Do you ever feel like you’re just spinning your wheels? Sure, little projects get done here and there… But the big stuff, the important stuff, always gets pushed back.

It’s frustrating, and you can go years without feeling like you’ve made any huge steps towards something that truly matters to you: a healthier body, a new career, a piece of art, or a different home life.

If you’re really serious about finally making progress on your goals, there is a way to fit a year’s worth of growth into one month. It’s called Monk Mode. This is a serious challenge, a gauntlet only for those who deserve success. Will you step up?

WHAT IS MONK MODE?

Monks are the epitome of discipline: vows of silence, waking up in the middle of every night for mass, and forsaking any type of new clothing or relationships. These are the steps they need to take in order to reach their highest and best purpose.

Let’s take a page out of their book, and find out what we need to do (and most importantly, what we need to avoid) in order to reach our top goal within 30 days. Monk Mode is taking drastic, regimented, and near-spiritual measures to make your dreams come true.

This is called sacrifice, and you need it if you ever want to move forward. Remember, monk mode isn’t forever. This is for one month, and then you must take a break. You can’t work in this sort of environment forever; you will burn out and waste even more time trying to recover.

HOW TO DO A MONK MODE MONTH

1. First, pick a truly-audacious goal that can only be reached if you seriously disrupt your current habits and routine. You could write an entire book, submit 300 job applications, or finally launch your side hustle.

2. Print out a calendar on a large sheet of paper so you can write a big X on every day that goes by. You cannot go digital for this process. You need to visualize your work, and make physical markings to show your mind and body together that this is working. Place your goal at the end of the month. Sit down, and stare at this in meditation for a full 15 minutes. How is it going to feel when you’re done? What are the roadblocks you need to destroy in order to succeed?

3. Pick your monk mode habits. You may have some specifics relevant only to you, but here are some things that everyone can do in order to make progress inevitable.

– No drinking, partying, or social events (relax, this is only for 30 days. You can throw a banger to celebrate your work afterwards).

– The same diet of a few healthy meals, planned and purchased thirty days in advance (minus perishables, of course).

– An opportunity to exercise at least three times a week. Add these days into your calendar, it will be important for keeping your spirits up.

– The blocking of all social media, video games, streaming services, and distraction websites. Use a browser blocker, delete your apps, and put your consoles in the closet (it’s going to be okay).

– The design of a powerful routine, void of anything other then the absolutely essential (don’t quit your day job) and whatever you need to do for your goal. Use the Day Map template to master this immediately, available for free download below.

– A single vice that can keep you sane. This may contradict one of your above rules, so understand that this is a scheduled break, not a hall pass to slack off. You might have a glass of wine while you read at the end of the day, or a single episode of your favorite show. Surprisingly, you will enjoy this small reward much more than when it used to be available at any time.

– Finally, and most importantly, devoting as much time as possible to the real work. We’re talking hours out of your day, every single day. Don’t worry, after a week this is going to get easier and easier. Only 30 days. You can do it.

PITFALLS TO WATCH OUT FOR

You’re going to get texts from friends and family asking you where you’ve been, and every Friday night might become a real challenge. Tell them to go to hell. Just kidding. Explain you have one month to put in some serious work, and you can’t wait to make up for it later.

There is one reason to stay in contact with someone: accountability. When you start getting fatigued, it will be very helpful to reach out to motivating and inspiring friend that will help you refocus. You should even set weekly benchmarks you need to report back to your accountabilibuddy.

You’re going to slip, logging into social sites or skipping habits before you even notice what you’ve done. This doesn’t mean you failed, it means you are human. Get back on the train immediately.

CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS

So, it’s day 30. First and foremost, you are incredibly proud of the work you’ve done. That was no small feat, and you now know how strong you really are. At the end of Monk Mode, there are a few outcomes. Either:

1. You absolutely dominated your goal, and made more progress than you’ve ever thought possible. Congratulations.

2. You fell short of your final goal, and still made massive growth that would never have been made if you didn’t take this challenge. Congratulations.

There is no way to lose with Monk Mode. So when it’s all over, have a little bit of fun! Relax and recharge. Here’s the kicker: goal setting and achievement is addicting. Once you see how far you’ve come, you might already be planning your next Monk Mode journey.

Leave a field report: is this a mission you’re thinking about doing? What is your big audacious goal that has been on the back burner? You can even use this field report section to check in with us weekly, and we will provide you with support and encouragement!