A number of writers, reality show participants, journalists, and general self-experimenters seem to be making radical immersions into a particular community or task. This guy decides to wear nothing but denim for the next twelve months. That guy plans to eat nothing but broccoli for a year. And so forth.
These immersive transformations can be very illuminating even for people who aren’t going to dedicate every waking moment to their own improvement goals or challenges.
So here are 6 tips from those immersive obsessives that you can implement today in your own life:
- Select a topic that truly obsesses you, one you are deeply passionate about. Obviously, improving social skills and becoming adept social artists is passion for most of you.
- Go into the project with the understanding that yes, there will be challenging and difficult times. Nothing worthwhile is every easy. So expect to feel frustrated, depressed, and exhausted at times. But realize that the overall experience will be so positive that the moments of frustration are worth it.
- Set small, attainable goals to help you make progress. A similar option is to establish timel periods for your immersion, like Jacobs did when he decided to live biblically for one year.
- Make a commitment to yourself to finish. Never accept the idea of giving up.
- Keep a journal and take notes so you can review what works well, what doesn’t, and what you experience as you proceed with the project. This information will help you make changes along the way to improve your experience and also help you decide what to incorporate into your life after the project is complete.
- Be unafraid of embarrassment or other people’s judgment. Concentrate on your experience and the good that will come of it.
