Curated Challenges

We all need a little challenge in our life. What I mean by challenge, is to stretch the brain a little bit or try something you haven’t tried before. When we get complacent, we fall into a “hypnotic rhythm”. This phrase was coined by Napoleon Hill in “Outwitting the Devil”.

But it makes sense right? We fall into hypnotic rhythm all the time. Routines and habits are amazing but think about everything you do during the day that is just on autopilot. We wake up, get ready, get dressed, grab our lunch, take a commute, go to work, work doing the same task each day to have the same outcome or output, commute home, have dinner, do an activity like play, read, or watch TV, get ready for bed, fall asleep, wake up, get ready…. Sound familiar?

Breaking the Cycle

So how can we plan our time to break the cycle of our hypnotic rhythm? Here’s what I would say: challenge yourself. We fall into this trance of our daily routine and habit. We tend to stick with what we know. This leads us into safety. I would imagine this is ingrained from our ancestors who hunted and lived in caves. They would do the same things each day so they were safe each night and be able to go back home to their families. Much like we do today but only we don’t have to worry about poison berries or bears chasing after us.

We can challenge ourselves differently. One thing I do is read. I read each night. I try to aim for 10 pages but I like to get through almost 30. Additionally, I take on a few projects around the house. Nothing crazy but I just try to do something a little extra that gets my mind into a different state. I’ve started a tiny garden so now I have to water and tend to it each day. I’m forcing myself to do a little extra.

Find your Challenge

Some of you might find that you want to start 75 Hard or Exodus 90 as challenge. That would be another way to get out of the hypnotic rhythm and move the needle in your life. But planning a life that challenges you or makes break the monotony of the day to be the best person you can be is the ultimate goal. Think about and plan how you can add challenges to your life. I’d love to hear about it!