Over many years and thousands of presentations, this remains one of my most referenced ideas and illustrations. Early in my performance career, when struggling to juggle four balls, my three ball juggling became easy. And I never mastered four until attempting five. In any challenge, you can find clarity and competence at one level by choosing to advance to the next.

Think of your own life and the simpler days that once seemed difficult until you moved on to the harder class, through the physical challenge, took the next job, or had the next child. Inviting difficult delivers retrospective simplicity. So, if you want life to get easier, make it tougher for a time. Here are five ways to do that.

1. Skill – Learning a new skill has a way of leveling up others.

2. Speed – Striving to go faster with calm precision teaches you expand moments and anticipate what’s next.

3. Responsibility – Saying yes to lead a team or project will ensure you’re transformed on the other side.

4. Strength and endurance – Taking on weight and distance, physically or metaphorically, makes you stronger for longer.

5. Complexity – Inviting complexity trains you to see patterns, make connections, and become efficient.

You’ll likely discover the next level is that it’s not entirely new or different. You’re prepared in many ways, and “harder” has a powerful forcing function. Voluntary challenge pulls out your best while allowing extraneous noise and effort to fall away, because it must. So try something harder. And until next week, stay Off Balance On Purpose.