Tag: Fitness

Round 2 of the 7-40 Challenge: Day 1 – Embracing the Journey of Change

~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Hey there, friends! Welcome to Round 2 of the 7-40 Challenge. I’m David, your host for this 40-day adventure of growth and transformation. Today is Day 1, and I’m pumped to kick things off with renewed focus and a few tweaks to make this round even more meaningful. Let’s dive in and talk about what’s ahead.

The number 40 carries deep significance. In the Bible, it often marks a season of trials leading to breakthroughs—like Noah’s 40 days of rain, ushering in a new world, or Jesus’ 40 days in the desert. As C.S. Lewis once said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Inspired by this, my 7-40 Challenge is about seven daily practices over 40 days to spark real change in body, mind, and spirit.

Here’s the lineup:

1. Bible Study and Prayer – The heart of it all. Each morning, I ground myself in scripture and prayer, finding clarity and strength for the day.

2. One Hour of Exercise – A daily commitment to move—whether it’s walking, lifting weights, or a mix of both—to build a healthier me.

3. Tracking Water and Calories – Staying mindful of hydration and nutrition keeps my energy steady and my goals in sight.

4. 30 Minutes of Reading – Whether it’s a physical book or an audiobook, this is my time to learn and grow. As Ralph Waldo Emerson put it, “The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.”

5. Daily Writing – Reflecting on the day’s progress, challenges, and insights helps me stay focused and process what I’m learning.

6. Gratitude Practice – Taking time to genuinely appreciate the blessings in my life, letting that gratitude inspire action and positivity.

7. One Business Activity – This is the new piece! Each day, I’ll focus on one step toward my entrepreneurial goals—whether it’s brainstorming ideas or building something to support my family. It’s about turning creativity into opportunity.

I’m excited to see where these 40 days lead. Compared to Round 1, I’m stepping it up a bit—pushing harder in workouts, lifting heavier, and keeping my daily walks while adding more strength training. My aim? To become a fitter, wiser, more grateful version of myself, while documenting the journey and laying the groundwork for new ventures.

But this isn’t just about me—it’s about us. What goal are you chasing? What could 40 days of focused effort do for you, personally or professionally? As Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Share your dreams or challenges in the comments—I’d love for you to join me on this path. Let’s make these 40 days count. Who’s ready to make it happen?

Let’s do this!

Conquering the 7-40 Challenge: Reflections, Revelations, and a Roadmap Forward

~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Forty days ago, I embarked on a journey I call the 7-40 Challenge—a personal quest to build discipline, achieve goals, and transform my daily habits through seven focused actions. Today, on day 40, I’m pausing to celebrate a milestone that feels both monumental and humbling. Five weeks of relentless consistency have taught me lessons I’ll carry forward, and I’m thrilled to share my takeaways, triumphs, and a glimpse of what’s next. As Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” That courage has fueled my progress, and I hope my story inspires you to take on your own challenge.

The Journey So Far: 40 Days of Grit and Growth

Let’s be real—40 days is no small feat. That’s over five weeks of showing up, day in and day out, to do what I set out to do. I’ve lost over 15 pounds, read three books (and parts of three others), written daily on my blog, stayed hydrated, and stuck to my exercise routine. Sure, there were days when sheer exhaustion forced me to skip a workout, but overall, I’ve stayed the course. The results? Tangible. Measurable. Empowering.

Reflecting on this journey, I’m struck by how far I’ve come. The grind wasn’t always glamorous, but it was worth it. As I look ahead, I see the road stretching further—new goals, new challenges, and a renewed commitment to keep pushing. But for now, let’s unpack the three biggest lessons I’ve learned from these 40 days of the 7-40 Challenge.

Lesson 1: Things Aren’t as Hard as We Make Them Out to Be

At the start, my seven goals felt daunting. Write every day? Exercise consistently? Read multiple books? Drink enough water? It sounded like a lot. But here’s the truth: individually, these tasks are straightforward. The real challenge lies in doing them consistently. As Aristotle wisely noted, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Breaking down big goals into daily actions revealed something powerful: the mental barriers we create are often bigger than the tasks themselves. Sure, sticking to a routine for 40 days wasn’t a walk in the park, but it wasn’t the Herculean ordeal I’d built up in my mind either. Most days, I hit my goals. On the days I didn’t, I learned to forgive myself and keep going. The takeaway? Stop overcomplicating things. Start small, stay steady, and the results will follow.

Lesson 2: Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy

This might sound like a contradiction to my first point, but hear me out. While the tasks themselves were simple, maintaining them over 40 days was anything but easy. There’s a difference between straightforward and effortless. As author James Clear puts it in Atomic Habits, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

The daily grind tested my discipline, but it also transformed simple acts into meaningful accomplishments. Writing a blog post every day? Simple. Doing it for 40 days straight? That’s where the magic happens. Drinking water consistently? Easy in theory, but it required intention. These small, deliberate actions compounded into results I’m proud of—15 pounds lighter, three books wiser, and a blog that’s alive with daily updates. Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always. Worth it? Absolutely.

Lesson 3: Why Did I Wait So Long?

This is the question that haunts me. Why did it take me so long to get into gear? Why does building daily habits feel like such a monumental effort at first? The frustration is real—so much can be accomplished with focused effort, yet we often delay starting. As Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Looking back, I wish I’d taken that step sooner.

In just 40 days, I’ve achieved more than I thought possible. I’ve shed weight, expanded my mind through reading, and built a writing habit I’m proud of. The results speak for themselves, but they also beg the question: what else could I have accomplished if I’d started earlier? The answer doesn’t matter as much as the action I’m taking now. If you’re hesitating to start your own journey, let this be your sign: don’t wait. The sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll see what you’re capable of.

Looking Ahead: The Next 40 Days of the 7-40 Challenge

As I write this, I’m three days away from the next phase of the 7-40 Challenge, which kicks off on September 8th. I’m taking two days to rest, recharge, and reflect before diving back in with seven brand-new goals. What will they be? I’m still finalizing the details, but I know they’ll push me to grow, just as these past 40 days have. The excitement of what’s possible fuels me, and I’m ready to keep building on this momentum.

A Call to Action: Start Your Own 7-40 Challenge

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that small, consistent actions lead to big results. You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight—just pick a few habits (maybe even seven!) and commit to them for 40 days. Write. Move. Read. Drink water. Whatever it is, start small and stay consistent. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.

As I wrap up this first round of the 7-40 Challenge, I’m filled with gratitude for how far I’ve come and excitement for what lies ahead. This challenge isn’t just about checking boxes; it’s about proving to myself that I’m capable of more. So, here’s to the next 40 days—and to you, wherever you are on your journey. What will your challenge be? Let’s make it happen.

See you in the next round!

Embracing Forward Momentum: Day 37 of the 7-40 Challenge

~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Hey there, friends! Welcome back to my corner of the internet. If you’ve been following along, you know we’re deep into the 7-40 Challenge—a 40-day sprint where I’m committing to seven daily habits to build rhythm, spark progress, and unlock that next-level transformation in my productivity and personal growth. Today marks Day 37, and let me tell you, this ride has worth every moment. Sure, there have been bumps, but the overall momentum? Moving at full speed ahead.

For those just tuning in (or if you need a quick refresher), here’s the lineup of those seven powerhouse habits I’ve been grinding on:

1. Daily Bible study and prayer – Starting the day in God’s word.

2. One hour of workout – Getting the blood pumping and building that physical resilience.

3. Counting calories – Keeping my nutrition in check for sustained energy.

4. Drinking 100 ounces of water a day – Hydration is key to feeling sharp and alive.

5. Practicing gratitude daily – Shifting focus to the positives amid the chaos.

6. Reading or listening to books for 30 minutes – Feeding the mind with fresh ideas.

7. Writing daily or working on business objectives – Turning thoughts into actionable steps.

Not every day has been a flawless victory. Over the past five weeks, I’ve had to skip a workout or two due to sheer exhaustion or unexpected curveballs. But here’s the beauty: as a general rule, I’ve nailed these habits consistently. The result? Real, tangible progress that’s turbocharging my goals and reshaping my routine.

As I edge closer to the end of this 40-day cycle, my mind is already racing ahead to the next iteration. Remember, the 7-40 Challenge isn’t a one-and-done deal—it’s designed for seven cycles total. The genius of it? Once certain habits become second nature, woven seamlessly into my daily life, I swap them out for new ones. This keeps the growth engine revving, ensuring I’m always learning, evolving, and pushing boundaries.

Take my daily Bible study and prayer, for instance. This has been a non-negotiable part of my mornings for over three years (and honestly, much longer as well). It’s no longer something I “practice”—it’s just who I am. The same goes for chugging 100 ounces of water or tracking calories; these are habits on autopilot now, fueling me without the need for deliberate tracking. Why keep them on the list when they’re already embedded in my active lifestyle? Freeing up those slots lets me introduce fresh challenges that stretch me further.

I’m older now, and I’ve let too much time slip by in the past. No more wasting precious moments—it’s time to pour maximum effort into what truly matters. The goals I whisper about? They need to roar at the forefront of my mind. Over the next few days, I’ll be clarifying and sharing those specifics for the upcoming cycle. But here’s the thing: I don’t have all the details nailed down yet, and that’s okay. Growth isn’t about having a pixel-perfect roadmap; it’s about committing to forward progress.

Think of it like a cross-country road trip from Oklahoma to New York. There are countless routes—highways, backroads, scenic detours. You don’t need to plot every mile in advance; you just need a clear destination and the willingness to course-correct. As long as each step (or turn) pulls you closer to where you want to be, it’s progress. If something veers you off-track? Reassess and pivot. This mindset has been my anchor: focus on the outcome, embrace the journey, and keep moving.

At its core, this challenge is a reminder that true transformation comes from sustained evolution. Not all goals require rigid practice forever—if they’re already part of your active rhythm, celebrate that win and make space for new horizons. It’s about building a life of continuous growth, where complacency has no seat at the table.

So, what’s on your horizon? What big goals are you chasing for the rest of the year? Drop them in the comments below—let’s spark a conversation and inspire each other. I’d love to hear your stories and cheer you on.

See you tomorrow for Day 38. Let’s keep the momentum going! 🚀

Keep Feeding Your Dreams: A Journey of Growth and Self-Discovery

~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

For as long as I can remember, one question has followed me like a shadow: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” As a child, it sparked curiosity and wonder. As an adult, navigating multiple careers and now in my mid-40s, it lingers—not as a sign of failure, but as a reminder that growth never stops. I’m not questioning whether I’ve “grown up.” I’ve lived independently for nearly three decades, built a life, and found passions. Yet, the question persists, whispering: Is there more? Is there something inside me still waiting to be discovered?

The answer, I’ve come to believe, should always be yes. Not because we haven’t found what we love or what we’re good at, but because life demands evolution. As the Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “As long as you live, keep learning how to live.” If we stop dreaming, stop exploring, stop stretching, we risk becoming stagnant—like a neglected sourdough starter.

The Sourdough Metaphor: A Lesson in Tending to Growth

I’m a passionate sourdough baker. There’s something magical about the process—whether I’m crafting crusty loaves, gooey cinnamon rolls, or delicious cakes, the possibilities with sourdough are endless. But the heart of it all is the starter, that living culture of flour and water that needs constant care. Neglect it for a few days, and it slows down. Ignore it longer, and a bad spot might form on the surface, or it might start to smell off. Without fresh flour, water, and attention, it loses its vibrancy.

Our dreams and aspirations are much the same. If we don’t feed them with new ideas, new books, new experiences, they stagnate. They start to “smell” of complacency, and in the worst cases, they become irredeemable—not because they were flawed, but because we stopped tending to them. “We are what we repeatedly do,” Aristotle reminds us. If we repeatedly ignore our inner spark, we risk losing it.

But here’s where the metaphor offers hope: a sourdough starter can be revived. Scrape off the bad spot, feed it fresh material, and with a little care, it bubbles back to life. So can we. No matter how long we’ve let our dreams sit untouched, we can always start again.

The Power of Asking Hard Questions

The question “What do you want to be?” isn’t just for kids. It’s a lifelong challenge to keep asking ourselves: Am I doing what I’m meant to do? Am I pursuing the things that set my soul on fire? These questions aren’t meant to haunt us but to push us toward clarity and action.

In my own life, I’ve taken on a personal challenge—what I call the 7-40 Challenge—committing to seven habits daily over 40 days to find my focus and turbocharge my achievement. It’s been a game-changer. It’s forced me to sharpen my focus, to clarify what I want to achieve, and to prioritize my goals. Some dreams move forward; others take a backseat, not because they’re unimportant, but because life requires us to choose what matters most in the moment. As Marie Curie once said, “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.” Understanding our priorities helps us move forward without fear.

Staying Alive and Bubbly

Like a thriving sourdough starter, we need to keep ourselves “alive and bubbly.” That means feeding our minds with new ideas, challenging ourselves with new goals, and taking responsibility for turning our dreams into reality. It’s not enough to have a spark of inspiration—you have to do the work. You have to show up every day, even when it’s hard, even when other priorities clamor for attention.

For me, this means continuing to ask: What’s next? What’s inside me that I haven’t explored yet? It means staying curious, staying open, and never settling for stagnation.

A Call to Keep Growing

So, wherever you are in your journey, I encourage you to keep feeding your dreams. Tend to them like a baker tends to their starter—with care, consistency, and a willingness to start again if things go awry. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small, and keep asking the big questions. They’re not a sign of being lost; they’re a sign you’re alive.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

— Eleanor Roosevelt

Here’s to day 37 of our journeys—may we all keep growing, keep dreaming, and keep bubbling with possibility

Face the Challenge: Prioritize and Execute for Transformation

~ David Willis ~ Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Welcome to Day 29 of my 7-40 Challenge—a 40-day journey of committing to seven daily habits to spark transformation and focus in my life. As I kick off week five, I’m amazed at how far I’ve come. This challenge has been a game-changer, forcing me to reflect deeply on what I’ve accomplished over the past 28 days—things I couldn’t seem to tackle for weeks or even months before. I hope you’re out there chasing your own bold, wild ideas and crushing it on your corner of the internet!

Today, I want to dive into a principle that’s been a cornerstone of my progress: prioritize and execute. This concept hit me like a ton of bricks when I read Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. It’s a principle that’s not just about getting things done—it’s about getting the right things done with precision and excellence.

The Chaos of Competing Priorities

Life throws a million things at us, doesn’t it? To-do lists pile up, notifications ping, and before you know it, you’re juggling tasks like a circus performer. The temptation to multitask is real, but as Willink and Babin point out, trying to do everything at once often means doing nothing well. In Extreme Ownership, they write:

“When overwhelmed, it’s easy to get sucked into a cycle of trying to do everything at once, which leads to accomplishing nothing effectively.” (Extreme Ownership, Chapter 7)

Their solution? Prioritize and execute. List out what needs to be done, identify the highest-priority task, and tackle it with full focus before moving to the next. This approach isn’t just a productivity hack—it’s a mindset for thriving under pressure.

The authors share a gripping example from their time as Navy SEALs in Iraq. During a high-stakes operation, their team faced a crisis: an explosive device was about to detonate, one of their soldiers had fallen through a rooftop, and they were exposed to enemy fire with no cover. Chaos could have taken over, but the leader did something critical:

“He took a deep breath, prioritized the most immediate task, and executed. Secure the roof. Establish cover. Locate the fallen soldier. Account for the team. Evacuate safely.” (Extreme Ownership, Chapter 7)

By training relentlessly for such scenarios, they ingrained the habit of prioritizing under stress. They didn’t just survive—they succeeded because they focused on one task at a time, executed with precision, and moved forward systematically.

Applying Prioritize and Execute to My Life

When I reflect on the past 29 days of the 7-40 Challenge, I see this principle at work in my own life, even if I didn’t always realize it. I’ve set out to transform my fitness, refine my diet, sharpen my mind, and share my story with the world—goals that felt overwhelming before this challenge. But by making a daily commitment to prioritize and execute, I’ve made real progress.

For me, the top priority is starting each day with Bible study and prayer—a habit I’ve maintained for over three years. It grounds me and sets the tone for everything else. From there, I tackle my fitness goals, writing, and other priorities, one by one. This disciplined approach has helped me avoid the “higgledy-piggledy, all-over-the-place” style that used to leave me with half-finished tasks and no real progress.

The Four Quadrants of Prioritization

This idea of prioritization also connects to another book that’s shaped my thinking: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. In it, Covey introduces the Time Management Matrix, which divides tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance:

  1. Urgent and Important: Crises and deadlines that demand immediate attention.
  2. Not Urgent but Important: Long-term goals, planning, and growth—where we should spend most of our time.
  3. Urgent but Not Important: Interruptions or distractions that can often be delegated or ignored.
  4. Not Urgent and Not Important: Time-wasters we should avoid.

Covey emphasizes the power of focusing on Quadrant II—tasks that are important but not urgent:

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Habit 3)

By focusing on what’s important before it becomes urgent, we prevent fires from starting in the first place. For me, this means carving out time for fitness, writing, and reflection before they turn into regrets or crises.

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever

Let’s be real: we’re busier than ever. I’m speaking for myself, but I have a hunch you feel it too. The demands of life—work, family, social media, endless notifications—can pull us in every direction. It’s easy to check things off a to-do list without really moving the needle on what matters most. As Covey puts it:

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Habit 3)

The 7-40 Challenge has forced me to confront this head-on. By setting clear priorities and executing them daily, I’m not just checking boxes—I’m building a life aligned with my values and goals. Whether it’s on a battlefield, in a boardroom, or at home with family, the principle of prioritize and execute is universal.

Your Turn: What’s Your Priority?

So, I’m curious: How do you handle the chaos of competing demands? Have you found ways to prioritize and execute in your own life? Maybe it’s a morning routine that sets you up for success, or a system for tackling your biggest goals. Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your strategies!

As I head into Day 30, I’m more committed than ever to staying focused and executing with excellence. Thanks for following along on this journey. Here’s to crushing it, one priority at a time!

References:

  • Willink, J., & Babin, L. (2015). Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win. St. Martin’s Press.

• • Covey, S. R. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press.