It’s been a few months since I did a monthly challenge. Admittedly, my progress has slowed a bit. To spark growth, I’ve decided to do a December challenge. If you are new to the challenge or need a reminder, read on:

Pick one thing to work on for the next month. I suggest you go 1 of 2 ways:

1. Something at which you have some skill, but you want to be better. This might be less challenging to start, but it might also be more difficult to improve.
2. An area in which you have little skill that you have been avoiding. It might take more motivation to get started, but will likely be easier to improve.

You could pick something you always wanted to try, spruce up skills that have been languishing or take a crack at that dreaded area that has been holding you back. Not sure what to do? If you could improve anything you wanted in the next 30 days, what would you choose?

Once you identify your focus, describe how you would know you have improved. Then brainstorm some ideas of things you can try to improve (e.g., read about it, take a course, practice a skill). Identify a few items to start, you can develop additional ideas as you progress.

Each day of the month try one of your ideas. Reflect on how well it worked and what you learned. Use each day to inform your practice for the next day. Miss a day? No worries, pick back up the following day.

At the end of the month reassess to see how much you have improved, what you learned throughout the month and how this will change your approach going forward.

For the December challenge, my friend Duncan shared an inspiring idea:

• Your current results show what you’ve BEEN committed to… and who you WERE
• Your current ACTIONS show you what you ARE committed to… and who you are BECOMING

We decided to do the challenge together to increase accountability. We’re going to make a diary of actions/thoughts/emotions each day and then ask, “What do these actions tell me about who I’ve committed to become?”

Are you ready to grow? What’s your December challenge?