Having Challenges vs. Being Challenged

We often talk about challenges. The word 'challenge' gets thrown around a lot. To a degree, it has lost an amount of meaning to it. 'Challenge' can either be a good thing or a bad thing, but it depends on what kind of challenge you're talking about.

Having challenges is generally considered a good thing. These challenges are usually obstacles that we have to overcome to reach our goals. Sometimes these challenges are external, like maneuvering through an obstacle course. Sometimes they're internal, like getting over a fear of heights. In either case, these challenges are relatively self-imposed. Basically, if the person didn't have that goal, they wouldn't have the challenges to overcome either.

Being challenged, on the other hand, is not a good thing. Being challenged is when, for example, some person comes up to you and tells you that you're no good, that he's better than you, or that you need to beat him in a competition. This is an external challenge. It isn't part of attaining a goal. It's just some guy antagonizing you.

However, this is the point where it starts getting confusing. Since e use the same word to describe both of these situations, it is easy to mix the two up. Also, since a confrontation between two people can be an obstacle to overcome in achieving a goal, it gets even more confusing. That's why it is nice to have alternate words like 'overcoming obstacles' and 'confrontations' to explain the differences.

You can't have a challenge without a goal. As such, those challenges should always be encouraging. Overcoming them will get you closer to what you want, plus it will add to your abilities that you may need in the future.

You can be challenged without a goal directly involved. These challenges do not necessarily have any meaning. Although some people will rise to these challenges, being insulted and outright attacked more often causes harm than anything good.

Challenges are a part of life, both kinds. This means that it is important for authors to understand challenges, both for themselves and for their characters. One challenge may uplift while another may crush. There are reasons for the differences.