The Big Year Challenges

L

Lucas

Gold League

168 challenges saved

Saved Challenges (168)

Wrath of Nature

Plan and execute a deliberate trip to observe a significant severe weather event in progress. This isn't about stumbling across bad weather - you need to use forecasting tools to identify an incoming event, travel to witness it, and document the experience as a storm chaser would.

IDEK

Learn to Walk on Your Hands

Learn to walk on your hands and complete at least 10 steps

Weeks

Go Shooting and Hit the Target

PhysicalAchievement46 pts

Go to a shooting range and hit the bullseye/target

Hours

Play Night Games Until 1am

Play night games with 6 or more friends until 1am

Hours

Karaoke at a Crowded Bar

SocialCreative22 pts

Do a karaoke performance at a bar filled with people

Hours

No Eating Out for 2+ Weeks

Growth/Self117 pts

Avoid eating out at restaurants for 2 or more weeks

Weeks

Set a PR Mile Time

PhysicalAchievement115 pts

Set a personal record mile time for running

Weeks

Build a Complex App with AI

AchievementCreative22 pts

Build a complex functional app using AI tools

Weeks

Science Fair Project

CreativeAchievement44 pts

Do a science fair project like in elementary school: form a hypothesis experiment and present findings on a tri-fold board to more than 2 people. An official science fair Big Year event can happen later this year if there is popular demand.

Weeks

Get Ham Radio Certified

Achievement59 pts

Get your ham radio certification

Weeks

Do a 5-Minute Plank

Hold a plank position for 5 continuous minutes

Weeks

Get Up Before 7am for 2 Weeks

Growth/Self29 pts

Get up before 7am every day for 2 consecutive weeks

Weeks

Stop a Bad Habit Permanently

Growth/Self106 pts

Entirely stop performing a bad habit that annoys you (skin picking nail biting etc.)

Months

Publish Daily Writing for 30 Days

CreativeAchievement150 pts

Publish a piece of writing every day for 30 days on a blog or platform

Months

Ask 50 People on Dates

SocialGrowth/Self82 pts

Ask 50 people on dates (or if partnered ask 50 people to hang out)

Months

Compete in Ragnar

PhysicalAchievement46 pts

Compete in a Ragnar relay race

Months

Drink Recommended Water for a Month

PhysicalGrowth/Self61 pts

Drink at least your recommended amount of water each day for a month (half your body weight in pounds as ounces)

Months

See the Northern Lights

Growth/Self47 pts

See the northern lights (aurora borealis) in person

IDEK

Leave a Geocache

CreativeAchievement23 pts

Leave a geocache for someone else to find

Hours

Achievement8 pts

Go geocaching and find caches

Hours

Peer Review Someone's Essay

SocialGrowth/Self27 pts

Peer review someone else's essay with genuine feedback

Hours

PhysicalAbsurd10 pts

Complete a milk mile (run a mile drink a gallon of milk in intervals) or vegan equivalent

Hours

Active Album Listen and Rank

Growth/SelfCreative8 pts

Listen to an entire album while doing nothing else then rank the songs

Hours

Jump Off a High Dive

PhysicalGrowth/Self68 pts

Jump off the high diving board at a local community pool

Hours

Tour a Water Treatment Facility

Growth/Self34 pts

Tour a water treatment facility

Hours

Go Ice Blocking

AbsurdSocial25 pts

Go ice blocking down a grassy hill

Hours

Eat 20-Cereal Bowl

Eat a bowl of cereal containing at least 20 different types of cereal

Hours

Eat an Entire Costco Item

Pick a food item at Costco and eat all of it in one sitting within 3 hours

Hours

Mindful Solo Meal

Growth/Self15 pts

Eat a meal by yourself while doing nothing else focusing only on the food

Hours

Movie Theater Solo

Growth/Self16 pts

See a movie at the theater alone

Hours

Run 1 Mile Barefoot

PhysicalAbsurd47 pts

Run 1 full mile completely barefoot

Hours

Make 5 Friendship Bracelets

CreativeSocial21 pts

Make 5 friendship bracelets and give them to your friends

Hours

Shave Your Head

Shave your head completely bald

Hours

Tour a History Museum

Growth/Self25 pts

Tour a history museum you haven't visited before

Hours

Propose to a Stranger

AbsurdSocial26 pts

Propose to a stranger and get them to pretend to say yes

Hours

Invent a New Recipe

Create and cook a completely original recipe

Hours

Ouija Board in a Graveyard

Use a ouija board in a graveyard or abandoned building

Hours

Create an Actionable 5-Year Plan

Growth/SelfAchievement36 pts

Create an actionable 5-year plan for career advancement and start taking meaningful action on it

Days

Write an Essay Analyzing a Creative Work

CreativeGrowth/Self17 pts

Write an essay analyzing a poem book or song like a high school English throwback

Days

Letter to Future Children

Growth/SelfCreative28 pts

Write a letter of 2000+ words to your future children meant to be opened when they reach the age you are right now

Days

Shadow a Career for a Day

AchievementGrowth/Self23 pts

Shadow someone for a day in a career field you've never tried before

Days

Sneak Into a College Class

AbsurdAchievement22 pts

Sit in on a random college class you're not enrolled in

Hours

7am Cold Plunge While Camping

PhysicalAbsurd35 pts

Do a 7am cold plunge while camping

Hours

Spend 6 Hours at the Library

Growth/Self19 pts

Spend 6 continuous hours at the library

Hours

Visit a Church of a Different Faith

Growth/Self13 pts

Visit a church of a faith different from your own (Mormon Catholic Buddhist etc.)

Hours

Run 1000 Miles in a Year

Run 1000 miles total in one year

Full Year

Host a Slumber Party

Host a slumber party for your friends where they actually sleep at your house

Days

Make a Snow Shelter and Sleep in It

PhysicalAbsurd36 pts

Build a snow shelter and sleep in it overnight. Take safety precautions.

Days

Stranger Dinner Party

Throw a party or dinner party where everyone is a stranger and aside from you no one knows anyone

Days

Stealth camp in an unauthorized location for at least one night

Days

Stoplight Conversations

SocialAbsurd19 pts

Have 10 conversations with people in the car next to you at stoplights

Days

Go Backpacking for 2+ Nights

PhysicalGrowth/Self43 pts

Go backpacking in the wilderness for at least 2 nights

Days

PhysicalSocial14 pts

Donate blood to a blood bank!

Hours

Go Vegetarian for a Week

Growth/SelfPhysical24 pts

Become vegetarian for a week with no meats

Days

Summit a Mountain over 14k feet

PhysicalAchievement103 pts

Reach the summit of any mountain over 14,000 feet in elevation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteener

Days

Drive a Very Large Vehicle

AbsurdAchievement20 pts

Get behind the wheel and drive a bus - semi truck - garbage truck - or other commercial-sized vehicle

Hours

Learn to Ride a Unicycle

PhysicalAchievement115 pts

Learn to ride a unicycle well enough to travel at least 50 feet without falling

Weeks

Cook a Meal for a Stranger

SocialGrowth/Self59 pts

Prepare a homemade meal and share it with someone you don't know personally

Hours

Learn to Do the Splits

Physical151 pts

Achieve a full front or side split through daily stretching

Full Year

Shadow Someone in Another Career

Achievement38 pts

Spend half a day+ observing someone in a field you're curious about

Days

Get Photo from Highest and Lowest Points in City

Take photos at both the highest and lowest elevation points in your city - including buildings and basements

Hours

Ask A Stranger for $100

AbsurdSocial21 pts

Ask a stranger if you can have $100

Hours

Bake Bread from Scratch

Make a loaf of bread completely from scratch (no bread machine)

Hours

Learn to Handstand

Learn to hold a freestanding handstand

Weeks

Gain or Lose 10 Pounds

Physical133 pts

Reach a weight goal of gaining or losing 10 pounds (whichever aligns with your health goals)

Full Year

Start a Business and Make $100 Profit

Achievement213 pts

Create a new business venture and generate at least $100 in actual revenue

Months

Have Conversation with Oldest Living Relative

SocialGrowth/Self46 pts

Have a meaningful conversation with your oldest living relative about their life

Hours

Take a Themed Photography Series

Take a series of at least 10 photos around a specific theme

IDEK

The Old Apology

Growth/Self36 pts

Apologize for something you did years ago with a genuine apology that asks nothing in return

Hours

Wear Shoes on Wrong Feet for Entire Day

Wear your left shoe on your right foot and vice versa for an entire waking day

Days

Earn a Verifiable Credential

Achievement117 pts

Complete a recognized certification or course with proof of completion

Days

Learn Fencing and Win a Bout

PhysicalAchievement147 pts

Take fencing lessons and win at least one bout in a sanctioned competition or tournament

Months

Attend a Holi Festival

SocialGrowth/Self13 pts

Attend and participate in a Holi festival (color festival)

Hours

Start a Nonprofit

AchievementGrowth/Self215 pts

Start a registered nonprofit organization and raise at least $1000 in donations

Months

CreativeAchievement200 pts

Write an original novel or novella of at least 50000 words

Months

Take a Long-Distance Train Ride

Growth/Self34 pts

Ride Amtrak or equivalent train to a destination more than 12 hours away

Days

Delete a Social Media Account

Growth/Self55 pts

Permanently delete one of your social media accounts (Instagram - TikTok - Twitter - Facebook - etc.)

Hours

Sunrise to Sunset Outdoors

Growth/SelfPhysical20 pts

Spend an entire day from sunrise to sunset outdoors without going inside for any reason

Days

Try a Combat Sport

Attend at least 3 classes in a combat sport you've never trained (boxing - jiu jitsu - muay thai - wrestling - etc.)

Weeks

Hold an Unfamiliar Animal

Physically interact with or hold an animal species you've never touched before (reptile - bird of prey - tarantula - etc.)

Hours

Coffee Chat with a Stranger

Approach strangers and ask them to have coffee with you until someone says yes - then have a genuine conversation

Hours

Make a New Close Friend

Develop a genuine friendship with someone new. Spend meaningful one-on-one time together at least 5 times.

Months

No Eating Out for a Month

Growth/Self109 pts

Prepare every meal at home for 30 consecutive days. No restaurants or takeout or delivery.

Months

PhysicalAchievement39 pts

Complete a tandem or solo skydive from at least 10000 feet

Hours

Try a Sensory Deprivation Tank

Growth/Self17 pts

Spend at least 60 minutes floating in a sensory deprivation tank

Hours

Pay for the Person Behind You

SocialGrowth/Self22 pts

Pay the bill of the person behind you in line at the grocery store

Hours

Join a Sports League

PhysicalSocial57 pts

Join and complete a season in a recreational sports league (basketball - soccer - volleyball - kickball - etc.)

Months

Track a Metric and Present It

AchievementGrowth/Self100 pts

Choose a personal metric (mood - sleep - spending - steps - etc.) - track it daily for at least 6 months - and give a presentation on your findings

Months

Put an App on the App Store

AchievementCreative71 pts

Build and publish a mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store

Months

Learn to Do a Backflip

Learn to perform a standing backflip on flat ground (gym training allowed during learning)

Weeks

Visit Every National Park in Your State

AchievementGrowth/Self104 pts

Visit every national park or national monument in your state

Months

No Processed Sugar for a Month

Growth/SelfPhysical104 pts

Cut out all processed sugar from your diet for 30 consecutive days. Natural sugars from whole fruit are allowed.

Months

No Spending for a Week

Growth/Self28 pts

Go 7 consecutive days without spending any money at all. Pre-paid bills like rent and utilities are fine.

Days

Do Stand-Up Comedy at an Open Mic

CreativeSocial136 pts

Write and perform an original stand-up comedy set at an open mic night

Days

Try Surströmming

Open and eat Swedish fermented herring (surströmming). Outdoors strongly recommended.

Hours

Do 50% More Pull-Ups

Increase your max set of pull-ups by 50% compared to your starting number (e.g. - 10 to 15) If you can't do one pull-up to start, then 50% more pullups with the same assistance level compared to your starting number.

Months

Take a Random Stranger to Lunch

Invite a complete stranger off the street to have lunch with you - you pay.

Hours

See Inside a Datacenter

Achievement46 pts

Get a tour of or access to a datacenter and see the servers in person

Hours

Tread Water for 2 Hours

Physical107 pts

Stay afloat treading water continuously for 2 hours without touching the bottom or sides

Hours

Successfully take a shit outdoors in nature (Leave No Trace principles apply)

Hours

Create a Piece of Pottery

Shape and fire a piece of pottery using real clay (wheel or hand-built)

Hours

Stretch Every Day for 30 Days

Physical106 pts

Complete a dedicated stretching session of 10+ minutes every day for 30 consecutive days

Months

Apply Henna Art to Someone

CreativeSocial11 pts

Learn henna application and complete a full henna design on another person's hand or arm

Hours

Get a Pedicure with a Friend

Book and attend a pedicure appointment together with a friend

Hours

Learn to Change a Diaper

Growth/Self17 pts

Successfully change a real baby's diaper if you've never done it before

Hours

Take an Emergency Preparedness Class

AchievementGrowth/Self24 pts

Complete a certified class in CPR first aid or emergency response (e.g. Red Cross or community college)

Hours

Dye Your Hair a Bold Color

Dye your hair a dramatically different or bold color

Hours

Build an Epic Blanket Fort

CreativeAbsurd5 pts

Build a blanket fort large enough to sleep in and spend a full night in it

Hours

Release a Lantern at a Festival

SocialGrowth/Self16 pts

Attend a lantern festival and release a sky lantern

Hours

Take someone on a sunrise picnic

Prepare breakfast and watch the sunrise or sunset together from somewhere beautiful.

Hours

Quit an Addiction

Growth/Self160 pts

Identify a habit or substance you're dependent on and quit for at least 3 consecutive months

Months

Donate Clothes to a Shelter

Growth/Self18 pts

Gather clothes you no longer wear and donate them directly to a homeless shelter or clothing bank

Hours

SocialCreative21 pts

Perform karaoke at a bar or public venue in front of an audience of strangers

Hours

Build and Launch a Model Rocket Together

CreativeSocial23 pts

Assemble and successfully launch a model rocket with a partner

Days

Canoe or Kayak 10+ Miles Together

PhysicalSocial102 pts

Complete a 10+ mile paddle with a partner in a single outing

Hours

Volunteer Together for 8 Hours

Growth/SelfSocial93 pts

Complete a full day of volunteer work (8+ hours) with a friend at the same organization

Days

Three-Legged 5K

SocialPhysicalAbsurd33 pts

Complete a 5K race or route while three-legged-tied to a partner

Hours

Learn a Partner Dance Routine

PhysicalSocialAchievement26 pts

Learn and perform a choreographed partner dance (salsa - bachata - swing - etc.) of at least 1 minute

Days

Ask a stranger for $100

SocialAbsurd20 pts

Ask someone you dont know if you can have $100

Hours

Walk Every Street in Your Neighborhood

Growth/Self39 pts

Physically walk down every street within 1/2 mile of your house.

Hours

Solve a Rubik's Cube

Achievement10 pts

Solve a Rubik's Cube from a fully scrambled state

Days

Compliment 100 Strangers

Give 100 genuine compliments to people you don't know (in-person face-to-face)

Hours

Fold 100 Origami Cranes

Fold 100 paper cranes

Weeks

Make a One-Person Short Film

Write and film and edit a short film where you handle every role

Weeks

Take Cold Showers for 30 Days

Replace your regular shower with a cold shower every day for 30 consecutive days

Months

Say I Love You to 5 New People

Tell five people you genuinely love that you love them - people you've never said it to before

Days

Ask Out Someone Who Intimidates You

Ask someone on a date who you're genuinely interested in but nervous about

Hours

AchievementSocial130 pts

Regularly guide someone less experienced in an area you know for at least 4 meetings

Months

AbsurdSocial23 pts

Let someone else plan a full day for you and participate in everything they choose

Days

Cook Something New

CreativeGrowth/Self1 pts

Prepare a dish from a cuisine you've never cooked before

Hours

CreativeGrowth/Self21 pts

Learn to play or sing one complete song

Weeks

Festival Immersion

SocialGrowth/Self14 pts

Attend a cultural celebration or community event outside your usual circle

Hours

Solo Navigation

Growth/Self19 pts

Travel somewhere unfamiliar alone and navigate without GPS

Hours

Hometown Tourist

SocialGrowth/Self19 pts

Spend a full day exploring your own area as if you were a visitor. Ask locals for highlights. Visit landmarks

Days

Build Something Useful from Scrap

Create a functional object using only materials you already have or can get for free

Days

Eat Beans with a Toothpick

Eat as many baked beans as possible in 60 seconds using only a toothpick (competitive)

Hours

Balance Spoons on Your Face

Balance as many spoons as possible on your face simultaneously. You can have help from another person. You cannot be lying down. Sitting and kneeling ok. Competitive challenge

Hours

Blindfolded Candy Chopstick Challenge

Blindfolded and pick up and eat as many M&Ms as you can using only chopsticks in 60 seconds (competitive)

Hours

Handwrite 10 Gratitude Letters

SocialCreative100 pts

Write and send 10 handwritten letters(or email if you dont have their address) to people who have positively impacted your life

Days

30-Day Daily Photo Challenge

Take one intentional creative photo every day for 30 consecutive days

Months

Contribute to Social Impact Open Source

AchievementGrowth/Self36 pts

Make 3+ meaningful contributions (code and documentation and issues) to open source projects serving social good

Days

Get a Wildly Different Hairstyle

PhysicalCreative118 pts

Get a dramatically different haircut or style than you normally have

Hours

Collect Hair from 10 People

Collect a piece of hair from 10 different people (with their knowledge)

Hours

Ask Someone for Clothing Item They're Wearing

SocialAbsurd17 pts

Notice something someone is wearing that you like and ask them to give it to you

Hours

Specific Appreciation

SocialGrowth/Self15 pts

Tell 5 people what you specifically appreciate about them including a specific moment and how it affected you

Hours

The Reconnection

Message three friends you haven't contacted in 1+ year with personalized messages referencing specific memories

Hours

Hitchhike Somewhere

AbsurdSocial109 pts

Travel somewhere by hitchhiking with a buddy

Hours

Get Pushed Around in a Wheelbarrow

Get pushed around in a wheelbarrow in public for at least 10 minutes

Hours

Sneak Into an Event

SocialAbsurd32 pts

Get into an event you weren't invited to or don't have a ticket for

Hours

Visit 10 Coffee Shops in Your City

Uncategorized20 pts

Visit and order from 10 different coffee shops in your city

Days

Wear Costume in Public on Non-Halloween Day

Wear a full costume in public on a regular day (not Halloween or costume event)

Hours

Organize a Group Hike

Plan and lead a hike with 4+ people

Days

CreativeSocial9 pts

Write an original joke and tell it to at least 5 people

Hours

Get Autograph from Famous Person

Obtain an autograph from someone famous enough to have a Wikipedia page

Hours

Meet Someone with Fake Identity

Meet a stranger and maintain a completely fake identity and backstory for at least 10 minutes (bonus for accent - longer duration)

Hours

Compose an original song with lyrics and melody (instrument optional and can be a cappella)

Weeks

12-Hour Meditation in Your Room

Growth/Self133 pts

Complete 12 hours of meditation* in a single day without leaving your room** *Breaks allowed for bodily functions. **Your room could be replaced with any single location, eg a picnic blanket in a park or wilderness, a meditation retreat, etc.

Days

Don't Speak for 48 Hours

AbsurdSocial37 pts

Go 48 consecutive hours without speaking a single word and otherwise going about your normal routine

Days

Digital Detox Day

Growth/Self24 pts

Spend 24 hours without phones computers or internet

Days

Take a Dance Class

SocialPhysical23 pts

Attend and complete a dance class in any style

Hours

PhysicalAchievement176 pts

Train for and complete a full 26.2 mile marathon

Full Year

Time with Declining Health

Spend meaningful time with someone whose health is declining (aging relative and hospice volunteer and care facility visit)

Days

Achievement16 pts

Apply for an opportunity you think you're not ready for (job and grant and program)

Days

12 Books Outside Your Lane

Growth/Self97 pts

Read 12 books this year in subjects outside your normal interests

Months

Enroll in One Course

Achievement47 pts

Enroll in and complete a course on something you've always wanted to learn

Months

Family Recording

Record an interview with a parent or elder about their life story

Hours

Letter to the Living

Write a letter to a living person expressing everything you'd want them to know if they were dying and deliver it

Days

Growth/Self22 pts

Write your top 10 values and make one small ongoing life change to better align with your values. https://qualitycharters.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Hiring-For-Fit_Values-List.pdf

Hours

Recent Completions (3)

PhysicalAchievement176 pts

Train for and complete a full 26.2 mile marathon

Full Year

See an Artist You've Always Wanted to See

Growth/SelfSocial107 pts

Go see a musical artist live that you've always wanted to see

Hours

30 Days Alcohol-Free

Growth/SelfPhysical47 pts

Go 30 consecutive days without drinking

Months