The Big Year Challenges

P

pancakefry (Cole)

Gold League

156 challenges saved

Saved Challenges (156)

Blow a Giant Bubblegum Bubble

Blow the largest bubblegum bubble you can (competitive)

Hours

Open a Can with No Can Opener

Open a can of beans with no can opener

Hours

Sleep 8+ Hours for 14 Nights

Growth/SelfPhysical38 pts

Get 8+ hours of actual sleep for two straight weeks

Weeks

Cook Something New

CreativeGrowth/Self1 pts

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

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

Say No to an Unwanted Commitment

Growth/Self4 pts

Say no to a commitment you actually don't want to do or don't have the capacity for

Hours

Watch a Documentary on an Unknown Topic

Growth/Self1 pts

Watch a documentary about something you know nothing about

Hours

Most Clothespins on Your Face

Clip as many clothespins to your face as possible in 60 seconds

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

Build an Epic Blanket Fort

CreativeAbsurd5 pts

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

Hours

Meet Someone New

Attend an event where you know few/no people and start a genuine conversation

Hours

Eat 20-Cereal Bowl

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

Hours

Bake Bread from Scratch

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

Hours

Buy a Lottery Ticket

Buy a lottery ticket

Hours

Active Album Listen and Rank

Growth/SelfCreative1 pts

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

Hours

Restaurant Food Challenge

Complete a food challenge at a restaurant (like eating a giant meatball in one sitting)

Hours

Read a Disagreeable Memoir

Growth/Self8 pts

Read a memoir or biography about someone whose views or actions you disagree with

Weeks

Mindful Solo Meal

Growth/Self14 pts

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

Hours

Judge 300 challenge matchups on the Point Judge page

Achievement12 pts

https://www.bigyear.xyz/point-judge

Hours

Watch Every Movie by One Director

Growth/Self17 pts

Watch every movie from the same director

Months

Apply Henna Art to Someone

CreativeSocial12 pts

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

Hours

Chug a Gallon of Milk

Attempt to drink an entire gallon of milk in one sitting. Barfing is allowed.

Hours

Eat an Entire Costco Item

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

Hours

Learn to Moonwalk

PhysicalCreative14 pts

Learn to moonwalk smoothly enough to do it across a room without stumbling

Weeks

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

Do a 5-Minute Plank

Hold a plank position for 5 continuous minutes

Weeks

Achievement9 pts

Go geocaching and find caches

Hours

Festival Immersion

SocialGrowth/Self15 pts

Attend a cultural celebration or community event outside your usual circle

Hours

Create a 24-Hour Time-Lapse Video

Record a continuous 24-hour period and compile into a time-lapse video

Days

Specific Appreciation

SocialGrowth/Self18 pts

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

Hours

PhysicalAbsurd16 pts

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

Hours

Spend 6 Hours at the Library

Growth/Self16 pts

Spend 6 continuous hours at the library

Hours

Tour a Landfill or Recycling Center

Growth/Self16 pts

Tour a landfill or recycling center

Hours

Movie Theater Solo

Growth/Self11 pts

See a movie at the theater alone

Hours

Visit a Church of a Different Faith

Growth/Self16 pts

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

Hours

Try a Sensory Deprivation Tank

Growth/Self19 pts

Spend at least 60 minutes floating in a sensory deprivation tank

Hours

SocialGrowth/Self17 pts

Tell a family member I love you if you rarely do

Hours

Achievement17 pts

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

Days

Check Out 100 Library Books at Once

Check out the maximum number of books at once at the library (100)

Hours

Make a Boondoggle

Make a boondoggle (lanyard craft)

Hours

Sneak Into a College Class

AbsurdAchievement25 pts

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

Hours

Make a Voodoo Doll

CreativeAbsurd20 pts

Craft a handmade voodoo doll or poppet using fabric pins and stuffing

Hours

Hold an Unfamiliar Animal

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

Hours

Donate Clothes to a Shelter

Growth/Self17 pts

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

Hours

Go to a Protest or Rally

Growth/Self17 pts

Attend a protest or rally for a political cause you care about

Hours

Make Instructional YouTube Video

CreativeAchievement20 pts

Make an instructional video and post it to YouTube

Days

Get Pushed Around in a Wheelbarrow

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

Hours

Collect Hair from 10 People

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

Hours

Build a Complex App with AI

AchievementCreative23 pts

Build a complex functional app using AI tools

Weeks

Read a Top 10 Fiction Author

Growth/Self23 pts

Read a book from one of the top 10 most sold fictional authors of all time

Weeks

Do a Cold Plunge

Do a cold plunge in cold water

Hours

Pay for the Person Behind You

SocialGrowth/Self21 pts

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

Hours

Cook a Full Meal Together Blindfolded

SocialCreativeAbsurd21 pts

Partner up and cook a complete meal where one person is blindfolded and the other can only give verbal instructions

Hours

Learn to Rappel

PhysicalAchievement28 pts

Learn to rappel down a cliff or wall

Hours

No Texting for a Week

Growth/Self37 pts

Don't text for a whole week; if you need to communicate call them instead

Days

Fold 100 Origami Cranes

Fold 100 paper cranes

Weeks

Ask a Stranger for $100

AbsurdSocial22 pts

Ask a stranger if you can have $100

Hours

Take Your Boss to Lunch

SocialAchievement21 pts

Invite your boss to lunch and pay for it

Hours

Run Through Sprinklers

Run through sprinklers like a kid

Hours

AbsurdSocial23 pts

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

Days

Take a Dance Class

SocialPhysical23 pts

Attend and complete a dance class in any style

Hours

Learn 3 Magic Tricks

CreativeSocial22 pts

Learn three different magic tricks well enough to perform them

Days

The Authentic Day

Growth/Self23 pts

Describe your perfect day given no outside obligations and then do it.

Days

10000 Calories in 24 Hours

Consume 10000 calories within 24 hours

Days

Build and Launch a Model Rocket Together

CreativeSocial23 pts

Assemble and successfully launch a model rocket with a partner

Days

See the Northern Lights

Growth/Self32 pts

See the northern lights (aurora borealis) in person

IDEK

Shadow an Unfamiliar Career for a Day

AchievementGrowth/Self25 pts

Shadow someone for a day in a role you've never considered for yourself - not to explore it as a career path, but simply to understand work you know nothing about

Days

Learn a Partner Dance Routine

PhysicalSocialAchievement26 pts

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

Days

See a New Type of Live Performance

Growth/SelfSocial21 pts

See a live performance of a type you've never seen before (ballet specific dance style etc.)

Hours

Compliment 100 Strangers

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

Hours

Popcorn Read a Book with Friends

SocialGrowth/Self13 pts

Read a book aloud with friends taking turns reading sections over an extended period

Weeks

Donate to a Kid's Fundraiser

SocialGrowth/Self24 pts

Donate to a kid you know who is doing fundraising for a sport or activity

Hours

High Five 100 Strangers

SocialAbsurd25 pts

Get 100 different strangers to high five you in a single day

Hours

Take a Random Stranger to Lunch

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

Hours

Record a One-Second-a-Day Video Diary

Film one second of video every day for 90 days and then compile

Months

Create an Effigy in the Woods

CreativeAbsurd21 pts

Create an effigy deep in the woods

Hours

7am Cold Plunge While Camping

PhysicalAbsurd29 pts

Do a 7am cold plunge while camping

Hours

Score a Bullseye

PhysicalAchievement36 pts

Score a bullseye in any competitive target sport (archery darts curling etc.)

Hours

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

Walk Every Street in Your Neighborhood

Growth/Self39 pts

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

Hours

Get Up Before 7am for 2 Weeks

Growth/Self35 pts

Get up before 7am every day for 2 consecutive weeks

Weeks

AchievementAbsurd29 pts

Bowl a turkey (3 strikes in a row) in a single bowling game

Hours

Go Vegetarian for Two Weeks

Growth/SelfPhysical27 pts

Eat vegetarian for two full weeks by consuming no meats of any kind

Weeks

Contribute to Social Impact Open Source

AchievementGrowth/Self38 pts

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

Days

Take Creatine Daily for a Month

Take creatine or a supplement you've been meaning to try every day for a month

Months

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

Growth/Self22 pts

See dolphins in the wild

IDEK

Learn to Windmill

PhysicalCreative49 pts

Learn the breakdancing windmill move well enough to complete 3 consecutive rotations

Weeks

Sew a Dress or Shirt

Sew a dress or shirt from scratch

Weeks

Go Backpacking for 2+ Nights

PhysicalGrowth/Self25 pts

Go backpacking in the wilderness for at least 2 nights

Days

Learn to Handstand

Learn to hold a freestanding handstand

Weeks

Enroll in One Course

Achievement50 pts

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

Months

Get a tattoo (any size)

Hours

Sew Custom Pants

Sew a pair of pants tailored to your measurements with an actual fly (button or zipper)

Weeks

Create an Actionable 5-Year Plan

Growth/SelfAchievement75 pts

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

Days

Tour a Water Treatment Facility

Growth/Self35 pts

Tour a water treatment facility

Hours

Delete a Social Media Account

Growth/Self65 pts

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

Hours

Make a Documentary

CreativeAchievement64 pts

Make a documentary about something you know nothing about in the style of 'How To with John Wilson'

Weeks

Do a Challenge Every Day for 2 Weeks

Achievement110 pts

Complete one Big Year challenge every day for 2 consecutive weeks

Weeks

Start a Podcast or YouTube Channel

CreativeAchievement78 pts

Create a podcast or YouTube channel and publish at least 3 episodes or videos

Weeks

Drink Recommended Water for a Month

PhysicalGrowth/Self63 pts

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

Months

Run 1 Mile Barefoot

PhysicalAbsurd25 pts

Run 1 full mile completely barefoot

Hours

Track a Metric and Present It

AchievementGrowth/Self113 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

Dye Your Hair a Bold Color

Dye your hair a dramatically different or bold color

Hours

12 Books Outside Your Lane

Growth/Self101 pts

Read 12 books this year in subjects outside your normal interests

Months

Go Shooting and Hit the Target

PhysicalAchievement22 pts

Go to a shooting range and hit the bullseye/target

Hours

AbsurdPhysical48 pts

Go zorbing (rolling downhill in a giant inflatable ball)

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

Volunteer Together for 8 Hours

Growth/SelfSocial108 pts

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

Days

Foster an Animal

Growth/SelfSocial80 pts

Foster an animal through a rescue organization

Months

Make a Snow Shelter and Sleep in It

PhysicalAbsurd28 pts

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

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

Cook a Meal for a Stranger

SocialGrowth/Self60 pts

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

Hours

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

Spend a Day Blindfolded

AbsurdGrowth/Self103 pts

Experience a full waking day without sight

Days

Get a Wildly Different Hairstyle

PhysicalCreative118 pts

Get a dramatically different haircut or style than you normally have

Hours

Earn a Verifiable Credential

Achievement118 pts

Complete a recognized certification or course with proof of completion

Days

Learn to Ride a Unicycle

PhysicalAchievement125 pts

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

Weeks

Daily Art for a Month

Do a small form of art every day for a month (painting drawing etc.)

Months

Visit a Wonder of the World

AchievementGrowth/Self107 pts

Visit one of the 7 wonders of the world

Days

Publish Daily Writing for 30 Days

CreativeAchievement150 pts

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

Months

AchievementSocial135 pts

Give someone a tattoo (any size)

Days

Donate 48+ Hours to Charity

Growth/SelfSocial194 pts

Donate 48 hours or more of unpaid time to local charities

Months

Life Calendar for 6 Months

Growth/Self138 pts

Track what you do each week on a life calendar for 6 months filling boxes with weekly highlights

Months

Start a Nonprofit

AchievementGrowth/Self219 pts

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

Months

Start a Business and Make $100 Revenue

Achievement216 pts

Create a new business venture and generate at least $100 in actual revenue (eg friends and family sales don't count)

Months

See Sunrise and Sunset in One Day

Growth/Self17 pts

Intentionally watch both the sunrise and sunset on the same day. Ideally from somewhere with a view.

Days

Sunrise to Sunset Outdoors

Growth/SelfPhysical20 pts

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

Days

Visit Every National Park in Your State

AchievementGrowth/Self111 pts

Visit every national park or national monument in your state

Months

Eat Beans with a Toothpick

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

Hours

Visit Another Player in Their City

Travel to visit another Big Year participant in their home city and spend meaningful time together.

Days

No Eating Out for a Month

Growth/Self115 pts

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

Months

AbsurdAchievement13 pts

Learn fire breathing and successfully perform it (with proper fuel and technique)

Days

Take someone on a sunrise picnic

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

Hours

Build and Maintain a Terrarium

Build a terrarium housing live creatures (isopods snails etc.) and keep it thriving for 90 days

Months

Catch a Fish Bare-Handed

PhysicalAbsurd32 pts

Catch a live fish using only your hands (no tools nets or traps) and release it

Hours

Frugal Month and Donate Savings

Growth/Self162 pts

Remove as many expenses as you can for a full month (eat out less - cancel subscriptions - bike instead of Uber) and donate all the money you saved

Months

Drive a Very Large Vehicle

AbsurdAchievement21 pts

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

Hours

Learn Balloon Animals

CreativeSocial25 pts

Learn to make at least 5 distinct balloon animal shapes and make them for strangers in public

Days

Switch to an Ergonomic Keyboard

Achievement17 pts

Purchase and switch to an ergonomic or split keyboard and use it as your primary keyboard for 30 days

Months

Build a Giant Slingshot and Launch a Watermelon

CreativeAbsurd41 pts

Construct a slingshot large enough to launch a watermelon and successfully fire one

Days

See and Document 20 Bird Species

Observe and photograph/document 20 different bird species

Days

Commit a Very Small Crime

Break an outdated or obscure law that's technically illegal but harmless

Hours

Beat a Video Game You've Never Played

Achievement21 pts

Complete a video game from start to finish that you've never played before

Weeks

Visit 10 Coffee Shops in Your City

Uncategorized21 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

Bike 100 Miles in One Day

Physical102 pts

Complete a 100-mile bike ride in a single day

Days

Get Autograph from Famous Person

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

Hours

Pitch an Idea to Leadership

Achievement41 pts

Prepare and deliver a formal proposal to senior leadership

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

Digital Detox Day

Growth/Self25 pts

Spend 24 hours without phones computers or internet

Days

Use Your Time Off

Growth/Self18 pts

Take your full vacation/PTO this year or 10+ days if self-employed

Weeks

30 Days Alcohol-Free

Growth/SelfPhysical51 pts

Go 30 consecutive days without drinking

Months

Don't Shower for 5 Days

Go 5 consecutive days without showering or bathing

Days

Growth/Self23 pts

Write your top 10 values and make one small ongoing life change to better align with your values. https://www.motivationalinterviewing.org/sites/default/files/valuescardsort_0.pdf

Hours

Recent Completions (3)

Watch a Documentary on an Unknown Topic

Growth/Self1 pts

Watch a documentary about something you know nothing about

Hours

Buy Your Costa Rica Plane Tickets

Achievement25 pts

Buy your round trip plane tickets for the grand finale trip to Costa Rica in February 2027. Contact Jackson if you want help on details!

Hours

Blow a Giant Bubblegum Bubble

Blow the largest bubblegum bubble you can (competitive)

Hours