Calvin Coolidge points out that “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.  Talent will not, nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not, the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”  

How do we get persistence and determination? By constantly challenging ourselves. When we don’t challenge ourselves we leave room for other harsher challenges to move in. Challenging yourself is a scary thought, isn’t it? Most people are scared to try because of the thought of failure; the fear of not completing the task they have challenged themselves with. Then there is also the uncomfortable idea of stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

We’ve all heard the quotes “if you’re comfortable you’re not growing”, and “what doesn’t grow dies” I fully agree with these.  This doesn’t mean that each and every action we take should be challenging, per se. I simply believe that by pushing ourselves and expanding our horizons, our personalities and mindset take on new shapes, and we are able to find the best, ever-improving version of ourselves.

Whether it’s cutting out junk food or reading a book, challenging yourself gives you far more opportunities than threats, and the potential benefits outweigh whatever fear is holding you back.

They provide you with a sense of accountability and responsibility which many people lack yet they are crucial to the quality of one’s progress both personally and professionally.  Your life is too valuable to be lived in that wasteland known as complacency.

 If you are like most people, you probably wish you were more focused, more disciplined. A personal challenge is the first step to acquiring this much needed self-control.  For some reason, either lack of motivation, initiation or plain old ignorance, you might have allowed your life to become cluttered by undesirable habits, the time to shake them off is now!!  A successful completion of a challenge is generally weighed by the duration, not by your end goal. If you stay with the 30-day challenge for 30 days, guess what: you’ve succeeded. If you do the 14-day detox, for 14 days, guess what: you’ve succeeded.  

And as we know, success breeds more success and it all begins with personal discipline. Do you want staying power?  Do you want a better version of your life?  Go ahead start a challenge today.