Have you put some time aside to reflect on 2017 and make some plans for 2018? How are you going to develop yourself this year? In what area? How are you going to challenge yourself? You may be asking “What’s the point of self-challenging, why do this?”
It has been well researched that it is the self-actualization drive that humans have within them that drives this self-challenge. This drive explains why there is a natural and dominate need within us for a challenge. Challenge makes us feel alive! Challenge wakes us up, opens our eyes, and mobilizes resources within that we often are not even aware that we have. Challenge is what often makes life meaningful. It is celebrative and shouts, “It’s good to be alive!”
Yet even though self-challenge is a positive aspect of life, it can also be killed. It can be diminished, reduced, and for the most part eliminated. A person may have had some negative outcomes to their self-challenges or they may be trying to play things too safe, too small, and too perfect. They may be expecting all success and no challenges. They may see ‘challenge’ being equal to ‘problem’.
Research consistently supports that people need challenge! Challenge is good for the soul, it invigorates the body, it stimulates the mind, and it enables people to stretch out of their comfort zone to unleash more and more of their potential.
What are you challenging yourself about today, this week, this month, this year? In what area do you need to challenge yourself that will stretch you out of your comfort zone?