In my last email (“My Year in Review (MEGA READ)”), we explored the importance of reflecting on the past and making deliberate choices for the future. 

We talked about focusing on what matters, guarding our attention, and being intentional with our time.

We’re going to continue that theme.

These emails exist to help you maintain your momentum and take BIG ACTION. 

We want you to thrive this year, and we’ll be here every step of the way—cheering you on and sharing every tool and tip we can.

When we say, “Let’s make this your best year yet.” We truly mean it.

Now, I want to share a powerful concept that could redefine your year and supercharge all those resolutions: The Misogi Challenge.

What Is the Misogi Challenge?

Misogi is an ancient Japanese ritual.

At its core, a “Misogi” is a single, epic undertaking you commit to at least once a year.

I’m sure you can look back over the past few years and pinpoint exactly how each year was defined by one epic thing you did.

Maybe it was that unforgettable family trip, the marathon you never thought you could finish, or the novel you finally published.

You might recall this phrase from my previous email: “What you pay attention to—expands.” The Misogi Challenge is a powerful way to sharpen your attention around a single, massive goal.

Instead of scattering your energy across countless mini-resolutions, you put a big stake in the ground. You say, “This year, I will accomplish this,” and then you orient your actions and mindset around that one goal.

Here’s the catch: A true Misogi should feel just beyond your current abilities—something you have, at most, a 50% chance of pulling off.

That way, you’re forced to grow.

Why the Misogi Is So Powerful

I reflect on my own Misogis more than anything else. I can trace the last 10 years by recalling the single epic thing that defined each year:

• 2013 – Moved to the other side of the world and got a job in San Francisco.
• 2014 – Quit my job and started working on No Ordinary Moments.
• 2015 – Ran my first half marathon, then completed my first half, Ironman and full Ironman.
• 2020 – Launched No Ordinary Moments: Plant Protein+ was born.
• 2022 – Launched Moksha.
• 2023 – Climbed Kilimanjaro.
• 2024 – Launched Zencha. 

All those to-do lists and daily tasks become one big, defining event each year. These events meant the world to me, but yours will look completely different.

However, notice anything missing?

There’s a six year gap in my timeline and nothing in 2021—years without a grand event, years without a Misogi.

Those years slipped through my fingers because I was too afraid, too comfortable. I look back on them with anger. What a waste. I sat and observed life rather than living it.

Those were also the years I felt most depressed and lost.
Instead of going for it, I sat on the sidelines of life and watched the years slide by.

And that is exactly why we should bother.

This is why we should be brave and go after something big.

Because the other side of fear is nothing.

When you’re sitting down at Christmas this year with a mince pie in hand, you’ll either look back on 2025 as another year that got away… or raise that mince pie to the world with a giant smile.

So let’s help you raise that mince pie. 

How Misogi Ties Back to “What You Pay Attention To—Expands” 

Why 2025 Is the Perfect Time

With so much noise competing for our attention—apps, social feeds, notifications—it’s easy to lose sight of what truly challenges us.

But as I mentioned last time, we get to decide where our focus goes.

• Are you constantly scrolling, or are you building something exciting?

• Are you chasing fleeting distractions, or are you chasing a dream that scares you in the best possible way?

A Misogi Challenge draws a line in the sand: “This matters to me. I’m willing to sacrifice comfort and certainty for growth and a deeper sense of purpose.”

It forces you to strip away distractions and focus on the present. It exposes your perceived limits and invites you to move beyond them. It reminds you that real growth happens outside your comfort zone.

Crafting Your Misogi Challenge

1. Brainstorm the Big and Scary

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? What’s been on your bucket list that you’ve put off for the longest time? What is your 10-year goal, and why not start it now?

Everything you want is already within you; asking the right questions is the pickaxe that helps dig it out.

1. Make It Tangible

Write it down. Sign it on a promise on napkin with your best friend to hold you accountable! Frame the napkin!

Put it on a giant wall calendar. Put a sticky note where you can see it every day. Share it on social media! 

Seeing your goal every day keeps you accountable. Get it out of your head and make the date real. 

Nothing motivated me more to run daily than paying the entry fee for the race—it created instant accountability.

1. Rally Support

Even better still! Share your plans with friends or family who will check in on you. Accountability is rocket fuel in those tough moments when you feel like quitting. You might even find partners who want to tackle their own Misogi alongside you.

1. Document the Journey

Keep a journal of your training, mindset shifts, and hurdles.

You’ll want to look back on these notes to see how far you’ve come

That’s It – Keep Greatness Simple

A Misogi Challenge demands presence. You can’t train half-heartedly or mentally check out when aiming for a towering goal.

A big, slightly terrifying challenge instantly reveals what’s important—and just as crucially, what’s not.

Your Invitation

So, as you reflect on your year-end review and set goals for 2025, I challenge you to choose your own Misogi. Be brave. Pick one thing that will define this year for you. It might be physical, mental, creative, or social—the key is that it should stretch you to a place where you’re not entirely sure you can succeed.

Moving Forward

I’d love to hear what you come up with.

Reply to this email with your Misogi idea and the date you aim to complete it.

Let’s make 2025 the year we step up, move forward, and discover how strong we can be—together.

Much love & kia kaha,
Chris Xx

• I love this TedTalk to help get those ideas out of your head and make them real - Draw Your Future
• In next email, we are going to help make your goals real for you!