What 50 Days of Intentional Living Actually Taught Me (And Why Perfect Isn't the Point)
So here we are. Fifty days later, and I'm sitting here trying to figure out how to wrap up this whole Project 50 experience without making it sound like some polished success story that it definitely wasn't.
Because let's be real... if you're expecting a "I transformed my entire life and now I'm a productivity guru" post, you're going to be disappointed. What actually happened was messier, more human, and honestly? Way more valuable than any perfect streak could have been.
The challenge started during chaos.
I kicked off Project 50 not long after graduating high school a semester early. I was in this weird limbo space where life felt simultaneously busy and flexible. Campus visits, G2 license prep, housing decisions... all that "becoming an adult" stuff that nobody really prepares you for.
The seven rules seemed straightforward enough: wake up before 8 AM, morning routine without distractions, exercise for an hour, read 10 pages daily, learn a new skill for an hour, maintain a healthy diet, and journal daily progress. Simple on paper. Reality? Well, that's where things got interesting.
Day 1 was surprisingly good. I actually got up at 7:30 AM instead of hitting snooze until 8:10. That felt like a win. But by Day 5? "Well, shit. Completely messed up my sleep schedule last night."
That's the thing nobody tells you about habit challenges. They don't happen in a vacuum. Life keeps lifing while you're trying to optimize yourself. I got sucked into an interesting project, lost track of time, and boom...
Then Day 6 brought a snowstorm. Mother Nature basically said "take a break," and I did. No regrets. Sometimes forced pauses are exactly what you need to reset.
The weird middle part is where growth actually happens.
By Week 2, something shifted. Less chaos, more rhythm. I finished my Beginner Driver Education course, started "enslaving machines" for housework (yes, I bought a robot vacuum and questioned whether they'd develop sentience), and had my first driving lessons.
The dust situation in my room was getting ridiculous. Last year I could go 1-2 weeks between cleanings, now three days meant thick dust layers. These are the unglamorous details that actually matter when you're trying to build better habits.
What actually stuck? And what didn't?
Brutally honest about the results. I didn't nail all seven rules every single day for 50 days straight. Some days I wrote "All good. Busy day" in my journal because that's all I had energy for. Some days I skipped the gym. Some nights I stayed up too late working on projects.
But here's what did happen:
- My sleep schedule became way more consistent (even when it occasionally went sideways)
- I completed my driver's education and got real driving experience
- I fixed a little portion of my workspace ergonomics and solved my neck issues
- I reconnected with reading and discovered I actually missed music when I wasn't listening to it
- I turned 18 during this challenge and gave myself permission to celebrate
Around Day 15, I realized something important: "Started using analog ways to get away from algorithm distractions." This wasn't even one of the original rules, but it emerged naturally from the process.
The challenge wasn't just about following seven specific habits. It was about becoming more intentional with how I spent my time and energy. When you're tracking your daily progress, you start noticing patterns you've been blind to.
If you're thinking about trying Project 50, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Don't aim for perfection. Aim for showing up. Some days you'll hit all seven rules and feel unstoppable. Other days you'll manage three and that's still progress.
Life will happen. For me, it was nowstorms, interesting projects, dust apocalypses, driving lessons. Your life doesn't pause for habit formation. Build flexibility into your expectations.
The compound effect is real but subtle. By Week 2, habits that felt challenging in Week 1 started feeling normal. By the end, these weren't challenge rules anymore, but just how I lived.
Track everything honestly. The days I wrote "Been productive" or "Didn't stick to plan" were just as valuable as the detailed entries. Progress isn't linear, and your journal should reflect that.
Before this, I was either on or off with habits. All or nothing thinking that led to a lot of nothing. Now I understand that showing up imperfectly is infinitely better than not showing up at all. That 60% effort sustained over time beats 100% effort that burns out after a week.
Read the full journey: