A few weeks ago, I explored why we can’t stick with our resolutions. In the blog, I shared that about nine out of every ten people who make resolutions break them within 30 days. This discouraging statistic sometimes leaves people wondering, “What’s the point?” But that doesn’t have to be you! By implementing a 30-day challenge, you can set yourself up for greater success in achieving your goals.
What Is a 30-Day Challenge?
This challenge is simple – you begin by choosing one small change you want to implement into your daily routine for 30 days. To receive the best results, eliminate a “bad” habit and replace it with a “good” habit.
30-day challenges may be self-guided, or you may choose to have a coach help you. Either way, they can be engaging and empowering! Whether you want to improve your financial situation, be healthier, practice more self-care, learn a new skill, or become more spiritually aware, a 30-day challenge may provide the inspiration you need to create a lasting habit.
Do 30-Day Challenges Work?
30-day challenges are great tools for implementing new behaviors. While research shows that it can take 18-254 days to form a new habit, 30 days is a great starting point and provides a solid “new habit” foundation.
Completing a 30-day challenge doesn’t guarantee that your habit will become automatic, but it is an ideal amount of time to prove that you CAN do it. If you commit to your new routine for one month, you will likely find that this habit will become a part of your daily routine after the challenge.
The best part about this challenge is that it’s only one month, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming. The following 30 days will pass regardless – why not use them for self-improvement?
Tips for a Successful 30-Day Challenge
Here is an excerpt from my book, Thriving in the Storm: Nine Principles to Help You Overcome Any Adversity, I’d love to share with you:
“I was finally able to break that destructive pattern and come up with a simple, realistic and effective approach to goal setting. I started with that massive list of all the different goals I had in all the different areas of my life, and then I winnowed it down to my top three that I wanted to accomplish… Instead of trying to change a dozen things and incorporate a bunch of different techniques and ideas, I focused on three core goals. It became about quality, not quantity, because it’s better to be dialed in and 100 percent committed to three things than to approach a dozen ideas with reckless abandon and end up giving half-assed effort.”
While you probably won’t choose three goals during your 30-day challenge, the sentiment remains the same – begin by choosing quality over quantity when selecting your new 30-day habit. Don’t try to implement a dozen new behaviors. Instead, choose one thing that is important to you.
Here are a few more 30-day challenge tips:
- Create a clear goal. Be specific about what you wish to achieve. Don’t just say you want to be more healthy; instead, decide you will remove all processed foods from your diet.
- Write down your 30-day challenge plan. Address what you want to do and how you intend to do it.
- Ensure your goal is achievable. For instance, an excellent 30-day challenge goal would be to track your spending if you want to work on being more financially stable.
- Incorporate something you enjoy into your new habit. Doing so makes the action more appealing. If your goal is to have daily family time, spend that time doing an activity everyone enjoys.
- Declare your plans to others. Choose people you can trust who will support your 30-day challenge.
- Accept this new habit as a gift to yourself. You deserve this healthy habit to be a part of your life for the next 30 days!
30-Day Challenge Ideas
Your 30-day challenge habit can be anything you want it to be! Think about your life and what needs improvement. Is it your fitness, mental health, relationships, spirituality, finances, or something else? We all have at least one area of our life that can benefit from a 30-day challenge.
If you still aren’t sure, here are a few great ideas:
- Avoid alcohol for 30 days. Instead, substitute your evening drink with a walk.
- Replace binge TV watching with going to bed early.
- Do a social media cleanse – spend this extra time reading a book or writing in a gratitude journal.
- Make your morning coffee at home. Put the money you would have spent at the coffee shop into your savings account.
- Replace mindless snacking with daily meditation.
Set Yourself Up for a Better Tomorrow
Are you ready to try a new 30-day challenge? I hope you’ve been inspired to reward yourself with a new habit!
Be sure to check out my blog for even more helpful topics. Here, I cover overcoming adversity, mental toughness, conquering self-imposed limits, and more.
I dive into these topics in greater detail in my book, Thriving in the Storm: Nine Principles to Help You Overcome Any Adversity. Be sure to pick up a copy today!