A system to have an amazing year
For the past several years, for the first 100 days of the year, I have completed an intense personal challenge. The purpose of the challenge has been to start the year off so strong that it will be practically impossible to have a bad year.
Here are the rules I followed for the first 100 days of 2023:
Rise early and focus
My commitment: Wake before 5:30 am to work on my #1 priority task for at least 2 hours
Write
My commitment: Any amount of daily writing
Exercise
My commitment: Lift or run
No alcohol
My commitment: Absolutely no alcohol
No refined sugar or processed food
My commitment: Use my best judgment but I’m not asking for ingredient lists when eating out
The first time I completed this challenge it was incredibly difficult but, by the end, I was absolutely amazed by how great I felt, how much body fat I had lost, and by my increase in productivity. So much so that, aside from 2020 (you can guess why) I have completed it every year since 2018 and plan to continue next year. Each year this challenge gets a little bit easier but it always provides the same thing: amazing results.
If you are interested in giving something like this a try in 2024, keep reading for a system to create your own 100-day challenge to start next year off strong.
Preparation
Grab your favorite notebook, piece of paper, or digital document. I personally use a tool called Obsidian to manage much of my life, including my yearly challenge.
System Steps
1. Goal Setting
In order for this challenge to be effective, you need to have something that you want to achieve. Spend some time thinking about your goals in life and write down a list of options in your document.
When writing down your goals, use the SMART goal framework — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This will help create goals that are both realistic and aligned with your values.
Example:
Lose 20 lbs over the next 3 months.
Pare down the list you created to 3-7 goals.
2. Self Assessment
For fifteen minutes, think about how well you are currently doing moving toward your goals. For each of your goals, score yourself on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being not moving at all and 5 being moving exceptionally fast. If you don’t have any goals, don’t worry, you’ll create them in the next step, but it will be best to keep your challenge rules very approachable.
3. Challenge Creation
Since this is a daily challenge, you’ll need to break each goal down into daily actionable tasks or daily actions to eliminate. Write them down in your document.
Examples:
Every morning, at 8 a.m., I will immediately work out for 10 minutes.
Do not eat processed food
Create a template for your challenge that lists each of your to-do and not-to-do actions. I like to make the action brief and elaborate on each one, to be clear about the commitment, on the next line.
4. Execution
In a new document, each day, copy your template into the document with the date as the heading above.
As you execute your daily actions, check them off.
When you start the next morning, check each not-to-do action off.
I like to put today’s challenge at the top of the list so that the days are listed in reverse chronological order but this is just my personal preference.
Do this for 100 days.
5. Reward
When the challenge is over, it is important to reward yourself for a job well done. Perhaps it’s something that you have been wanting to eat, drink, or buy. Do it! You have earned it and it’s time to treat yourself.
Case Study
After completing this year’s challenge I had some impactful observations.
I was more productive
Establishing a consistent block of time to focus on my most important tasks ensured that I was able to move the needle in multiple areas of my life and business. Without this dedicated block of focus time, I could easily end up spending my entire day reacting to other people’s demands on my time.
After years of experimenting, I have discovered that a block of focus time before most people wake up is ideal for me. However, if I were a night owl, a late-night block would also work well. The important thing is to discover when you are able to disconnect from the world and really focus, without any distractions, for multiple hours.
I was more confident
The first time I embarked on this journey, I didn't quite know what to expect. I had completed a few other shorter challenges in the past like The Whole30 and The Whole Life Challenge, but nothing close to this long. After the first month, I had settled into the routine, the habits had started to form, and my self-doubt started to evaporate. What seemed to be a nearly impossible feat, was still far from effortless, but became just a thing I did. A thing I would finish. When I finished, I felt fantastic because I had just completed the hardest voluntary challenge that I had ever attempted in my life.
I was healthier
100 days is a long time, but it takes time to make lasting changes. When I finished I was mentally stronger and had more consistent energy than I thought was possible. I felt more youthful because, well, I was by every measure. After getting my blood work done, I was able to see significant changes toward the positive in all areas, especially my cholesterol levels.
I was happier
Including daily exercise in my challenge caused my brain to regularly release endorphins which acted as natural painkillers and mood lifters. Exercise also offered me an escape from worrying about any frustrations or problems that I was facing because I was busy focusing on my body's movements.
Final Thoughts
After five consecutive years (minus 2020 when I broke down and needed pizza) of completing this 100-day challenge, the evidence is clear: setting clear, actionable goals and creating a system to achieve them will lead to incredible results. While the immediate rewards of increased productivity, improved health, and enhanced mood are evident, the deeper benefits — a reinforced sense of self-worth, discipline, and the ability to harness one's potential — are the real gold.
To everyone pondering the leap into such a challenge in 2024: Your future self will thank you. The satisfaction derived from personal growth, from seeing the fruits of discipline and effort, is a joy that every individual deserves to experience. So give it a try!
P.S. I’m currently looking for 3 more businesses to participate in our Slipstream beta program. We will help you identify, document, and systemize your core processes in Slipstream and give you an extended free trial (6 months!). Drop me a message on LinkedIn if you are interested!