The 10-Day Challenge
One of my three words for 2020 is Disciplined.
So far, I’ve done a pretty good job of it. Using a combination of my calendar and task list, I’ve been able to keep myself structured in how I allocated my time.
January 1, 2020 to Present
I’ve been putting out 1 video per week on the Superhero Institute, one podcast per week on Shareable, and (attempting to post) one blog post per week on this site. All of this gets collected together with 5 curated resources in my weekly newsletter that goes out every Monday (pssst…you should subscribe). Newsletter #5 goes out tomorrow morning.
I try to keep the Superhero Institute Facebook Group active by sharing interesting content and the Meetup group alive by connecting with other meetups for partnerships and planning events based around member feedback.
On top of that, I’ve been bringing new clients onto the paid levels of the Superhero Institute (I’ve got two), working with my deep consulting clients, and trying to get two new additional lines of business launched: The Philadelphia Content Company, a content marketing agency, and Shareable.FM, a podcast network.
While I’m working on all of that, I’m also building new talks like Becoming Superhuman and The Lovable Leader, while also adding a few thousand words every week to the first draft of my book: The Lovable Leader–I’m at 48,000 right now.
When I’m not doing that, I’m working on a few side projects like promoting my online dating course, live-streaming conversations about politics with my friend Tim on Twitch, or finding time to drink bourbon and argue with my friend Marco as we build new episodes of Barguments.
I’m also making sure to have plenty of downtime to spend with my pregnant wife, setting up the baby’s room, and staying healthy. I recently joined ClassPass where I’ve taken kickboxing, budo (aikido/judo/taekwondo), strength and conditioning, and yoga.
There’s more going on than this, but I’ll leave it at that…
Here’s my challenge to you
This post is intended to kick you squarely in the ass and force you to come face-to-face with your own discipline.
I recently read a book called The Productivity Handbook for lazy people. Overall, it’s a pretty solid book. In the book, the author suggests a 10-day challenge. So, I’m going to pose it to you.
Challenge yourself to do something for 10 days straight. Make it something that will improve your life or business. Some suggestions:
- Tell your spouse that you love them at some point during the day
- Do 20 minutes of exercise
- Engage with 5 people on Linkedin
- Send a sales email
- Do 50 pushups
- Write in your journal
Whatever you pick, make it something that you alone can control. Then see how far you get as a test of your discipline.
If you: Make it less than 3 days…
You need serious work on your discipline. Maybe it’s your inner dialogue, maybe it is your processes. One way or another though, you’re going to have a tough time in life if you can’t muster the will to make it past 3 days.
If you: Make it 3-8 days
This is standard. Most people have the will to go past 3 days, but dropping off at 4 isn’t something to boast about to the 3-dayers. Try to get to 6,7, or 8 days before you go patting yourself on the back.
If you: Make 9-10 days
This is the benchmark of those who are disciplined. The ability to go from 0 to consistent is not easy, but once you’re able to do it, very few things can stand in your way…at least as it relates to the effort and focus you are putting in.
Challenge yourself, today
Post what you plan to do in the comments below this post and if you tweet me (public or DM) or send me an Instagram DM, I’ll check in on you as your accountabili-buddy.
2 Comments
by Matt
I like this, Jeff. It’s a good experiment.
This year, I ordered Mike Hyatt’s Full Focus Planner, and have been diligently using it to plan my weeks and daily actions. In addition to my top 3 priorities (each week has a top 3 most important tasks, and each day has a top 3 most important tasks), I have a list of 5 daily habits/rituals that I strive to complete. They’re simple, don’t take long, but are those that I believe compound on themselves over time:
1. Prayer (-> Deeper spiritual connection)
2. Water (-> Increased water consumption on daily basis)
3. Protein (-> locking in diet to help build lean muscle)
4. Push-ups (-> ALWAYS exercise, regardless of how busy)
5. Reading (-> choose reading & knowledge building over phone scrolling)
Though maybe generic in nature, these goals ladder-up to larger tenants of how I’d like to build my life.
Another piece of advice that I read and found helpful is to ALWAYS do SOMETHING for your goals. Let’s say you have a goal of 50 push-ups a day. It’s almost midnight, you’re dog tired, need to rest, and you haven’t done any… at least crank out 15. It’s not about letting yourself off the hook, but the mentality of some action is better than no action. Take an action (even if it’s only 25% of what you were hoping to do that day), evaluate why you weren’t able to fully complete your goal, forgive yourself, make a change to your systems and processes, and move on.
by Jeff Gibbard
I love it, Matt!
You’re among the most disciplined people I know and someone I often think about when I’m not feeling motivated. I ask myself, W.W.M.D?
I love how ambitious your commitment is with this sort of planning. I hope this 10-day challenge gets people started down the kind of path that eventually leads there.