Charge Session #8: CHALLENGE - Push Yourself to Grow
Hello, Dr. Howard Dennis here, your certified High Performance coach. We've been working through the Charge Sessions, and today we're diving into Charge Session #8: CHALLENGE .
What's interesting is that in our Ultra group with Brendan Burchard, we've been talking a lot about preferences —and how we need to challenge ourselves to take that next step forward, even when it's uncomfortable.
Today we're going through six powerful questions that will help you journal out where you are with challenge and where you need to grow.
Grab your journal. Let's get going.
Two Goals for Today
- Discover how you engage your drive for challenge
- Direct that drive in the most useful ways and apply it to your life
Sometimes taking that step forward is challenging. And I'm talking about being proactive .
We're all faced with challenges throughout our day. But remember: High performance is always about exceeding norms regularly while maintaining positive health and positive relationships.
If we're really going to grow ourselves and activate our brains, we need to think about how we can challenge ourselves intentionally .
My Voice Lesson Challenge
I remember deciding I was going to take voice lessons for eight weeks. I took a voice lesson class just to stretch myself.
I'm not sure it improved me much, but it sure challenged me when I went in there. And it caused me to grow. It was one of the best things that happened to me.
Now I have a much better appreciation for those who sing professionally. I've got many patient members and client members who participate in adult choirs and things like that. I really look up to them because it's not as easy as it may seem .
That's the power of challenge—it stretches you in ways you didn't expect.
Rate Yourself on Challenge
Here's the statement. I want you to rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 based on how much you agree:
"I push myself at home and at work to be a better person. I often attempt difficult things. I look forward to a challenge. I make bold moves and I bounce back after setbacks and stay persistent."
How well do you agree with that statement? And why is that your rating?
Journal this out. Be honest with yourself.
Six Powerful Questions About Challenge
1. What challenges are you taking right now that are really energizing you?
What are you doing that's hard but makes you feel alive?
For me, it's getting up at 5:00 AM here in freezing northeast Tennessee and doing my workouts in my garage gym. It challenges me every single morning. But by the time the morning's over, I feel great for it .
What challenges in your life are energizing you right now?
2. What challenges are you facing right now that you don't really like?
Be honest. What's draining you?
3. What challenges are draining you?
Not all challenges feel good. Some just wear you down. Identify them.
4. How are you meeting these challenges?
Are you showing up with strength and optimism? Or are you dragging your feet?
5. Do you feel like you're complaining a lot to others or to yourself?
Are you being negative around people? Are you expressing frustration all the time?
If so, that's a sign you need to shift your approach.
6. How could you meet these challenges with more honor and optimism?
This is the key question. How can you reframe how you're approaching difficulty?
Challenge Your Preferences
I was talking earlier about our preferences .
Sometimes we can deal with a lot of people, but we can't deal with them very long.
Sometimes we don't want to deal with a lot of people at all.
But here's the growth opportunity: How can you step into that and challenge yourself to become better?
What is it you can do to go forward? What challenge can you make yourself do right now that will really help you grow a notch?
The Six Arenas of Life
Think about the six arenas of life:
- Health
- Relationships
- Mission
- Contributions
- Finances
- Hobbies
What can you do to challenge yourself to go forward right now in one of these areas?
Issue that challenge to yourself and watch your brain light up . Watch yourself become someone new in a better way.
Take Action Today
If you're still stuck in spin mode and you're not taking anything on, let me give you our FREE 5 Step Clarity Blueprint .
Simply text "CLARITY" to 423.460.9757 and we'll send that free blueprint out to you.
Just go out there today and challenge yourself to do something good .
We can at least do one good thing today .
Final Thought
High performers don't wait for challenges to come to them. They seek them out . They create them . They lean into discomfort because that's where growth lives.
What's your next challenge?
Dr. Howard Dennis, CHPC
Your Certified High Performance Coach
Go be your best.