Community Engagement Trumps Metrics

Shaan Puri and Sam Parr reflect on their "My First Muscle" fitness challenge, emphasizing the value of community engagement over metrics. The challenge involved participants doing 100 burpees, push-ups, and squats, with winners receiving prizes but the real focus being on community participation and creative engagement.

Key Points:

• Challenge Structure:

  • 100 burpees, 100 push-ups, 100 squats
  • Prizes included cold plunges for fastest male/female
  • Additional prizes for creativity, costumes, and inspiration

• Community Engagement:

  • Thousands of participants submitted videos
  • Wide range of fitness levels participated
  • Challenge designed to be hard regardless of fitness level
  • "If you did it, you're the real winner in my heart" - Shaan

• Performance Highlights:

  • Fastest male: 8 minutes 6 seconds
  • Fastest female: 8 minutes 58 seconds
  • Notable performances included:
    • Person with broken leg completing in 18 minutes
    • 50-year-old completing in front of landmarks
    • Creative submissions with costumes and storylines

• Value Priorities:

  • Form debates were secondary to participation
  • Celebrated creativity and effort over perfect execution
  • Emphasized inclusive community participation
  • Recognized both speed and creative contributions equally

• Impact Assessment:

  • "We got the fun and joy of the community coming together and doing something awesome" - Shaan
  • Challenge created significant social media engagement
  • Successfully brought podcast community together for shared experience