If you're looking for a little bit of extra accountability and a great way to work towards your goals, check out @Joshua Haag 's post here: /end-of-summer-lock-in-challenge Meeting tonight! :)

There's a concept called a 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐠i which is a personal challenge so meaningful and difficult that there is a real possibility of failure (like 50% likelihood of failure even if you do everything 'right'). The goal of this isn't necessarily achievement, but the transformation that happens along the way. While the challenge itself may be physical in nature, the real test ends up being mental, emotional and spiritual. It basically has two rules: 1. 1.Make the task extremely challenging (with a 50/50 chance of failure/success) 2. 2. Do not die We live in a society where 'rites of passage' have been pushed aside. Helicopter parenting and now snowplow parenting have taken a front seat and both of these have had an interesting impact on our ability to handle tough situations. Tough situations that arise as part of living in a world where things aren't perfect. This is not to shame individuals that engage in these type of behaviors. These behaviors often come from a place of good intentions but also, often, from a place of fear. It seems that research (and seeing others' lived experience) shows that the 'right amount of challenge' is really needed for optimal growth. For us to feel capable, equipped, a sense of (healthy) pride and adequacy. A sense of "I can do it (or at least try), even if it's challenging...even if I will fail". From a psychological perspective, a Misogi works because it challenges some of our most common patterns: 1. 1. 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: We naturally try to avoid discomfort, uncertainty, and situations where we might feel inadequate. The problem is that avoiding discomfort can also mean avoiding growth. A Misogi asks: "What would I attempt if I wasn't organizing my life around avoiding failure?" 1. 2.𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲: Many of us protect the identity we have created: "I'm not athletic," "I'm not creative," "I'm not a leader," "I'm not someone who does hard things." A meaningful challenge gives us the opportunity to rewrite the narrative that we've clung to.

Inspiration for this post: Been reading "𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐧: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 101 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝" and also having discussions around how seemingly 'good' people make some really harmful (at times deadly) decisions. I think that one of the assumptions that we make is that "good moral people" always make good morally sound decisions. I often say to myself "Never say never" because given the 'right' (or wrong) lethal combination of factors, even the best people can be taken down... Our behavior is shaped by far more than our values alone. And....if we're not attentive to our inner workings, we are more inclined to get into situations that are not aligned with our values. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞/𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲: -Stress and emotional overload can shrink our ability to think long-term (we can get tunnel vision and see less options/solutions) -Unmet needs (belonging, validation, safety, control, purpose, fulfillment) can push us toward unhealthy coping strategies; I can't emphasize this point enough! -Cognitive dissonance leads us to justify behaviors that don't fit our self-image ("I had no choice," "They deserved it," "This is different." "Everyone else is doing it" "No one is really being harmed for real" "what they don't know won't hurt them" "Other people are doing something that is worse") -Habits and conditioning often run on autopilot long before conscious thought catches up (this is why introspection and intentionality matter) -Group influence (and authority) can normalize behaviors we'd never consider alone -Fear, shame, or trauma can trigger protective responses that make sense psychologically, even when they're harmful. There are many things at play that influence our decision making. I think it's important to be aware and to navigate from that place. Character isn't just revealed by our mistakes but it's also revealed by how we respond to those mistakes.