Are you looking to get out of your comfort zone and try a challenge, say perhaps, a 90 day challenge?
Feeling complacent or stuck in your current routine?
Do you need a little kick in the a&%?
We’ve all been there. Waking up every day, going through the motions, and feeling like we’re not making any progress.
But what if I told you that a simple (well, not that simple) 90-day challenge could be the key to unlocking your full potential?
Let’s explore how a 90 day challenge can have a positive imapct on so many aspects of your life.
What’s waiting for you just outside your comfort zone?
The 90-Day Challenge: A Catalyst for Personal Growth
By challenging yourself, you can learn new things, face fears, and gain a sense of confidence that can carry over into all aspects of your life. It can even have surprising benefits, beyond the physical.
In his book The Comfort Crisis, author Michael Easter explains
“Discomfort is both physical and emotional. It’s hunger, cold, pain, exhaustion, stress, and any other trying sensations and emotions. Our comfort drive led us to find food. To build and take shelter. To flee from predators. To avoid overly risky decisions. To do anything and everything that would help us live on and spread our DNA. So it’s really no surprise that today we should still default to that which is most comfortable.
Except that our original comforts were negligable and short-lived, at best. In an uncomfortable world, consistently seeking a sliver of comfort helped us stay alive. Our common problem today is that our environment has changed, but our wiring hasn’t (1).”
Make it Stick
Did you know that it takes 18 to 254 days, with the average being 66 days to form a new habit, depending on the task and the individual?
The researchers found that “early repetitions result in larger increases in automaticity than those later in the habit formation process, and there is a point at which the behaviour cannot become more automatic even with further repetition (2).”
The researchers also found that falling off the wagon for a day “resulted in a non-significantly lower SRHI (Self-Report Habit Index) score the following day, but there were no longer-term costs associated with a single omission (2).” Missing two or more days in a row on the other hand can have more impact.
According to the researchers “creating new habits will require self-control to be maintained for a significant period before the desired behaviours acquire the necessary automaticity to be performed without self-control (2).”
Okay, to be safe, let’s make it 90 days!
Think about this for a moment:
● 90 minutes is 6.25% of a day.
● 90 days is roughly 25% of a year.
● 90 days is 0.32% of a lifetime (78yrs)
● 90 days is also 0.62% of a lifetime after the age of 30 (0.82% of a lifetime over 40)
That is a short commitment for a potential lifetime of positive results.
Whether it be a 90 day workout challenge, 90 day weight loss challenge, or a 90 day transformation, there are many benefits to stepping outside your comfort zone. Let’s look at 5 of them.
5 Benefits To Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
1. Personal Growth
It can lead to personal growth. By trying new things, you’re forced to learn and adapt in ways that can help you become a more well-rounded and resilient individual. Secondly, it can help you build confidence. As you face and overcome challenges that once seemed insurmountable, you gain the ability to believe in yourself and your abilities.
There are resources everywhere!
- Want to improve your personal finances? Check out this guy (there’s a reason he has close to 30k 5-star amazon reviews).
- Learn mindfulness? Would George Mumford, the guy who taught Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson and more, suffice?
- Start a blog or website? Jon Morrow’s story is remarkable and inspiring.
- Do your first or improve your chin ups?
- Lose some weight/decrease inflammation?
- Crush that race? Look no further than Chris Hinshaw’s Aerobic Capacity.
2. Overcoming Fears
Overcoming fears. Fear is often the biggest obstacle to trying new things, but by confronting it, you can become more comfortable with being uncomfortable. This can lead to a sense of empowerment, especially when you realize that fears can be conquered.
Maybe it’s public speaking, learning how to dance, traveling solo, or…writing something outside your comfort zone.
3. New Knowledge and Experience
Stepping outside your comfort zone can expand your knowledge and experiences. It can expose you to new ideas, cultures, and perspectives, allowing you to learn and grow in ways that you otherwise wouldn’t have.
4. Improved Mental and Physical Fitness
Physical fitness is an important component of a healthy life. Besides improving overall health, it can increase energy and improve mental health, and regular physical activity can help form healthy habits.
Additionally, physical fitness can be incorporated into a 90-day challenge, which is designed to help people achieve personal and physical growth. Setting a specific challenge can help establish goals and increase the likelihood of sticking to them. Check out this study on effective goal setting. Or, try the paperclip method that helped this guy earn $200,000 plus.
5. Discipline and Positive Habit Formation
A 90-day challenge is a good timeframe because it’s long enough to establish habits but short enough to avoid burnout. Challenges can include improving physical fitness, weight loss, or completing a race.
A 90-day challenge can have surprising benefits beyond the physical. For example, developing discipline can help improve decision-making across all aspects of life. Improved focus and attention can lead to better work performance or academic achievement. (For a great book on discipline, check out Jocko Willink’s Discipline Equals Freedom).
For those who struggle with self-esteem, completing a 90-day challenge can lead to a sense of pride and accomplishment, leading to an improvement in emotional health.
Building Momentum and Following Through
Now, how can you get started on your own 90-day challenge?
The first step is to determine your goals and rally support around you. This could be through a community, family, or friends. Having a support system can help keep you accountable and motivated.
Design a plan that is realistic and attainable, setting milestones that are achievable within the 90-day timeframe. Finally, track your progress and don’t get discouraged if there are setbacks.
Personal Growth Is a 90 Day Challenge Away
Stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to personal growth and improved physical health.
Leaning into unfamiliar territory can feel daunting, but that’s because growth lies in the challenges and obstacles that we must overcome. That’s what makes it worth it.
By participating in a 90-day challenge, you can set goals and achieve unexpected benefits that go beyond physical improvement. You’re taking control of your life and experiencing growth that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
You’ll develop discipline and resilience, and the satisfaction of reaching your goals will spill over into other aspects of your life.
Remember, the key is to start small and build upon your progress.
So, take that first step outside of your comfort zone, and see where it takes you.
Thanks for reading!
Check out our blog for more articles like this. If you are looking for a 90 day challenge (warning, shameless plug ahead) check out our new book Carbon9D Challenge: 90-Day Physical and Mental Fitness Challenge.
References
- Easter M. The Comfort Crisis. Rodale Books (Penguin Random House). New York, NY. 2021.
- Lally P et al. How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real worldy. European Journal of Social Psychology. 40; Pp 998-1009. 2010.
