The importance of Challenge by Choice

The last time I went bungy jumping my 12 year old decided she wanted to do it too. I was planning a vacation (holiday) up at the top end of Australia. It had been many year years since I had been scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef and I wanted to go again. My wife and I also wanted to see the Daintree Rain Forest. This is the oldest tropical rainforest in the world predating the Amazon by over 10 million years.   

Since we were traveling through Cairn’s I decided to take a little detour to AJ Hackett’s Skypark and bungy jump from their 50 meter high Tower. You can see that on my original post about bungy jumping.

My daughter decided she wanted to try it too. I am somewhat of an adrenaline junkie so this kind of stuff is normal for me but I wasn’t really prepared for my daughter to have these kinds of ambitions. Was me saying “yes” to this being a responsible parent? It wasn’t a decision I took lightly. So after examining the perfect safety record of Skypark I agreed that she could jump if she wanted to.

As the day we would jump got closer, she waffled. “Dad will you be disappointed with me if I don’t jump?” she asked. She thought since I am “Mr. get out of your comfort zone and face your fears” I would view not jumping as failure. Then I carefully explained that this was something that most full grown adults are afraid to do and that I would not be disappointed in the slightest even if she backed out at the last second. The decision to jump or not was solely her own. The triumph if she faced down her fear was hers alone as well as any disappointment in herself if she didn’t follow through.

Getting yourself to jump off a platform a hundred and fifty feet above the ground with what amounts to a giant rubber band attached to your ankles to keep you alive is not a natural act. It was scary for me and I had done it before.

When it came time to jump she went for it without any hesitation. The instructors were impressed with her guts. At the tender age of twelve my daughter faced a natural fear of heights and falling on a level most people simply can’t.

Now one of the interesting effects of adventure challenges is when one conquers a fear it begins to generate a confidence that spills over into other areas of the participants life.  This can begin a positive snowball effect. Confidence begets confidence begets more confidence.

My daughter had always been a bit shy and experienced a bit of social anxiety. The year before her jump she had wanted to try out for the school production but backed out at the last minute. Speaking and performing in public is very high on a lot of people’s fear lists. In some cases it ranks higher than bungy jumping. After her jump she tried out for the school production and landed a role in the main cast. She nailed it. After that teachers began to comment about how much more outgoing she was than before. They mentioned that she was more willing to participate and to take positive risks in class. Her school work has improved.

Now I am not saying this is all because she went bungy jumping but I do think the experience was a catalyst. And it wasn’t just the jump. It was also the choice. She chose to do it of her own volition with no real coaxing from me. She was allowed to choose her own level of participation and the level of risk she was willing to take even up to what some people consider an extreme sport.  

Bungy jumping has even taught her about entrepreneurship because I had to pay her and get talent release to get permission to use the below footage of her her jump.

This brings me to a very important concept in adventure as a form of personal growth: the concept of Challenge by Choice.

Life is a journey filled with choices. Among these choices are challenges—some that are thrust upon us and others that we willingly embrace. The latter, challenges by choice, represent a deliberate decision to confront obstacles for personal growth, skill development, or the fulfillment of a deeper purpose. Choosing to face challenges voluntarily is not an easy path, but it is often one of the most rewarding. By stepping into discomfort, we foster resilience, enhance our abilities, and cultivate a sense of achievement.

The Psychological Benefits of Voluntary Challenges:

Embracing challenges by choice has profound psychological benefits. One key advantage is the development of a growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can be improved through effort. Psychologist Carol Dweck’s research highlights that a growth mindset fosters resilience and motivation, enabling individuals to view setbacks as opportunities for learning rather than insurmountable failures.

Moreover, choosing to face challenges enhances self-efficacy—the belief in one’s ability to succeed. Each milestone achieved through effort reinforces confidence in one’s capabilities, creating a positive feedback loop that encourages further risk-taking and exploration. This cycle is particularly evident in fields like entrepreneurship, where calculated risks often lead to innovation and success.

Additionally, challenges by choice provide a sense of purpose and direction. Engaging in meaningful endeavors contributes to psychological well-being, When individuals willingly undertake challenges they experience a deeper sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Furthermore, challenges encourage adaptability and problem-solving skills. When individuals face novel situations, they are compelled to think creatively and develop innovative solutions. This adaptability is a valuable asset in an ever-changing world, where success often depends on the ability to navigate uncertainty.

Building Resilience Through Adversity

Voluntary challenges also serve as a training ground for resilience. By exposing themselves to manageable levels of stress and adversity, individuals build the mental toughness needed to face larger, uncontrollable hardships. This concept, known as stress inoculation, is akin to the process of vaccination, where small doses of a pathogen prepare the immune system to combat future infections.

Societal Implications of Challenges by Choice:

While the benefits of challenges by choice are evident at an individual level, their impact on society is equally significant. When individuals strive to improve themselves, they contribute to the collective well-being of their communities. For instance, entrepreneurs who take on the challenge of building businesses create jobs, drive economic growth, and foster innovation. Similarly, activists who dedicate themselves to social causes inspire change and promote justice.

As we navigate life’s complexities, embracing chosen challenges reminds us of our capacity for change and our ability to shape our destinies. Whether through artistic pursuits, athletic endeavors, or acts of service, the deliberate choice to confront difficulties enriches our lives and inspires those around us. In the end, challenges by choice are not merely obstacles to overcome; they are opportunities to transform ourselves and the world for the better.

As an adventure concept the term Challenge by Choice is often in reference to participation in group adventure programs but there is no reason it can’t be applied to personal adventure as well.

This philosophy empowers individuals to decide the extent of their engagement in activities, fostering a balance between pushing personal boundaries and respecting individual autonomy.

Whenever you are deciding to engage in an adventurous activity it should be your own choosing. There should be no sense of coercion or peer pressure from any of your friends or anyone involved. By that same token you should not try to force anyone into doing something for which they are not ready. Some challenges are deeply personal. What might be an insurmountable task for one person could be an easily manageable goal for another.   In the end the concept of challenge by choice is the primary tool for learning the all-important life skill of when and how to take risks for one’s own benefit.