10 Reasons a Challenge Will Benefit You

It’s November and for anyone in the know, this is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). A whole month focused on writing at least 50,000 words during a challenge that’s been tackled by authors for over 20 years. It’s also a month to let go of the inner critic, refrain from editing (unless you actually have the time) and focus on forging ahead with the intention of having at least a completed crappy first draft by the time you submit your final word count for the month.

I’ve entered the NaNoWriMo challenge a number of times the past ten years and each time, my thoughts shuffle back and forth about whether or not I want to commit to the challenge. The daily word count is a lot to commit to, but not unreachable as long as you can write at your day job, avoid your family, cancel all appointments and bow out from any holiday gatherings.

Joking aside, it does take some juggling and an understanding family to reach 50,000 words in a month. Some years I’ve won the challenge; other years I’ve come up short. But each time I’ve taken on the challenge, whether or not I win, it has only reminded me what I’m capable of regardless of what else might be happening in my life. It’s a little kick in the pants to remind me I can do more, as long as I make the effort.

I recently began writing a new series and once I started the first novel, I was able to complete the first draft in two months. That novel will be published soon and I wanted to get the second novel completed and ready for publishing soon after the first. Last month I wasn’t able to write as much as I needed to and since I’m feeling behind, and because I want to keep up the momentum, I finally made the decision to enter NaNoWriMo this year.

Challenges are a good thing, especially when they back you against the wall. Why? Because they show you what you’re made of. What I’ve learned about myself with challenges in the past, whether it’s NaNoWriMo, a challenge in fitness, reading, or hiking or something else entirely, is that I can often accomplish more when my time is limited. I believe challenges that force you to focus on what can limit you from completing your goals, especially when it comes to time, help keep procrastination at bay. There’s not enough room at the table for procrastination when time limitations, intense goals and strict deadlines are in full force.

So whether you’re also an author who has committed to NaNoWriMo this year, or you’re thinking about taking on a completely different challenge, here are my top 10 reasons I believe taking on a challenge will benefit you:

1. You build strong habits

For writers who take on the NaNoWriMo challenge, what it teaches them beyond whether 50,000 words in 30 days is possible, is that you can write every day, or you can reach a certain word count every week and you can make an extremely good effort in completing a first draft in whatever deadline you impose on yourself.

2. You take control of your time

Setting boundaries is key to completing challenges, not letting others maximize their needs over yours and it’s key to completing any important goals in your daily life. If you don’t control your time, it will control you.

3. You learn from your mistakes

Not all challenges end with a win, but every attempt, every step taken toward a goal and every lesson learned from any mistakes along the way will only help you have an even better chance at reaching the end of a challenge the next time.

4. You might surprise yourself and exceed your own expectations

Challenges might show you what your limitations may be, but on the other side of the spectrum, you might be surprised and accomplish more than you ever thought possible. Completing a challenge will give you a great dopamine hit, but exceeding your goals will show you what you’re really capable of.

5. You’ll gain confidence in yourself

Imagine reaching the end of a challenge and meeting all your goals or even better, exceeding your goals. Now imagine how much confidence you’ll have in yourself, especially if you decide to take on another challenge your old self wouldn’t have thought was possible to complete. This is one of the most important reasons to take on a challenge because with confidence comes the desire to grow further and the knowledge that you have the power within you to succeed.

6. You can switch up the daily routine or dig out of a ho-hum rut

Are you just going through the motions and sticking to the same routine? I get that it’s intimidating to commit to a challenge. Whether it’s a daily word count, calories counted, steps taken, books read or pounds shed, commitment is half the battle. The other half is following through but day by day, a challenge you believe in will switch up the daily life in a good way, get you excited again, bring out your creative side, motivate you more with each goal met, and help you focus on something that will result in making you happy.

7. You will become your own inspiration

Creative people sometimes fail to create because they are waiting for inspiration. The muse, if you will. If you take on a challenge and you build strong habits, use your time wisely, learn from your mistakes as you go along, surprise yourself by exceeding your expectations and end up gaining more confidence in yourself, it shouldn’t be a surprise when you discover you can also be your greatest source of inspiration. Challenges show you how you can rely on yourself, rather than others, to reach your goals.

8. You build your skills and knowledge

For me, taking part in NaNoWriMo helps me build my skills when it comes to writing faster and reminds me I can write without the inner critic or editor riding shotgun and blabbing in my ear or forcing me to step on the breaks. For anyone else who commits to a challenge, of any kind, whether you succeed or not, it will no doubt help you build your skills and you will learn something as you work through the challenge. There’s no doubt about that.

9. It will test your resilience and resolve

A challenge will demonstrate whether you are mentally tough enough to stick with something outside your normal routine for X-amount of days. It will also reveal whether you have the determination to see it through to the end, without giving up even if you don’t believe you can fully complete the challenge. And with lessons learned along the way, it will show you what you’re capable of if you tackle any challenges in the future and it help you put yourself in the right mindset the next time around.

10. You’ll become a stronger person in more ways than one

Challenges can help you grow mentally, emotionally and even physically depending on the challenge. The more opportunity for growth, the more you learn about yourself and what types of challenges can later give you more opportunities for growth. Challenges prevent you from becoming like a pond, which is stagnant and still. It’s better to challenge yourself and become like a river…constantly changing and unstoppable.

Now…what challenge can you take on that will benefit you in the ways described above?