I enjoy challenges with my hobbies, actions, mind, and body.
In December 2023, I published for 30 days straight. I struggled to come up with new topics or explore ideas. So I chose the obvious solution - Document my day for 30 days straight. Like a public diary. Or text logs.
There were days my body couldn’t move after an intense cricket match. Or the nights I was out with friends till 4 a.m. I still published at five in the morning.
This period allowed me to connect closely with my readers. Some of you started your day with my logs. Some texted me at 1 a.m. asking if everything was okay or if I had missed publishing.
In February 2025, I decided to quit sugar for 50 days.
I had a sweet tooth, and stress eating was a huge problem. I tried restricting my habits, reducing the portion sizes of my ice cream cups, etc. I couldn’t follow.
So I took a stricter route that works for me. Quit all kinds of sugar for 50 days. No added sugars, no snacks, nothing. Only sugars allowed were from fruits or ORS (WHO formula) for my cricket matches.
I stopped the challenge after 60 days. The increase in energy levels was insane, and it is by far one of the most satisfying challenges.
In August 2025, I started a 100-day workout routine.
It’s simple: work out for 100 days straight. It’s my new hard thing.
What qualifies as a workout? Gym, cricket training session, match, and swim. Runs and Badminton if my ankle heals from a sprain.
On busy or travel days, I do the bare minimum to qualify: 50 pushups, 150 squats, 50 burpees, 5000 steps, and planks as long as I can. Not more than 20 bare minimum days allowed.
I have colour-coded my tracker to add gamification. Coloring Goku and hanging it on my wall is my reward. I only get to colour Goku once I’ve finished the challenge successfully.
Why challenge yourself?
It brings freshness to my otherwise boring life. It gives me an activity to look forward to.
It helps me obtain a sense of accomplishment and to master discipline and routines to achieve short-term goals. It helps my confidence. That I can choose tough battles and win.
I started experimenting when I realised I work well in extremes and a limited set of days.
If you ask me to have the same routine for six months straight, I’d rot out of boredom. I usually like streaks of high performance. Then I rest for some days until I find my next curious experiment.
Is this good? Or even healthy?
I don’t know.
Words like moderation and balance seem like the right things. If a genie grants me a wish to choose between extremes and moderation, I’ll probably say moderation.
But I am learning to ride the tide and not swim against it.
As much as I’d love to adopt moderation everywhere, I realised I could categorise balanced activities from extremes. Example, I can have a night out with friends and get back to my sleep cycle the next day. But I can’t have a cheat meal and get back to eating healthy as quickly.
So instead of applying moderation in all places, I decided to use extremes in segments where I perform better in extremes.
Where does this take me? What happens after the challenge?
There are usually phases. Sometimes the momentum helps me carry the discipline. Sometimes I relapse into old habits for a short period. But getting back up is always easier than it was before the experiment.
Do I recommend it? It’s sensitive and personal - I wouldn’t push you to be in extreme streaks and put you in an uncomfortable situation.
But I’ll say one thing. Commitment is sexy. Finishing what you say you will do is one of the most powerful dopamine hits you experience.
The endgame day, when you know it’s the last day and you WILL get it done, is exciting.
We rarely appreciate ourselves. Challenges increase the probability of looking at the mirror with pride and satisfaction.