What New Challenge are You Going to Take This Year?

If you want to grow, you need to expand your personal capacity. It's an important topic that deserves constant reminder.

Expanding your personal capacity is essential for your personal growth. It will take you the next level in life. It will make you a better person. For that, what you need to do is taking a new challenge. You should move out of your comfort zone and do something that stretches your skills and abilities. It's inconvenient, but that's the way to grow.

What new challenge are you going to take this year?

We still have eleven months in 2012 which is enough to work on a new challenge. Don't waste them by just doing what you always do. Do something that will take you to the next level in life.

To help you choose a new challenge to take, here are a few ideas:

Take an online course

Is there a subject you are fascinated about and want to study if you had time? Well, this year might be the time for you. There are a lot of courses available on iTunes U that you can choose from, not to mention other sources like YouTube. There is even a new breed of interactive courses that will give you assignments and give you feedback (here are some examples). With so many options available, I'm sure you can find something on the subject you are interested in.

Start a side business

Perhaps you already have an idea for a side business. It could come from your hobby or from a specific need that you come across. Why don't you make it a reality this year? Having a side business is a good way to expand your capacity because it will teach you a lot in the process. Plus, it could give you an extra cushion（垫子，缓冲） in this uncertain economic times.

Start a blog

Today everyone can express his or her thoughts through a blog. You are no longer limited to just being a consumer of information. If you have a subject you are passionate about, it's a good idea to start a blog on it. You will learn a lot more by writing about it, plus you will meet interesting people along the way.

One word of caution: don't expect instant success if you decided to build something. It takes time to build something, so don't get discouraged if your blog didn't attract many readers or your business didn't give you enough revenue in the beginning. Remember, your goal here is to expand your personal capacity.