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PhilosophyDecember 25, 20257 min read

What is a Misogi? The Japanese Ritual That Could Define Your Year

Discover the ancient Misogi ritual and how choosing one bold, year-defining challenge can make your year unforgettable. No more forgotten resolutions.

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Quick—what did you do eight days ago?

Can't remember? That's normal. Our brains aren't wired to remember ordinary days.

Now try this: What defined your entire 2024?

If you're drawing a blank, or if the answer is just "survived," you're not alone. Most years blur together into an indistinguishable mass of routine. Wake up, work, sleep, repeat. Before you know it, another December has arrived and you're wondering where the time went.

But what if there was a different way? What if you could make each year so distinct, so memorable, that you'd never have to wonder what you did?

Enter the Misogi. (If you're already familiar with the concept and looking for practical guidance, check out our guide on how to choose your Misogi or explore 50 Misogi ideas to spark inspiration.)

The Ancient Ritual

Misogi (禊) is a traditional Japanese Shinto purification ritual. In its original form, practitioners would stand under a waterfall or immerse themselves in cold water to cleanse their spirit and prepare for sacred ceremonies.

The water was meant to wash away impurities—both physical and spiritual. It was uncomfortable. It required courage. And it left you transformed.

But here's what makes Misogi relevant today: it's not really about the water. It's about the purification through challenge. The transformation that comes from doing something hard.

The Modern Misogi

In recent years, athletes, entrepreneurs, and personal development enthusiasts have adapted the Misogi concept into something more practical. Jesse Itzler, the entrepreneur and ultramarathoner, has been particularly influential in popularizing this modern interpretation:

One year-defining challenge that pushes you, changes you, and makes the year unforgettable.

The modern Misogi isn't about standing in a waterfall (though it could be). It's about choosing one bold thing that will become the defining marker of your year.

Not a habit. Not a resolution. Not a vague intention.

A specific challenge that, when completed, will make you say: "That was the year I ___."

  • "That was the year I ran my first marathon."
  • "That was the year I wrote and published my novel."
  • "That was the year I hiked all 50 state highpoints."
  • "That was the year I finally launched my business."

Why One Goal Works

Here's the uncomfortable truth about resolutions: you probably made too many of them. (We explore this in depth in our article on why 92% of resolutions fail.)

Every January, millions of people write down a list of 10, 15, sometimes 20 things they want to change. Lose weight. Read more. Save money. Learn Spanish. Meditate. Exercise. Drink less. Call mom more.

By February, the list is forgotten in a drawer somewhere.

The Misogi approach is different because it embraces a counterintuitive truth: focus beats fragmentation.

When you commit to one thing—really commit—something shifts:

  • Your energy consolidates. Instead of spreading yourself across 15 lukewarm efforts, you pour everything into one meaningful pursuit.
  • Your identity starts to change. You become "the person training for the marathon" or "the person writing a novel." It stops being something you do and becomes who you are.
  • Every day has purpose. Each morning, you know exactly what matters. No decision fatigue about which resolution to prioritize.
  • Progress compounds. Small daily actions toward one goal stack up in ways that scattered efforts never can.

The Misogi Criteria

Not every goal qualifies as a Misogi. For a challenge to truly define your year, it should meet these criteria:

1. It scares you a little (but excites you more)

A true Misogi sits at the edge of your comfort zone. It should make your stomach flutter when you imagine completing it. If it doesn't make you slightly nervous, it's probably too easy.

But it shouldn't paralyze you with fear either. The sweet spot is a challenge that feels ambitious but achievable with sustained effort.

2. It's specific and measurable

"Get healthier" isn't a Misogi. "Complete a triathlon" is.

"Write more" isn't a Misogi. "Finish the first draft of my novel" is.

"Be more creative" isn't a Misogi. "Paint 100 pieces of art" is.

You should know, without ambiguity, whether you succeeded.

3. It takes most of the year

A weekend project isn't a Misogi. The challenge should be substantial enough that it requires sustained commitment over months. This is what creates the transformation and makes the year memorable.

4. It's yours

Your Misogi should resonate with you—not with what you think you should want, or what would impress others, or what worked for someone else.

If you pick a Misogi because it sounds impressive at dinner parties, you'll quit in March. If you pick one because it genuinely excites you, you'll find a way to keep going when it gets hard.

Examples of Misogis

Still figuring out what your Misogi could be? Here are some examples across different categories:

Physical Challenges:

  • Run your first marathon (or ultramarathon)
  • Complete a triathlon
  • Climb a major peak (Kilimanjaro, Rainier, etc.)
  • Do 365 days of cold plunges
  • Achieve a specific strength goal (100 pushups, deadlift 2x bodyweight)

Creative Pursuits:

  • Write and finish a novel
  • Create 365 pieces of art
  • Record and release an album
  • Build and launch an app
  • Complete a significant photography project

Learning & Growth:

  • Become conversationally fluent in a new language
  • Read 52 books (one per week)
  • Master a musical instrument
  • Get a significant certification or degree
  • Learn to code and build something real

Life Milestones:

  • Launch a side business
  • Complete a significant renovation yourself
  • Visit every national park (or state, or continent)
  • Go an entire year without alcohol
  • Save a specific amount of money

The Difference Between a Misogi and a Resolution

It might sound like semantics, but the distinction matters:

Resolutions are typically:

  • Multiple (the average person makes 3-5)
  • Vague ("exercise more")
  • Habit-focused ("go to the gym 3x/week")
  • Easy to abandon without feeling like a failure
  • Forgotten by February

A Misogi is:

  • Singular (one thing)
  • Specific ("complete a half-Ironman triathlon")
  • Outcome-focused ("cross the finish line")
  • Hard to abandon because it's tied to your identity
  • The thing you'll remember about this year

When someone asks what you accomplished in 2025, you won't say "I went to the gym sometimes." You'll say "I finished my first triathlon" or "I wrote a novel" or "I climbed Mount Rainier."

How to Track Your Misogi

Choosing your Misogi is just the beginning. The magic happens in the daily work—the small actions that stack up over 365 days.

Here's what we've found works:

  1. Break it into daily or weekly actions. If your Misogi is to run a marathon, your daily action might be "run or train." If it's to write a novel, maybe it's "write 500 words."

  2. Track visually. There's something powerful about seeing your progress fill up. A year's worth of consistent effort, visualized, is incredibly motivating. (This is exactly why we built the 365-day grid in the Misogi app—watching it fill with green dots makes consistency addictive.)

  3. Share it with someone. Accountability matters. Tell a friend. Join a group. Use an app that lets others see your progress. When someone else is watching, quitting gets harder.

  4. Expect the dip. Somewhere around month 3 or 4, the initial excitement fades. The novelty is gone. The end is still far away. This is normal. This is where most people quit. Knowing it's coming helps you push through.

Start Your Misogi

If you've read this far, something resonated.

Maybe you're tired of years that blur together. Maybe you're done with resolution lists that never survive past January. Maybe you're ready to do something bold—to make this year count.

Here's what to do next:

  1. Ask yourself: "What's the one thing that, if I accomplished it this year, would make me proud? Would make the year unforgettable?"

  2. Write it down. Make it specific. Make it measurable.

  3. Tell someone. The moment you declare it, it becomes real.

  4. Start today. Not January 1st. Not next Monday. Today.

Try the Misogi App

We built the Misogi app because we were tired of scattered resolutions and forgotten goals. It's designed around this exact philosophy: one goal, tracked daily, with accountability built in.

  • Define your Misogi with a clear target
  • Log daily activities that move you forward
  • Watch the year grid fill up with proof of your consistency
  • Stay accountable with a community of people doing hard things

It's free, it's simple, and it might just help you make this your most memorable year yet.

Key Takeaways

  • A Misogi is one bold, year-defining challenge—not a habit, not a resolution
  • The concept originates from Japanese Shinto purification rituals
  • Focus beats fragmentation: one goal creates identity shift and compound progress
  • Your Misogi should scare you a little, excite you more, be specific, and take most of the year
  • Daily tracking and accountability dramatically increase your chances of success
  • The question isn't "what should I improve?" but "what would make this year unforgettable?"