Do you need ways to challenge yourself to do things that seem unattainable? When was the last time you challenged yourself and did something that wasn’t really comfortable?
In order to challenge yourself, you’ll need to do something outside your comfort zone. So, why would you challenge yourself and inconvenience yourself to do something that will bring you out of your comfort zone?
Have you heard the old saying?
“If something that you’re doing doesn’t challenge you, then it doesn’t change you”
– Unknown
For growth to occur in you as a person, there must be change. Most changes that bring about growth involve challenges. For this reason, you should inspire change by accepting challenges.
You can’t reach your full potential in life unless you challenge yourself. Challenging yourself will lead to a lot of personal growth.
Reasons why you should challenge yourself
It is easy to relax and stay in your comfort zone and not want to ever leave that zone. However, when you challenge yourself, you’ll find out that you are capable of doing many things you didn’t think you could do before.
By challenging yourself, you’ll discover many hidden qualities, skills, and capabilities you never knew you had. All you need is to give yourself the chance by challenging yourself.
The discovery of your new self with your new capabilities will transform you into a newer and better person. That is a change that brings about growth. You can not achieve such a level of growth by simply remaining in your comfort zone.
So, challenge yourself today!
Here are 20 ways of how to challenge yourself today so you’ll grow and achieve great success. When you achieve great success, you can live your best life to the fullest.
Set a new goal for yourself every day
One of the powerful ways to challenge yourself is to set new goals for yourself every day. Small goals facilitate progress which ultimately results in huge successes. To accomplish your big goals, you should split them into smaller, less intimidating ones. To adequately organize yourself to achieve your set goals, this post may help you.
If for example your goal is to stop drinking sodas and you already consume 6 cans of soda every day, start by swapping 3 cans of soda with 3 bottles of water in the first week. Gradually replace a can of soda with a bottle of water every week until your goal of complete abstinence from soda consumption is achieved.
Once you set each goal, you’ll be motivated to create a plan on how to go about achieving the goal. Goal-setting is an important fundamental factor in challenging yourself. By challenging yourself to complete the task you’ve set for yourself, you’ll have the motivation to jump hurdles and overcome challenges that come your way, because your eyes are on the goal.
Remember, when you set your goals, break them down into smaller actionable steps. You may use a calendar to set up the small steps you’ll need to complete, in order to accomplish the goal you’ve set for yourself.
Start writing
Challenge yourself today to start writing. Write about your experiences and opinions and publish or share your writings. Pick topics that you know your audience would love to read about. What does your audience need to know? Find out and start writing today.
Learn a new language
Challenge yourself to learn a new language. Have you often wondered how awesome it would be to be able to communicate in French, Filipino, or Spanish?
When you learn a new language, you will not just enhance your resume – if you become proficient, you can even use this skill to earn extra cash. You can tutor on the side.
I have a friend who learned French while he was studying in France. He now earns extra cash translating at the courthouse whenever he’s able to.
You don’t need to attend college or take an online course to learn a new language. There are many apps and software all over the internet and on your phone today. For starters, you may try Duolingo.
Learn a new word every day
Challenge yourself to learn a new word every day. Keep a journal of the new words you learn each day and keep track of each word. This will help you remember them better.
Learn a new hobby
Challenge yourself to learn a new hobby that is not related to or linked to your career. Take a class or learn a new hobby online. Have you always wanted to learn graphic designing, crocheting, painting, sewing, or cooking some ethnic cuisines?
If you have, this is your opportunity to challenge yourself and learn the craft. By taking a class to learn a new hobby, you can even earn extra income if you decide to monetize it.
Make a new friend
If you’re like me, and you’re not the outgoing type, you may find yourself not caring about making new friends easily. Challenge yourself – Go out to your local museum or library or any other place where you can meet like-minded people.
Chat up some of the people you meet there and make new friends. Get out of your comfort zone by making new friends this week. You may be surprised how easy it is to make new friends and how much fun you can have by doing so.
Read also: How to Win Friends and Influence People
Wake up earlier in the morning
Challenge yourself to get up thirty minutes early every morning and take a walk before you go to work. Or take a walk before you settle down for the day if you no longer work.
Read also: The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8 AM)
Learn to meditate
Early mornings are usually a peaceful time to do something like meditation. Many successful people today are known to have developed and maintained meditation habits.
I recently read a powerful book, Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferris. He interviewed over 130 successful people including artists, elite athletes, billionaire investors, and iconic entrepreneurs.
Tim Ferris compiled a list of tools, tactics, and habits used by these successful people in their everyday lives. Interestingly, one thing habit most of them had in common was that they practiced meditation. Meditation was one of the important habits they embraced and practiced.
You should try to meditate every day for about 10 minutes. To do this, you may use apps such as Headspace or calm. Doing some yoga before the chaos of the day sets in also helps.
Start a new workout routine
Challenge yourself to dedicate 10-15 minutes every day to exercise at home. You don’t need to go to the gym for this. You can have an intensive dance routine in your living room by simply using exercise videos on YouTube.
Confront your weaknesses and fears
Do you have any weaknesses that you have not bothered to tackle in the past? Maybe there are things you’d like to do but are scared to do so.
Read also: How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
Have you always wanted to work in sales but you’re super scared of talking to people personally or over the phone? Well, this is the time to challenge yourself and overcome the crippling fears in you.
Get the sales job if that’s what you desire and get out of your comfort zone. Start making those sales calls for your job and overcome your fears.
Some people may hang up on you during the calls, but that’s part of the challenges you have to overcome when you get out of your comfort zone and confront your demons and fears. When you persevere, you’ll eventually get a hang of it and succeed.
Read also: Facing Fear: Step Out in Faith and Rise Above What’s Holding You Back
Cut back on your budget and save for a project
Is there a project you’ve been wondering about when you can save up enough to complete it? If there is, this is the time to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort and spending zone and put yourself on a strict budget. Identify several items of convenience and comfort that you can cut back on.
For example, instead of buying a cup of coffee for $5.99 at Starbucks every morning on your way to work, make your coffee at home. That item alone will ultimately save a couple of bucks.
Also, challenge yourself to commit to preparing and cooking all your meals. Stay away from the vending machines at work and the frozen, microwavable meals, and packaged foods at the grocery store. Find other items like that and cut back on your spending on them.
Read also: The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
Volunteer in your community
Challenge yourself to commit to volunteering in your community. If you have local non-profit causes that are near and dear to your heart, plan to donate to those causes.
Making a monthly donation and showing up to help at a local non-profit organization are ways that you can challenge yourself today. By volunteering, you’ll not only be contributing to your community, but it’s also a great way for you to meet new people and make new friends.
Your time is one of the most valuable assets you can give. Volunteering is a great way to contribute to your community. If you don’t have the time to volunteer, you can contribute by donating food and/or clothing.
Read also: The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook: Fully Integrating Online Service into Volunteer Involvement
Learn to say “no” more often
Must read: Stop People Pleasing: How to Start Saying No, Set Healthy Boundaries, and Express Yourself
Do you always say “yes” to people no matter how the outcome hurts you? If you do, you’re not alone. Many of us spend many years of our lives pleasing others because we want to be nice, or just to avoid conflicts.
Challenge yourself today to become assertive and not allow yourself to be everybody’s “friend”. Don’t commit yourself to keep doing things you don’t feel like doing just because you want to be “nice” to other people many of whom don’t really care. It takes a lot of self-will to say “No” and not feel guilty, but you should learn to do so today.
Get rid of a bad habit
This is a huge one because it’s a big challenge to ditch bad habits that have been formed over time. We all have at least one habit that we’d like to get rid of.
Have you been a smoker for many years and you always wanted to quit? This is the time to do so. Challenge yourself to take the step to stop smoking.
A very helpful resource is James Clear’s book Atomic Habits. I learned a lot from the book while trying to kick my habit of smoking cigarettes. In Atomic Habits, James Clear outlines an effective roadmap to eliminating bad habits and creating good ones.
Must read: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Improve on your career
Aim high in your career by attending career-related conferences, courses, and seminars. Challenge yourself today to do so.
While you’re at it, connect with other attendees and keynote speakers. Challenge yourself to develop new habits that will help make you a better person at your job.
Read also: The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferris
Additional Resources:
- Goal setting planners
- How to write a book
- Learn a new language
- How to learn a new hobby
- Improve your social skills & make new friends
- How to kick bad habits
- Career improvement tips
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I’m glad you found it resourceful, and thanks for your input.
I’ve been learning Spanish also, and it’s been very rewarding. Thanks for sharing your experience as well.
I’ve been learning Spanish on my own for a while now, and it’s helped me tremendously, especially at work. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I really like your list! Since the pandemic started I’ve started a few like meditating and writing. Even took up some new courses.
Amazing ideas!!! I decided to learn Spanish a couple of days ago, i am so excited about it.
What an excellent list of ideas. Some of them I wouldn’t have considered. Thank you for the resource!