (even if it’s just driving to the chipper) we all have goals that result in some kind of reward.
That’s really all a challenge is, it’s a goal to be achieved within a set amount of time (maybe even a lifetime). When we break it down and examine it, we can see that a challenge isn’t something to be feared as every single day we face and overcome challenges of all shapes and sizes!
So why take on a challenge? Why not avoid it and put it off for another day?
I have a saying that I’ve always lived by, it isn’t elegant or profound but it has helped me keep going even when times were hard… “Sacrifice today for a better tomorrow” I know it isn’t the most uplifting of expressions but I can say hand on heart that my life today is so much better than it has ever been and I believe that will continue to be the case as I work towards the future.
But getting back to taking on a challenge, I believe there is no better way to achieve a goal quickly (especially if it’s one you’re avoiding) than by taking on a challenge and I’m not alone in that thinking. Why do millions of joggers join marathons each year that they have virtually zero hope of winning? The challenge! It’s what has them out every day training, getting fitter, faster and going further. We can all get fitter, faster and go further in any challenge we face in life.
How to take on a challenge?
I’d like to say take the bull by the horns but often rushing into something is the way to guarantee failure. Did you ever wonder why as people we make such a big deal about important events in our life? For example why is a wedding day is such a big event involving so many people? It’s not a random tradition we picked up along the way. In order for two people to change the way they think (thinking as a couple not two single people) there needs to be a kick start, a life altering event that tells the mind that things have changed.
So make a plan, set a date for the challenge to start and try build up and prepare for the challenge. All these things help your mind accept that things are going to be different when the challenge starts.
The benefits of taking on a challenge
There are all kinds of benefits of taking on a challenge but before we explore any of them we need to look at the possible down sides to a challenge. You should start by asking yourself can you do what is required? Do you have the time and what are the consequences of failure? Is it wiser to take on a smaller challenge or break it into more manageable parts? Like all major decisions in life it will require some time and an honest conversation with yourself but I do encourage you to stretch yourself. It’s far too easy to say I could never do that when you’ve never tried.
The positives that can come from taking on a challenge are endless but some of the most basic are achieving the goal and reaping the rewards of your hard work, increased knowledge and self worth.
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” – Henry Ford
So should you take on that upcoming challenge? Darn right you should! I’ve just started a 30 Day Success Challenge, it’s not going to be easy but anything worth doing rarely is! If you’re up to the challenge of starting your own online business why not join me? Having a challenge in your own business or have your own tips? Get in touch or leave a comment below.
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