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.

If you are interested in taking your career to the next level quickly, contact me for a sample coaching session at KSTorrey@tapferconsulting.com.