Challenging

Challenging; testing one's abilities; demanding.

We are demanding more of ourselves willingly.

Difficult: needing much effort or skill to accomplish, deal with, or understand.

"she had a difficult decision to make"

Difficult means needing much skill. We are still honing our skills

While teaching a lesson I explained to a student the difference between the word difficult and the word challenging. While difficult describes the situation as something that is hard to do, challenging implies that there is a reward to be had upon accomplishing a challenging task. To me, challenging means that at the end of the challenging task you will be better for it. Challenging implies that the task is something to be overcome some thing to be won while difficult simply implies something is hard. Challenging means testing ones abilities. Difficult means needing much effort or skill to accomplish. I encourage my students to always test their abilities to always challenge themselves and to always move in the direction of the uncomfortable.

Difficult implies that there is an easier way. If we always look for the easy way we never challenge ourselves. I see challenges as tests, tasks to be accepted. I would like to have my students approach anything that we do as a challenge to be won, instead of saying "That's hard!" I will have them say "This is challenging!" followed by a smile as they accept. There is a tremendous difference there. Accept all challenges.