Lessons I’ve Learned from Completing Challenges
Below are some of the most important lessons I’ve learned from completing challenges. All of these lessons can be used immediately and I hope they will be of value to you when doing things that challenge you.
1. Look for the lesson
This is an extremely important concept and something that has made a profound difference to how I view “failures”. By always looking out for the lesson, we are open to learning from the experiences we encounter. When things go wrong or aren’t working, it’s important for us to step back and ask ourselves what we can learn from this experience. If we can apply this mindset to everything we encounter (easier said than done) then nothing is ever going to be a failure - we are still learning and moving forward in the process. If nothing is ever a failure, then we really shouldn’t have a fear of failing. The only thing left for us to do is… TRY.
“Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way.”
2. Be Persistent
This might seem obvious but it’s often overlooked. It’s easy to be enthusiastic when you start doing something new and exciting but this will only get you so far. This enthusiasm can quickly die off so you need to think about things in the long term. Commitment is king and the only method that will get results/progress in whatever area you apply yourself to. Life goes by so unbelievably quickly - blink and you’ve missed it. If you commit to doing something right now, it won’t be long before you actually start to get good at it. Tenacity is a superpower and something that can make a huge difference in your life.
“Never give up.”
3. Feed your mind the right content
What you feed your mind is essential. If you fill it with negativity and doom, what do you think it’s going to produce? I didn’t realise the importance of this until my mindset caused me to temporarily stop functioning. This was changed by feeding my brain the right kind of content. I started to read empowering books, learn new skills and read about ideas to develop mental strength. Over time this started to change my mindset. Reading as a way to better myself wasn’t something I saw as important. I was wrong. Reading as a means to become a stronger and more balanced human being is essential. It is an absolute priority and something I now take seriously.
“There have been gazillions of people that have lived before all of us. There’s no new problem you could have - with your parents, with school, with a bully. There’s no new problem that someone hasn’t already had and written about it in a book.”
4. Test everything
Everything is theory until you test it out. We can sit around all day learning new things but until we use them, we don’t truly know or understand them. Absolutely everything you read about in my books/projects is meaningless unless you actually put it into practise. Testing out all of these ideas is the core to my writing. When you are your own human guinea-pig, you are learning through direct experience. This is truly learning and growing. Testing out new ideas and leaving my comfort zone has been the greatest teacher I’ve ever had. So… What are you waiting for? Get up and jump in the pool at the deep end. And remember, if it all goes horribly wrong… Look for the lesson!
“Theory is splendid but until put into practice, it is valueless.”