Back in June, I decided to push myself creatively in the biggest way possible: a 30-day brand design challenge. The rules were simple but brutal—design one complete brand every single day, record the process, and post it on social media.

Why put myself through this? My business was still in its early stages, and I needed to keep growing while waiting for client work to pick up. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good challenge, and I was curious to see how far I could push myself.

Spoiler alert: this challenge was absolutely brutal.

Finding Time When There Is No Time

Here’s the thing—I’m still working a full-time 9-5 job while building my business. So where did I find the time? Honestly, I asked myself that same question before starting. But I made myself a promise: no matter what, I would make this happen.

Some days meant waking up at 4 AM to design before work. Weekends became batch-design marathons where I’d try to get ahead by two days. I was designing two brands some nights, which took four hours. Other nights, I barely finished one.

I pushed myself relentlessly for 28 days straight—until my body decided the challenge was over when I came down with strep throat. But you know what? 28 days still feels like a massive win.

What I Learned About Myself

“I Don’t Have Time” Is Just Fear in Disguise

Before this challenge, I constantly told myself I didn’t have time to create personal work. But that wasn’t true. I was scared. I didn’t believe in my abilities enough to create designs that weren’t for paying clients.

The truth? You have time. Whether it’s after everyone goes to bed or before the world wakes up, there are 24 hours in your day. You can find at least two hours to work on your craft.

Social Media Isn’t the Monster I Thought It Was

I was terrified of posting on social media. Getting on camera made me uncomfortable, I never knew what to share, and my posts never performed well. Most trends involved lip-syncing or talking directly to the camera—two things I absolutely hated.

But when you have to post something every single day, perfectionism becomes impossible. I couldn’t obsess over every detail because then nothing would ever get posted. My favorite quote became my mantra: “Feel the fear and do it anyway.”

Every single post came with impostor syndrome and constant self-doubt about whether my designs were actually good. But I posted anyway.

Statistics Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Here’s something I’m still learning: the numbers don’t matter as much as you think. What matters is showing up and getting your work into the world.

During my challenge, I gained maybe one follower. But since June? I’ve gained 43 Instagram followers—not because of the challenge itself, but because I finally had the confidence to show up consistently.

I started posting on Threads, joining Facebook groups, having coffee chats with other creators, and really putting myself out there. I’ve made genuine business friendships and connected with potential clients. In June, I had zero clients. By September, I’d received two inquiries in two weeks.

All because I decided to show up for myself and prove this dream was worth fighting for.

The Bottom Line

I highly recommend a 30-day challenge to anyone reading this. It doesn’t have to be design—maybe it’s 30 days at the gym, 30 days of writing, or 30 days of whatever skill you want to develop.

Sit down and ask yourself: “What area of my life needs growth?” Then commit to 30 days of pushing yourself in that direction.

I promise you won’t regret it. It will be hard—really hard—but it will be so worth it in the end.