This is a collaborative post
We’ve all heard the advice: to achieve your big goals, you need to start with small steps. In fact, I’ve written about it here in Even Just A Little Is Worth It.
You’re not becoming incredibly fit overnight—start by simply going to the gym at least once a week.
You’re not becoming a bookworm overnight either— start by reading at least a few pages every few days.
You’re not going to (finally) fix your body clock either—you’ll have to start with waking up just slightly earlier than you usually do.
But what if—and hear me out—what if you took these small steps without some grand destination in mind? What if you just did it for their sake?
Those are called micro-challenges, and they can be an absolute game changer for personal growth.
What Are Micro-Challenges?
Micro-challenges are simply small, bite-sized goals or challenges. But here’s the thing: they don’t have to be part of a broader goal to achieve something larger. In fact, I’d argue that it’s often better for them not to be part of grander goals.
For example, a micro-challenge can be walking 15 minutes a day. And that’s it. It’s not part of a grander plan to eventually run a marathon or regularly walk 10,000 steps every day.
Or doing 10 push-ups a day without it being some part of an elaborate plan to become strong enough for the gym.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t eventually move on to those larger goals after improving from these micro-challenges, however. But to start, it’s often better to begin without heavier commitments.
Think of them as self-contained mini-experiments for self-improvement.
Why Micro-Challenges Work
The beauty of micro-challenges lies in how simple and accessible they are. Here’s why they work so well.
Less Overwhelming
A huge goal can feel intimidating (and if you fail them, your self-esteem plummets and you’ll be less motivated to set more goals). A tiny challenge with no other expectations? Far, far more doable.
Quick Wins
Success, on the other hand, sparks momentum, builds confidence, and breeds motivation—no matter how small that success is. When you accomplish something small, you’re more likely to keep going (and pursue those larger goals).
Builds Consistency
Smaller actions are easier to turn into habits. In my experience, these micro-challenges are more effective at building habits than implementing swooping changes in your life.
Encourages Experimentation
If a challenge doesn’t work for you, no big deal! You don’t have to commit to it. You can tweak it or try something new.
Multi-tasking Capacity
Focusing on a big goal may leave you with little time or energy to pursue others. But you can always work on several micro-challenges at once!
Micro-Challenges to Try
Ready to start? Here are some five micro-challenges across different areas of life:
1. Physical Health
- Walk for twenty minutes a day: Bring your dog or do your mindless social media scrolling during this time!
- 10 push-ups a day: If you can’t do a proper push-up yet, search for easier variations.
- Eat one piece of fruit a day: Extra points for swapping sweets for fruits.
- Stretch for 2 minutes in the morning: A little mobility goes a long way.
- Drink one more glass of water: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
2. Mental Growth
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- Read 5 pages a day: If even 5 pages is too much, start with 5 paragraphs!
- Journal for 2 minutes: Write a quick reflection or gratitude note—even a sentence or two counts!
- Solve one puzzle or brain teaser daily: Keep your brain sharp and help prevent dementia.
- Learn one new word a day: You may not remember every single word, but you’ll remember at least some of them!
- Try a 1-minute meditation: Close your eyes, breathe, and reset.
3. Productivity & Habits
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- The 5-minute rule: If it takes less than five minutes, do it now—like right now!
- Declutter one item daily: A tiny step toward a tidier space.
- No phone for the first 10 minutes after waking up: Go brush your teeth first, maybe?
- Write down 3 priorities for the day: Failing to plan is planning to fail, after all!
- Learn something small but new about your job: Upskilling is the key to a long-term career!
4. Social & Emotional Growth
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- Give one genuine compliment a day: Brightening someone else’s day can help brighten yours, too!
- Text an old friend: Reconnect in a low-pressure way.
- Surround yourself with other people regularly: Even if you don’t interact with them.
- Listen without interrupting: Listen to understand; don’t listen to respond!
- Say “no” to one thing: Protect your time and energy (if you’re a recovering people pleaser like me, this ias a game-changer).
5. Digital Well-being
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- Limit social media use to 30-60 minutes a day: And do so purposefully! (Like watching educational videos, connecting with loved ones, or indulging in your passions). Skip all the other distractions!
- Unsubscribe from unwanted emails: Isn’t a clean, fully-read inbox just so soothing to look at?
- Use a VPN for one week: Protect your online privacy and enhance security while browsing (if you don’t know what a VPN is, click here for an information source).
- Delete unused and detrimental apps: So you get less distracted.
- Delete redundant and unwanted photos: So you can easily see the important ones!
How to Stick to Micro-Challenges
Don’t be fooled, though. Even small challenges still require effort. Here’s how to make them stick more effectively.
- Pick Something Fun or Useful: Challenges that are fun or beneficial are easier to do.
- Make It Visible and Track them: Keep reminders on sticky notes, your phone, or even a dedicated habit tracker.
- Start Ridiculously Small: Yes, start small, even with small goals. The easier it feels at first, the more likely you are to continue.
- Celebrate Wins: Even if it’s just a mental high-five, acknowledging your success can help keep you going.
Final Thoughts
Don’t these sound extremely doable? Pick a few today and just give it a shot. See where it takes you! If you don’t keep up with it, no biggie. You can pivot to another one or even try again sometime soon.
Trust me, these micro-challenges can have a macro-sized impact on your life (see what I did there?
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post