Social skills challenge · Challenge
Make the call you've been avoiding
That phone call you've been putting off — appointment, question, awkward follow-up — make it today. Write your opening sentence down first if it helps, then dial.
Why this works
Call avoidance is pure anticipatory anxiety: the call is almost always easier than the dread. Doing it with a prepared first sentence teaches you that you only need to script the entry, not the whole thing.
How to do it
- 1
Name the call. You knew which one it was before you finished reading the title.
- 2
Write the first sentence only: "Hi, I'm calling about..." The entry is the only part worth scripting.
- 3
Dial within five minutes of writing it. The gap between preparing and dialing is where avoidance regrows.
- 4
Afterwards, notice the delta: how bad the dread was versus how the call actually went. That gap is the lesson.
If your brain is fighting you
If your heart rate spikes at the thought: that's not a sign you shouldn't call, it's a sign you've been rehearsing catastrophe. The person answering does this all day and remembers nothing about awkward callers. Voicemail? Even better — deliver your sentence and hang up, full credit. The rep is dialing, not delivering a flawless performance.
Felt easy? Level up
Make the second avoided call the same day, while the first one's momentum is still warm. Avoidance lists shrink fast once they start shrinking.
Go deeper
The full guides behind this challenge:
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Plus an AI coach to rehearse with before you do it for real, and a streak to keep you honest. Built for overthinkers.
More challenges at this level
- Talk to one strangerHave one conversation with a stranger today that goes past the greeting — aim for two minutes. Comment on the shared situation, ask a question, see where it goes.
- Only ask follow-up questionsIn one conversation today, don't change the subject once. Every question you ask must dig into something the other person just said.
- State a real opinionAt least once today, when you'd normally say "yeah, could be" or mirror the other person's take, state what you actually think instead — kindly, but plainly.