Funding the enemy
Time allotted for the challenge:
- 1 month – ∞
How to complete the challenge:
”Why does everything bad for me feel so good?” Unfortunately, we as people are prone to indulging in certain vices that can hinder us on our journey to greatness. Merriam Webster defines greatness as being “something of exceptionally high quality.” I don’t know about you, but living an exceptionally high-quality life and being the best version of me is of the utmost importance. Why are cupcakes taking my 6 pack away? Why must tobacco, alcohol, sex, and coffee be so addictive? Everything that feels good just isn’t always the best for us. That’s why we need to just say no, right? Easier said when on the outside looking in. Habits are not that easily broken because just as we spent so much time developing bad habits we need to spend equal time combating them. The basics of the traditional habit loop that exist in all of us go as follows: “
- Cue. A trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode, and which routine to use.
- Routine. Physical, mental, or emotional behavior that follows the cue.
- Reward. A positive stimulus that tells your brain that the routine works well, and is worth remembering.”
However, knowing is only half the battle. Finding a new habit and reward system to replace the current habit system in place takes some discipline and mental willingness to change. What if you were told that if you ate carry out outside of your cheat day $100 would be taken out of your account and sent to ISIS? You might rethink that quick stop at that pizza chain you love. The vices may vary, but the principles remain the same. Creating more accountability is the name of the game. So the challenge works as follows:
- Choose a bad habit that you wanna change, and choose a person that you can trust that will hold you accountable throughout the challenge. (please choose a person that is truly trustworthy and will hold you accountable.)
- Research a group, organization, or person that would be the last person/ persons that you would ever want to support in any fashion. During the research process ensure that you find a way that they could receive funding (i.e. go fund me, cash app, fundraisers,etc}.
- Write a check (a minimum of 10% of your paycheck) out to that person/ group, and hand it over to the chosen trusted person. Inform them of the challenge and how by holding you accountable they are helping you become the best version of you, and emphasize how they are the best person to help you with the task (people like to feel valued and appreciated the appeal to this innate emotion).
- Lastly, inform them that the check is to be sent out to the person/ persons if you fail to uphold your commitment of restraining from the chosen bad habit.
- DO YOUR BEST!
Keys to ensuring the challenge is met:
- Find a positive replacement for former bad habits (for example former smokers find after quitting smoking they don’t know what to do with their hands. Try keeping a pen and pad handy on your person or in your desk. When the temptation arises instead of reaching for a cigarette write down your reasons for giving up smoking.
- Choose a reward to gift to yourself to celebrate for each day/ week/ month/ year you have been freed from that old bad habit. (examples such as candy, dinner at your favorite restaurant, an annual vacation, etc.)
- Use a calendar to mark off each day you live free of that habit (this could help you keep track of your progress. In addition, by tracking your progress you are more likely to continue on the righteous path because no one wants to feel like their efforts were in vain.
- Keep in mind that the difference in the quality of life you live and want to live is completely in your hands. So by ridding yourself of the bad habit, you are becoming the person of your own dreams.
What is gained by doing the challenge:
This exercise will help you break free of those habits that you are not so proud of, and help mold you into what you envision being best for your life. Remember you picked up the habit based on where you were in your life at that particular point, but you no longer live there anymore. That former bad habit doesn’t exist with you anymore either. Just think about it, if you purchased a couch back in your freshman year of college for your dorm room would you still be using that same couch 20 years into a marriage? No, you wouldn’t, well unless you are a hoarder. The couch was fitting at the time and now you and your life has evolved since then. So don’t be a hoarder and live life on your terms.