“Challengers invite us to take giant steps long before we might ever become giants…Challengers invite us to explore possibilities and hold us accountable in the manifestation of our dreams.” ~Donna Dahl
Have you ever accepted a challenge? Has someone ever dared you to take an action that you knew would make you feel uncomfortable—and you agreed to accept?
Conversely, have you ever challenged someone? Perhaps you wanted to find out who could run to the end of the block the fastest. Perhaps you bet your buddy that you could sign up more new recruits by the end of the day than he could. Perhaps your friend bet you that you could not go without a cup of coffee for an entire day.
Challenges don’t have to be big, formal things that score time on the evening news. Challenges simply ask you to stretch yourself beyond your normal comfort zone. Some will find that the stretching is downright scary. Fear could rush in and doubt could blanket the whole affair. Things could get frozen or stuck. Some will find that the stretching that comes with a challenge yields an adrenalin rush. The appearance of that rush may set off an appetite for more adrenalin rushes. And thus the search for more challenges begins.
Challengers can arrive at your doorstep in the form of mentors, coaches, teachers, peers, proteges, students, parents, children, bosses, superiors, co-workers, friends and more. Yes, challengers can motivate you to stretch but it is up to you to accept or deny the challenge. Trust counts. I doubt you would accept a challenge from someone for whom you didn’t hold a strong measure of regard. I doubt you would accept a challenge unless you believed you could succeed or make a difference.
Challenges don’t have to be issued by others. You can issue a challenge to yourself. People do this all the time. Think back to early January of any year. People the world over make countless New Year’s resolutions—resolutions that are never kept. Please don’t challenge yourself to do something for which you have small intentions to complete. That’s just setting yourself up for failure.
Setting foot into a challenge should have a sufficient measure of commitment to keep you in the game, so to speak. Your commitment should draw you in with hope for gain. It should not feel like the weight of a heavy burden is dragging you down.
The quote at the beginning of this article comes from my book based on Aesop’s Fable about the tortoise and the hare. The story is a delightful illustration of how beliefs influence achievement and how challenging circumstances can open doors.
As one example, I recently posted a challenge to people who lead meetings. I challenged them to consider ending meetings early, not monopolize the airtime, and end meetings no later than the appointed hour. Meeting management strategies such as these build trust and show respect for other people’s time. I challenge you to set an example with respect to managing the time set aside for your meetings.
I am not one to talk the talk without walking the walk. I was recently challenged to bring new life to my Tortoise Book. I admit it took me some time to give it thought but after saying yes to the challenge, I was in it to make it work. You will find a new look at Tortoise on a podcast with Greg Voisen interviewing me.
When all is said and done, challenges offer opportunities to make discoveries about personal strengths.
May you invite more challenges into your life and may you be open to the discoveries waiting to be revealed. May you discover the joy that having the faith to face those challenges bestows upon you.
By Donna Dahl
Donna Dahl is an author, master empowerment coach and speaker. She is a popular podcast guest and she is considered a thought leader. Her book, Lessons I Learned from the Tortoise, has received numerous 5-star ratings and is an excellent guide for leadership. Read more about this topic in the chapter entitled “Afterword.” Invite her to be your challenger in a discovery call.