“Challenge by Choice” for Youth Outdoors

Before we go any further, I want you to think of a time where you were proud of yourself. Why were you proud of yourself? What challenges did you have to overcome?

Now, think about why you decided to overcome those challenges. Did you want to prove something to yourself, or maybe someone else? Did you let your curiosity outweigh your fears, and take the leap? Maybe you just threw yourself blindly into it and hoped for the best.

Whatever the case is, we are often proud of ourselves because we did something challenging and ended up with something positive as a result. At Venture Outdoors, we like to practice something called “Challenge by Choice”.

Let’s talk about it! 

Challenge by Choice (CBC), is a concept that lets people choose their own level of involvement in an activity without any pressure from outside sources or peers. This allows people to practice self-determination and personal agency, which in turn can teach people the ability to set boundaries and build self-confidence.

In education, especially outdoor education, there is the idea of the three learning zones or rings.

• Ring 1: Comfort Zone – This is where we are most at ease and feel the safest. It’s not a particularly challenge zone but it’s a necessary base to enter other zones. 
• Ring 2: Growth Zone – This is where we feel comfortable enough to challenge ourselves, and there is a present sense of control. 
• Ring 3: Panic Zone – This is where there’s an overwhelming amount of stress or fear. At this point there’s no room for learning and folks may feel an aversion to the activity at hand. 

At Venture Outdoors Summer Camps and all of our youth programs we aim for an environment that fosters the growth zone. A space where learning and development occur outside the comfort zone but within the bounds of what feels manageable. All campers and students are different. Our Outdoor Educators are trained to recognize these differences and build a safe and welcoming environment for all.  

Now, let’s circle back to the first point! Think about that time when you were proud of yourself again. What ring do you think you were in when you were in the midst of doing whatever it was that made you feel that way?

There may be some of us who say you were in the comfort zone, and there also may be some of us who say we were unfortunately in the panic zone.

However, most of us will say we were in the growth zone. We were able to feel in control of ourselves, enough so that we had the autonomy to be able to complete something that we may not have been able to do before. We were not comfortable, but we also were not fear stricken. All true, sustainable learning occurs within the growth zone.

Remember this the next time you are facing a challenge, or if you find yourself in a leadership position.