The Mindful Nepali

A close friend recently asked if I would be interested in partaking in a challenge she had come to know of through the web. Before resorting to asking her what the challenge was, I contemplated in those brief seconds about what a challenge really means to me.

As I come to think of it, being thrown down a challenge is nothing more than someone telling you that you can grow into better version of yourself than you what you are right now. Through some tangible rewards, you become motivated to pursue this challenge in a bid to prove yourself. But if you are someone who is into living intentionally, it is crucial to understand who is it that you are proving your worth to. If you delve a little closer, you will realize that the challenger is none other than your own self who wants you to become like him/her. Maybe a better writer through a 30 day writing challenge (what my friend proposed) or a more ambitious version of you who plans to retire by 30.

A significant aspect of leading an intentional life is knowing what you want- what for you are essentials and what are superfluous. So then, when you are intentional, you will come to see how some challenges are not worth pursuing because they don’t align with the values you identify with- I can’t resonate with retiring by 30 but to be writing daily is much more meaningful to me, for my goal is to help people express themselves better.

In summary, the two challenges would look something like this (for me and not necessarily everyone)
1. Challenge #1

Task: Write everyday for 30 days

Perceived Goal: To become a better writer

Challenger: A better writer in Sagar Satyal

Aligned with my values: Yes

Accept/Decline: Accept

2. Challenge #2

Task: Retire at 30

Perceived Goal: Prove to the world you’ve made it

Challenger: A status anxious Sagar Satyal

Aligned with my values: No

Accept/Decline: Decline

We live in a world where it is easy to forget what we really want (mostly because we haven’t stopped by to think about it) and get caught up in the rat race. But living an intentional life means knowing what you want, why you want it, and only then going about tackling meaningful challenges life throws at us.

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