A few years back, I dared my student community in the Institute for Cultural Communicators to a 30 day speaking challenge. This past week, I participated in a 7-day writing challenge. The results then and now have been fun and exciting, especially when the challenge connects to a vital real-world skill and personal growth.
Here are my three takeaways from the best of a challenge:
Challenges catalyze growth
The only way to grow is to take action. The way to grow in writing is to write. This past week I wrote more frequently under the pressure of a deadline. Meeting the challenge resulted in a series of obstacles I had to figure out. I learned how to post on Instagram from my computer. I pushed through posting where I would just have delayed to the next day. I had to honor what I posted not for the response that it got but for the honesty and value of my writing.
Challenges drive creativity
Challenges by their nature provide limits to the participants. There are time limits: post daily. There are often themes provided around which your activity centers. These constraints remove distractions and bring focus to what it is you are to do. Our character is revealed in restrictions. Rather than limiting, challenge rules liberate us to create with surprising results.
Challenges gather community
While a challenge may relate to individual action the best challenges provide ways for people to celebrate and go together. The community connection brings us to new thinking, normalizes our stuggles and encourages us to stay in the challenge. Anytime we go together we are better together.
Now that I have shared the growth that comes from challenge I have a challenge by choice for you.
Not everyone who reads this blog is on Instagram so I have provided a poster with the images and links to the posts I submitted on Instagram. Select the post that gets your attention and let me know your favorite.
What challenges are growing you?
