TikTokers love a challenge, especially if it involves some sort of self-imposed hibernation period that will transform their lives and pay off in physical or financial success.

Currently, my feed is full of young people participating in “The Great Lock-In,” a three-month challenge that began in September and lasts through the end of the year. The goal is that participants enter January having already completed a set of goals and established certain habits, a jumpstart on “New Year, New Me.”

“Locking in” has become its own aesthetic. Videos under the #thegreatlockin and #lockingin hashtags feature Zoomers in sterile apartments wearing neutral workout clothes. They’re usually fixing healthy meals, walking on treadmills, and making lists in journals, complete with timestamps for each activity. There are inspirational slideshows set to rap songs. Others feature soundbites from iconic NBA players, like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

“It’s all about programming your mind to go hard for a sprint of time,” says influencer Tatiana Forbes in a TikTok video. “It’s meant to be this time where you put forth immense effort in some area of your life.”

Lock in #winterarc #foryou #gym

It’s curious that locking in is a formal challenge. With origins in football and........

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