Note: this post was originally written as an Atomic Essay as part of Ship 30 for 30 and posted on Twitter. I’ve copied the essay content here so it isn’t just lost in the endlessness of the Twitter feed. Enjoy!
Honestly this strategy can work for nearly anything you want to add to your life or even just to explore things you’re just curious about.
The strategy?
30-Day Experiments 👩🏼🔬
30 days is the perfect container for trying new things. It’s short enough that your brain won’t throw up all kinds of resistance but long enough that you’ll get a good idea if it’s something you enjoy and/or want to continue.
I have completed more than 25 30-day experiments at this point and I don’t plan to stop doing them. Not only are they a low-commitment way to test something out, but they are just the right length to gather data that can help you take the next step if you choose to.
I grouped the experiments in broad areas below, but the experiment itself I keep to 1 simple action. Here are some I’ve tried so far:
- Fitness – yoga, weight-lifting, walking, jump rope, planks, squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, rebounder
- Wellness – hydration, pro-metabolic eating, tracking macros, intermittent fasting, carb cycling, cutting out processed foods, sun exposure, bed by a certain time
- Mindset & Growth – journaling, meditation, breath work, gratitude journaling, 5AM club, reading, writing (shout out to all the Shippers reading this!)
- Connection – reaching out to friends/family daily, sharing gratitude out loud with another human, handwriting letters, random acts of kindness
I’m probably forgetting some, but hopefully this list will spark some inspiration for YOUR first (or next!) 30-Day Experiment.
My best advice if you plan to implement this strategy? Keep it simple.
Choose 1 action to take daily for the next 30 days. If you try to do more, not only will you muddy the results (how will you know what caused any improvements you notice?) but you’ll burn yourself out pretty quickly.
Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried this in the past or if you’re planning to try in the future.
