What Is This All About?
When was the last time you tried something for the first time?
For most of us, that answer is… too long ago. We get comfortable, stick to what we know, and stop pushing ourselves to grow. But research shows that people with a strong sense of purpose are 2.4 times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Having meaningful challenges keeps our brains sharp and our spirits young.
The 60 Firsts Challenge is my systematic approach to breaking through fear, learning new skills, and proving it’s never too late to try something for the first time. I’m documenting everything in real-time so you can follow along, learn from my failures, and maybe start your own challenge.
Started: May 31, 2025
Progress: 0 of 24 completed (expanding to 60 over time)
The List
Color Key: š“ Not Started | š” In Progress | š¢ Completed
QUICK WINS (1-4 weeks)
š“ Learn to juggle 3 balls continuously
Success: Juggle 3 balls for 30 seconds without dropping
š“ Learn to ride a unicycle
Success: Ride 50 feet without falling or touching anything for support
š“ Solve a Rubik’s Cube
Success: Complete the cube in under 5 minutes
š“ Do 60 push-ups in a row
Success: 60 consecutive push-ups with proper form
CURRENT PROJECT INTEGRATION (2-4 months)
š“ Learn to play 10 ukulele songs
Success: Play 10 songs from memory, including chord changes and singing
š“ Rebuild garage website to $5K/month
Success: Generate $5,000+ monthly revenue from garagehowto.com
š“ Launch weekly newsletter
Success: Publish newsletter every week for 3 months straight
š“ Create and publish 20 YouTube videos
Success: 20 videos published over 20 weeks
BUSINESS & CREATIVE (3-6 months)
š“ Write and publish a book
Success: Complete book available for purchase on Amazon
š“ Build an app for sale
Success: Sell at least 100 copies of app
š“ Build a profitable second website
Success: New website generating $1,000+ monthly revenue
š“ Perform live with ukulele
Success: Play 3+ songs live in front of audience of 20+ people
š“ Create a short film (5-10 minutes)
Success: Complete short film published online
PHYSICAL & ADVENTURE (ongoing)
š“ Get visible 6-pack abs
Success: Clearly defined abdominal muscles visible in photos
š“ Complete a 60-mile bike ride
Success: Ride 60 miles in a single day
TRAVEL & EXPLORATION (various timelines)
š“ Visit 10 countries
Success: Spend one night in 10 different countries (currently at 4)
LEARNING & GROWTH (various timelines)
š“ Learn to weld
Success: Complete a functional welding project
š“ Build a piece of furniture from scratch
Success: Design and build usable furniture piece
š“ Write 1,000 words for 60 consecutive days
Success: 60 days straight of 1,000+ word writing
š“ Read 50 books in one year
Success: Complete 50 books between [start date] and [end date]
š“ Learn basic Spanish
Success: Hold 5-minute conversation using only Spanish
BUILDING & CREATING (6+ months)
š“ Build a sauna
Success: Functional sauna that reaches 180Ā°F
š“ Learn to use a looper with ukulele
Success: Record and perform 3-minute song using looper
Completed Firsts
This section will showcase completed challenges with links to documentation, photos, and lessons learned.
Nothing here yet… but check back soon!
Current Focus
Primary: Learning to play ukulele (targeting 10 songs by September 2025)
Secondary: Rebuilding garage website to $5K/month
Quick Win: Starting with juggling practice
The Rules
- One major project at a time (Linear Execution method)
- Document everything – failures, progress, and victories
- Define success clearly before starting
- No quitting once started – persistence over perfection
- Share lessons learned to help others
Submit Your Ideas
Have a suggestion for my list? Think I should try something specific? Send me your ideas – the best suggestions might make it onto the expanded list!
Follow My Progress
- Newsletter: Get weekly updates on progress and lessons learned
- Blog: Detailed posts about each challenge
- YouTube: Video documentation of the journey
Want to start your own Firsts Challenge? I’d love to hear about it and cheer you on!
This page will be updated regularly as I make progress. Bookmark it to follow along!