What is The January Project?
Courtesy of PBNation.com
In 2016 Ben Carroll (featured in the above video) played every day of January. A week later he won a Twister CS1 in a one on one tournament. Since then he has gone on to have a successful season with the New York Outlaws, winning the 2016 Nashville Open, getting to travel to Colombia as a guest on Cali Paintball and many other events and adventures.
He attributes that success and enjoyment through a philosophy of admiring paintball as a valid path of human potential. He says when you look at it through that lens you see beyond the wins and the losses, you see that somehow, in someway everything is working to catalyze your highest evolution. In that theory he believes heart and hustle can get you forward quite fast.
“Not a lot of other people want to grow as bad as they want to win. When you focus on growth you transcend the highs and lows of winning and losing. The fear of losing, the fear of going into those uncomfortable places that you’re not good at, all dissipates. Your character starts to grow fond of going into what is uncomfortable until it is comfortable. That path takes you far, fast. But you have to fall in love with missing. Losing. Failing. When you do, you grow. And the funny thing? It seems like it’s the backdoor to getting what we all want. The elation of the win, but it’s done in a healthy way. One that helps you enjoy the whole process.”
This year, he is at it again, although this time, he is inviting you to join him on the journey. Setting the tone early and often is a very important principle to Ben. He believes showing up to practice early, stretching, preparing mentally, doing those little things early and often, sets the tone for the whole day. He calls those things “Inches”. Those little things that are easy to do, and easy not to do.
He says, “You’ll get a lot more from the time you have on and off the field. You only have one maybe two days on the field per week. If you just start hustling a little smarter, doing those little things early and often, you’ll get a lot more out of the time you already spend at the field. When you do this, you grow a lot faster. Imagine you get just 10% more out of your day, week in and week out. At the end of the season, that adds up, and can be the difference between Sunday or getting knocked out early.”
This year, he wants to set the tone early. He’s doing the January Project again, and is inviting you to join him.
—— Welcome, Ben.
Q - How does it work?
Quote:
Originally Posted by benpb03
This is a 31 day challenge to give yourself the gift of preparation in 2017.
Pick one thing that you want to do every day in January. If you see this January 5th, just start it that day or the next. Then do the project through February 6th.
If you fall off, and miss a day or two. Just recommit and go forward. Avoid beating yourself up, discipline is a step by step process of recommitment. We will inevitably falter until our resolve becomes bold enough and strong enough that the journey has taken root, and the long game come into focus.
I missed a day last year. It taught me a lot about myself and about commitment. Ironically when I just recommitted it helped me more than it hurt me. It actually added to the project lol.
So take that philosophy, let your enthusiasm fuel a commitment. Then everyday recommit. If you slip? Breath deep, recommit and begin again.
That is the path to mastery. Just keep moving forward.
Handle business young king.
TIP - Try to pick something you could see yourself doing everyday or quite often, beyond the project.
Options: Running, yoga, Movement Practices, Martial Arts, whatever it is, whether it’s a physical class, a video from youtube or a mix of your own stuff…
Do it everyday. And if you want to switch it up or change it, go for it, just make sure you continue to do SOMETHING, everyday.
Then, add drilling and playing whenever you can, say every Wednesday night.