Over the last couple of years, it’s safe to say that I’ve become a big daily streaks fan.
It all started 2 years ago when I found myself in the worst shape of my life. My brother had passed one year earlier and I knew he would not be happy that I’d let myself slide.
I challenged myself to exercise 30 minutes per day & give up alcohol for 38 straight days on the one year anniversary of his passing. I called it the #Overcome38 challenge and it was inspired by his passion for fitness and his fight to overcome addiction. 38 is how many years he lived & he had OVERCOME tattooed on his right bicep.
As I shared my daily streak on Facebook for accountability, others asked if they could take the challenge too.
I’ve now cheered and watched 70+ complete the #38-day challenge as they also shared their journies on social media. Many of the finishers have made longterm lifestyle changes and used the challenge as a foundation for bigger and better things.
A few months after my first 38-day challenge, I’d slid back into the worst shape of my life thanks in part to almost cutting the tip of my finger off in the Bahamas. Once my finger was fully healed, I decided to do the challenge again, but this time for much longer.
I ended up exercising every day and giving up alcohol for 380 days. During the 380 days, I lost 40 lbs, ran my fastest 5k time ever, benched pressed 300 lbs, and was able to do 22 wide grip pull-ups. Thanks to the extended daily streak of exercise and not drinking, I made a transformation that I’d convinced myself was not possible at age 43.
The coolest part though is that my love for daily streaks has rubbed off on my 11-year-old daughter Cobi. She was one of the finishers of the #Overcome38 challenge. (She gave up candy)
As you will see in the videos below, Cobi has gone on to apply daily streaks to her passion for dance & gymnastics. She proves that if you want to get better at something or want to create a new habit, then challenge yourself to do that one thing every day for at least 30 days.
Cobi Tucker Is Proving The Power Of Daily Streaks
Cobi’s 30 Day Hand Walking Challenge
To start the year, Cobi set the goal to be able to walk on her hands. She thought it would be cool to do plus it is great for her core strength.
For the month of January 2018, She challenged herself to practice hand walking for 15 minutes every day. For accountability, she shared her daily practice on Instagram Stories.
When she made the commitment, she could take 2 – 3 steps on her hands. By day 31, she was able to walk on her hands for 18 seconds at a time.
Here is the video showing how much she improved with just 15 minutes of practice for 31 days in a row: Daily Streaks work!
Cobi’s 30-Days of Turns challenge
Going into her national dance competition, Cobi decided that she really wanted to nail her turns in her solo. She challenged herself to practice turns for 15 minutes every day for 30 days in addition to her regularly scheduled dance practices.
For accountability and to document the journey, she shared her daily 15 minutes of practice on her Instagram Stories.
She created this compilation video that shows her daily practice. Watch until the end, so you can see her nail her turns on the big stage at nationals.
What an awesome life skill to learn at age 11! Want to learn something new or get better at something? Consistent daily practice works and it is amazing how fast the cumulative practice adds up to noticeably better results. She also has learned the importance to stick to a commitment and make it happen no matter what.
Use Daily Streaks To Learn A New Skill Or Start A New Habit
Want to be a better writer? Get better at video or photography? Or just get stronger?
Challenge yourself to write one blog post a day for 30 days straight. Or challenge yourself to create one video a day for 30 days. 15 – 30 minutes every day adds up. You will start to get into the daily habit while at the same time improving at the skill.
In case you want a second opinion before venturing out into your own daily streak, Jerry Seinfeld is also a daily streaker. He calls it his ‘Don’t break the chain’ Method for creative productivity.
Publically share your challenge on social media and check in each day to share your journey for accountability and feedback. As Cobi proved on her to challenges this year, it really works!