A powerful self improvement tool is the thirty day challenge. Many companies offer a free thirty day trial of a product, and if your not satisfied at the end of the trial you can opt out or get your money back. While looking at a company that did this, I was inspired to write this article. If a company can successfully over deliver and build belief in their product within thirty days, why cant you accomplish the same with the goals in your own life!
Commit yourself to thirty days of self improvement in the area of your choice and do not falter. If things are not looking up at the end of thirty days you can always opt out and go back to the way things were. But for most people the hard part is not in finishing, its in getting started and continuing to move forward afterwards. If you take this approach seriously and start asap, you will find that once you build inertia it will be easier for you to continue. This self improvement challenge can change someones life forever.
We often psyche ourselves out when we think of making any long term changes! Permanent change can scare us to death! This is why I think the self improvement thirty day challenge is such a unique concept. We don't have to see it as a permanent change, just as temporary. Make a game out of it and check each day off and have a count down till the last day. Give yourself a prize at the end when you accomplish your goal as well! Get started and continue all the way through for thirty days, and then reevaluate and see if you can go back to those old stale habits!
The goal for the self improvement challenge is for you to pick a daily activity that you can do for thirty days straight! Such as reading an hour of self improvement material daily. Or you could even do something huge like quit smoking! If you pick a goal like to quit smoking, look for other small habits you can implement to take the place of smoking.
Implementing a new habit is tough! I wont lie to you, but once you get started, and continue to move forward for a week or so, that new habit will become ordinary and will be easier to maintain.
Once you accomplish your thirty day challenge you will ask yourself a series of questions. It may go something like this: I have just accomplished thirty days, and I have accomplished my goal. Do I feel better having done so? Can I go back to the way I was? Do I even want to go back to the way I was?
You may find it easier to continue forward with your challenge because it will no longer be a challenge, it will be a part of your daily life. As I stated earlier people hate permanent change, it would be a big change to go back to the way you were after having accomplished thirty days of a new habit. You will most likely find it easier to continue with what you have been accomplishing within the challenge.
Once you finish the thirty day self improvement challenge the chances of making your new habit permanent has dramatically increased. You already know you can do it, and if you did it for thirty days prior why wouldn't you be able to do it for another thirty more? Also keep in mind, there is no forced pressure once you accomplish the challenge! You don't have to continue if you don't want to, but in my opinion chances are you will continue anyways.
I suggest using the thirty day challenge for daily habits first. It seems to work best this way. Create a new habit that you can implement and do each day of the thirty day challenge. I find this as a easier approach because getting started is the key. Once you get started, and continue to build momentum, it gets easier day by day.
Some ideas of daily habits you can implement and create your own thirty day self improvement challenge!
- Read an hour of a good book a day. By good book I am not talking fantasy or romance. Pick up a self improvement book, or biography. Something you can learn from or may have a positive effect on your life. The goal of your self improvement challenge is to create growth. So look for books to read that will add to who you already are!
- Give up on TV or the news! It is insane how much time we consume as Americans watching TV. That time could be spent on something more constructive like family events, board games, reading, exercising, the list is limitless. Focus on growth!
- Spend time daily cleaning up certain aspects of your life. Spend about 30 minutes or a hour, whatever you feel comfortable with daily cleaning up say your office or house. Clear from your life all the clutter that may be holding you back!
- Meet someone new everyday! Make it a goal to at least go out and conversation with one new person daily. This can have a tremendous effect on our self confidence and our circle of friends. You might just find a new connect that may be able to help you accomplish your goals, or maybe even a companion if you don't have one already!
- Write a blog entry every day! I personal have done this challenge, and what I learned from it was invaluable. You wouldn't be able to put a price tag on it if you tried. The secret in blogging, is consistency, you will learn that by accomplishing this goal! Not only is consistency a huge aspect of a successful blog campaign, but almost all campaigns in life!
- Write in a journal daily! This is one of the best ways to reflect on your life and create better decisions! My journal writing has helped me accomplished many things in life. I would not be the person I am today If I hadn't kept a journal!
- Meditate every day! For a list of all the benefits of meditation view the list of resources at the end of this post. Meditation if you are not already doing it, can make a huge positive impact on your life, mentally and physically.
- Exercise daily! Make a commitment to do some sort of exercise daily, whether it be push ups and sit ups or a run around your neighborhood. Commit to some sort of physical challenge daily.
This list is limitless and while reading the suggestions above you may have gotten some ideas. Take some time to reflect and focus on growth. What could you do daily that would have the greatest impact on your life? Decide upon it and start putting it into action now, and continue for the next thirty days! The power of this program lies in its simplicity. Just commit to the process, don't over complicate it, and you will accomplish your goal within thirty days!
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8 comments:
Interesting article.. Is it too much to try two Thirty Day challenges simultaneously, or do you recommend starting with one? I've heard that taking on too many goals might hurt your focus.
It is possible to have to many goals divert your focus. Just like if a stock portfolio is too diversified and not speculative at all, you lose a huge chance for possible growth.
If this is your first time doing a self improvement challenge I would start out with just one. But it all depends on what you think you are capable of, be reflective and ask yourself whether or not you think it will be overwhelming.
Once again this blog has just motivated me! I am up for the challenge!
Thanks :) Go forward and Conquer!
You are preaching courage and perseverance which must be accompanied with endurance to trials.Nice i bellieve that as well as derterminetion
Great blog for getting people out of a rut. Sometimes, there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day for each suggestion.
Consistency is always the key. Also by developing newer, healthier habits, old habits can be broken.
Your emphasis on goals is powerful. Without them we just get lost, go adrift, and never achieve what we want.
I love your blog! Layout and content:) but especially content. Thanks for the motivation.
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