Try something new for 30 days | Matt Cutts

Summary

In this inspiring talk, the speaker shares his journey of embracing 30-day challenges to break out of a rut and enrich his life. He discovered that dedicating a month to new habits or activities not only made his time more memorable but also significantly boosted his self-confidence. From daily photography to writing a novel and biking to work, he learned the power of persistence and the importance of making sustainable changes. He encourages everyone to seize the next 30 days to try something new and potentially life-changing.

Takeaways

• 🔄 The 30-day challenge concept is about adding or removing a habit in one's life for a month to see if it sticks.
• 📸 Engaging in a 30-day challenge, such as taking a photo every day, makes the time memorable and enhances self-awareness.
• 🚴‍♂️ Challenging oneself with 30-day tasks can significantly boost self-confidence and lead to personal transformation.
• 🏔️ Even daunting goals like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro can be achieved by breaking them down into smaller, achievable steps.
• ✍️ Writing a novel in a month is possible by committing to write a set amount of words daily, demonstrating the power of consistent effort.
• 🌙 The speaker suggests a secret to completing tasks is to not allow oneself to sleep until the day's goal is met, highlighting the importance of discipline.
• 📚 Despite the quality of the novel not being the best, the speaker gained a new identity as a 'novelist', showing that the process is as important as the outcome.
• 🍬 Giving up sugar for 30 days is an example of a challenge that may not be sustainable, as the speaker reverted to old habits after the challenge ended.
• 🔄 Small, sustainable changes are more likely to become lasting habits than big, short-term challenges.
• 🤔 The speaker encourages the audience to consider what they've always wanted to try and to start a 30-day challenge to see if it becomes a habit.
• 👏 The applause at the end of the speech signifies the audience's appreciation for the motivational message shared by the speaker.

Q & A

What inspired the speaker to undertake 30-day challenges?

The speaker was inspired by the great American philosopher, Morgan Spurlock, and the desire to break out of a rut in life.

What is the significance of the 30-day period in forming or breaking habits?

The 30-day period is considered the right amount of time to either add a new habit or remove an existing one, such as watching the news.

How did the 30-day challenges affect the speaker's memory of the months?

The challenges made the months more memorable instead of them flying by and being forgotten, as the speaker took a picture every day for a month.

What impact did the 30-day challenges have on the speaker's self-confidence?

The challenges helped the speaker's self-confidence to grow, transforming from a desk-dwelling computer nerd to someone who bikes to work for fun and even hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro.

What is the secret to completing a 50,000-word novel in 30 days according to the speaker?

The secret is to write 1,667 words a day for a month and not to go to sleep until the daily word count is achieved.

How did the speaker's attempt at writing a novel change their self-perception?

The speaker no longer has to identify solely as a computer scientist but can also consider themselves a novelist.

What did the speaker learn about making sustainable changes through their 30-day challenges?

The speaker learned that small, sustainable changes are more likely to stick compared to big, crazy challenges.

What was the immediate effect of the speaker giving up sugar for 30 days?

On day 31, after giving up sugar for 30 days, the speaker indulged in sugar again, illustrating the difficulty of maintaining big changes.

What is the speaker's call to action for the audience?

The speaker encourages the audience to think about something they've always wanted to try and to give it a shot for the next 30 days.

What is the underlying message of the speaker's 30-day challenges?

The underlying message is that one can achieve significant personal growth and change by committing to a challenge for a focused period of time.

Why is the speaker's approach to the 30-day challenges considered effective?

The approach is effective because it provides a clear timeframe for achieving a goal, allows for the formation of habits, and encourages personal growth and reflection.