When was the last time you consciously wanted or desired something unpleasant? The answer is probably… never!
Humans by nature are quite predictable as without a challenge, without self or externally enforced resistance, they will not stretch themselves… they will not willingly put themselves in a position of vulnerability… and they most certainly will not grow to their full potential.
While we all have different goals and aspirations, we all love and benefit from a challenge… something that requires us to dig deep. It inspires us to reach the peak of our potential, jailbreaks us from our comfort zone, and transforms us into a better, far more capable version of ourselves.
The ultimate reason for setting challenging goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them.
You are about to find out, who you become, as well as the traits and skill set you to develop in rising to meet a challenge, are much more important than the nature of the challenge itself.
1. A Challenge Develops Mental ToughnessIt’s actually pretty simple.
You either rise to meet the mental demands and physical rigors of a challenge, or you succumb to them. And because victory begins in the mind, all challenges are initially won or lost between your ears.
The very nature of a challenge sets an appropriate stage for practicing mental toughness, which by definition means a psychological edge that enables one to remain focused and confident during high-pressure situations to perform at one’s full potential. Mental toughness means bending the body’s software to control its hardware.
It works if you’re standing over a putt on the 18th green. Also, it works if you’re presenting to a roomful of people. It works if you’re serving for the game, set, and match.
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A challenge is unique in that it immediately engages the fight-or-flight mechanism, and you never know how you are going to react until you are faced with it.
Fear is never a reason for quitting. It’s only an excuse for those unwilling to face their doubts, insecurities and mental boogie man.
Therefore, your first duty in rising to meet a challenge is to conquer fear and the mental resistance it brings along with it. Get rid of it quickly, or you'll get steamrolled by it.
What good is a challenge or a big, ambitious goal if there is no willingness to overcome fear, mental and physical resistance, adversity, or self-doubt?
The conceptual opposite of courage is cowardice. We are therefore confronted with the reality that we either habitually practice courage, or we habitually practice cowardice.
It is imperative that you accept this reality: when you rise to meet a challenge, you will never be the same again. You either cope or crumble. You become better or bitter. Consequently, you emerge stronger or weaker. It has to be this way, as a challenge exists to tests your limits, to push you beyond the breaking point, and to separate you from the herd.
You’ll never know the full measure of your potential until you are tested. Passing the tests presented by a challenging goal proves that you are tougher, more resilient, and far more capable than you ever imagined.
A great challenge is like a great romance. It calls for your passion and your devotion, and it demands to be the center of your attention.
Rising to meet a challenge is a form of seduction. It means concentrating your energy and resources on what’s most important… keeping the fire burning!
Think of a challenge. Any kind of challenging goal. Ask yourself, what role does self-confidence play in rising to meet that challenge?
The fact is that no mountains can be climbed, no hearts won, no opportunities seized, no books written, no elections won, and no victories enjoyed without self-confidence. Now think of something you fear, anything that makes you flinch. Ask yourself, what role does self-confidence play in overcoming fear?
Fear is the greatest enemy you will ever face. It impedes your ability to succeed physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. Fear negatively impacts everything you want to be, do, and have.
The inspired ability to rise to a challenge and climb great heights is directly attributable to your self-confidence. As your challenges build, so does your self-confidence.
A challenge has limited value if not overcome, and expecting to get better results from the same old behavior will only succeed in perpetuating your current situation. It will NOT get you to another level of performance.
Great companies, lives, and families are built around extraordinary execution skills. The better you execute, the better you perform and the bigger the challenges you can take on. It’s that simple.
Let’s be frank… there’s no point in pretending that rising to meet a challenge does not have the capacity to transform your life.
And while there are plenty of excuses, there’s no good reason for you to procrastinate, to say you’re not ready to take on a challenge.
It may be time for you to step it up and take on a challenge, as expecting to get better results from the same old behavior will only succeed in perpetuating your current situation. It will never get you to a higher level of performance.
Try one of the activities from the list below and take the first step to transforming your life!
