#28Better

The restart modal on the #75Hard app reads as follows, “You didn't mark everything complete. That means either you did the work and forgot to check everything off, or you let your inner bitch voice beat you.”

Looking past the lazy use of profanity, something about that messaging didn't sit well with me. I do not find that shame is a good motivator. Guilt is good, it keeps us accountable to what we hold as truth, however, shame is corrosive, and often contributes to a diminished view of ourselves.

Early computers were very large. The term, “computer room” was literal, computers were the size of a room! As we learned to miniaturise computing components we would up with the computers we now keep in our front pockets, which are multitudes more powerful than the Apollo Guidance Computer.
The #75Hard challenge quickly began to feel just as clunky and dated, as if performing surgery with a hacksaw instead of a scalpel. I prefer accuracy; as Israel Adesanya would put it, “I don't swing and hope. I aim and shoot!”
This inspired me to come up with a more refined challenge, which I dubbed, #28Better. A 28-day challenge that can be repeated 12 times a year, with built-in review and integration periods, each time working to improve upon a specific virtue or skill.

The guidelines

1. Pick a virtue or skill to invest in: I have selected 2 virtues, moderation & discipline.
2. Select a habit specific to the virtue or skill, which can be repeated daily: Since I’ve committed to 2 virtues, I have chosen 2 habits — moving my body for 45 minutes & not drinking alcohol from Monday till Thursday, and NOT drinking to the point of intoxication on the remaining days.
3. Track and document these habits daily: Daily check-ins for the duration of the challenge, including on days you fail to complete a habit — no restarts for failed attempts.

The #28Better challenge seeks to improve on 2 aspects of #75Hard — avoiding the overcorrection that usually follows a time of prolonged deprivation and the all too common general pursuit of self-improvement.

I start my challenge today, 2nd August 2021, and if this sounds like something up your alley — join me! Let's take the next 28 days as an opportunity to become better, with intention and grace.