A lot of what we do for fun includes a challenge – both doing and watching one. Think about a sports matchup: A group of people are yelling and having fun while watching other people trying to win.
There are lots of ways to have some fun by creating and achieving a goal. Finding new recipes and cooking them successfully is a challenge that many people like. Playing board games is also a challenge. Solving puzzles, visiting as many state parks as possible, and collecting coins are all fun challenges.
Libraries caught on to the fact that kids like a good challenge and instituted summer reading programs ages ago. For reading a certain number of books, you usually get a prize! If you, as an adult, are feeling left out of the book reading challenge, here is a link to a scratch-off poster of classic literature: https://www.popchartlab.com/collections/best-sellers/products/100-essential-novels-scratch-off-chart
I like building things. The picture above is a garden cart that I assembled; it took me most of one morning. I also love putting together furniture from IKEA! My son and I had a fun afternoon assembling a bed. My sister, on the other hand, can’t abide having to figure out the assembly directions.
The key is to find a challenge that resonates with you. It could be sewing a dress or refurbishing a car. You could prepare to run a marathon or to walk a mile. Collecting Pokemon with the app or as cards is a popular challenge for people of all ages.
There are two parts to creating a fun goal and achieving it. First is the process. If you enjoy the action, the doing is enjoyable. Then there is the satisfaction that you feel after accomplishing a goal that you worked hard to reach. For example, I enjoy unraveling the mystery of assembly directions, manually putting something together, and admiring my handiwork. It’s a series of enjoyment.
The possibilities are limitless! Perhaps a perfect cannonball is in my future. For an adventurous bit of summer fun, pick a challenge and go for it!
For a little bit of fun leadership development, join 53 Leadership Challenges at KathyStoddardTorrey.com.
Want to go further with your professional development? Check out the courses offered at PositiveEffectLeadership.com.
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