The #100DaysOfCode Challenge, its history, and why you should try it for

2021
The #100DaysOfCode Challenge

#100DaysOfCode would serve as a commitment device, forcing Alex to code each day after work, even when he felt like watching TV instead.

He needed to clearly state what the rules of the challenge were, so he wouldn’t be able to bend them later.

So he created Rule #1: You commit to coding for minimum 1 hour every day for the next 100 days.

Alex was obsessed with productivity, and developing positive habits. He had read lots of books on habit formation. Some of the books he
recommends reading on the topic are:

The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battles

 The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

Alex thought about how so much of our motivation comes from our friends and family. We need social accountability.

And that’s when he realized that this challenge could be social in nature, and that the more people he got involved, the more likely any single
participant would succeed and make it through day 100.

So he created Rule #2: You commit to encouraging at least 2 other people who are taking the challenge each day, using Twitter.

As Alex puts it:

“This system could help counteract all the excuses I naturally came up with for not doing what I was supposed to do. This is how the
challenge was born — a couple of simple rules, social accountability, and nothing more. Accountability is one of the biggest factors in
trying to change some aspect of your life.”

Right from the start, Alex acknowledged that learning to code is hard. But our friends can help us push forward through the setbacks.

“There will be plenty of times when you feel like you’ve had enough. Or you’ll feel like your progress is way too slow, or you’re
hopelessly stuck. These are all serious-enough reasons to quit. Or at least that’s what you might tell yourself.

But if you connect with others on the same path you can share the ups and downs of the journey, and together move past all these
roadblocks. Share your frustrations, learning experiences, and victories with the like-minded people who are also on the same path as
you. By sharing these, you grow to understand: ‘It’s not just me.’”

Why #100DaysOfCode is a more realistic goal than most of the New Years Resolutions people commit to

The #100DaysOfCode Challenge is only 100 days long — less than a third of a year. And you have a giant community of people cheering you on.

As a result, many people not only finish the challenge — they commit to it a second time!