Men. Intelligent. ^{© 2016}

Challenge #1

IMPORTANT: This is IntelliMen 2.0.

If you want to join the Project and get the best results, begin with the 53 Challenges.

 

Challenge: Identify and overcome the resistance that is impeding you from doing what you need to do.

Explanation: What is it that you know you should be doing, but don’t do? All of us have a type of internal compass, a voice of our conscience that periodically reminds us of something we should do. You know this voice well because you’ve heard it thousands of times. Though you try to silence it, it insists, it bothers you even when you’re trying to sleep. It’s a voice through which God speaks.

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21 MEV)

(Obviously, if you are hearing voices that want to lead you off the right path, they have nothing to do with God… Rebuke them.)

Think about this: how marvelous and useful it is to have this mechanism built right into us to pull us back onto the right path! This means that at any moment, we instinctively know what we need to do. The problem is that we do not always pay attention to this voice — and almost every time we hear it, a certain resistance to it arises. “Not now.” “I’ll do that later.” “I’ll begin on Monday, for sure.” “First let me check my Facebook.”

It seems like I’m speaking about procrastination, but it’s much more than that. The problem is much deeper. What causes the resistance to our internal voice can be linked to fear, stress, insecurity, doubts about yourself, or any other good excuse. Fear of commitment, fear of making a mistake, fear of starting and not finishing, fear of what people will think. Stress from so many other things competing for our attention. Doubts about our ability to do a good job. Distractions and easier, more pleasant activities that could be done first. They seem trivial, and yet they create a resistance so strong that for months or years we keep avoiding what we need to do.

This month you will have only one challenge, which comes in three parts:

1. Identify your internal voice and what it has been asking you to do
2. Identify the source of the resistance to what your internal voice is asking
3. Overcome the resistance, start doing what you need to do and see it through to the end

It’s impossible to do this challenge while you’re distracted by other things. You need to set aside some undistracted time, in a private place, with your pen and notebook in hand.

Notebook: Make a short prayer asking God to help you to hear His voice. Think about the constant reminders that come to your mind about important things that need to be done. There is probably more than one thing, maybe even ten… Write down everything that comes to mind, and for now don’t worry about what they are.

After you have this list, analyze it thoroughly. What is the most important and rewarding of them all? Be firm and start eliminating those that can wait. Circle the one that stands out — the one that is almost jumping off the page. “I’m your top priority!” That’s the one you need to immediately do something about. Decide what your next step will be.

Official Buddy: After you have done the challenge, arrange a time to speak with your Buddy about the experience. How long have you been resisting this internal voice? What was the source of the resistance? What did you both learn through this challenge?

Deadline: This challenge can be started immediately and concluded in 28 days, before challenge #2.

Posting: After — and only after — you have concluded this challenge and spoken with your Buddy, post your comments on the IntelliMen Facebook page (not your personal page) or on Twitter, with this heading:

IntelliMen 2.0 #challenge1 completed: I identified what my internal voice has been requesting and overcame all resistance. (Add any other comments with respect to this.)

Links:

www.facebook.com/IntelliMenWorld
www.twitter.com/intellimenworld (when you post on Twitter, use @intelliMenWorld in your message)

 

Verification checklist

☐ I set aside time to meditate and act on this challenge
☐ I made notes in my Notebook
☐ I spoke with my Buddy about this challenge
☐ I posted my comments on Facebook/Twitter

 

Phrases:

 

There are times when silence has the loudest voice. — Leroy Brownlow

 

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