49 Days Down, 26 to Go! 3 Lessons I’ve Learned From the 75 Hard Challenge

As I write this, I’m on day 49 of Andy Frisella’s 75 Hard Challenge. He calls it “the only program that can permanently change your life.” It has already changed mine!

I learned about 75 Hard a few years ago from friends who dared to try it. Then, I saw Andy speak at a business conference. I really wanted to give 75 Hard a shot and test my mental toughness. But I was nervous! It sounded difficult, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d commit to it and then fail spectacularly. 

You have to follow six strict rules for all 75 days of 75 Hard, including finishing two 45-minute workouts every day (including at least one outside), giving up alcohol, reading 10 pages of nonfiction each day, and drinking 4.5 liters of water daily. 

Scary, right? I knew that to stick with the program, I’d need to find someone else equally crazy to do it with me — so I called my wife’s younger brother, Zach. When he turns it on, he can run insane distances and complete tough fitness challenges. 

“If you do this with me and we both make it, then at the end of the 75 days, we’ll go shopping and pick out new shoes,” I told him. “Deal?” 

“Alright,” Zach said. “I’m in!”

We agreed to the challenge around Christmas last year, but I may not have found the courage to start without Zach. Exactly 50 days ago, he texted me, “This is it; we’re starting today!” I talked him into giving me 24 hours, but we kicked off the challenge the next morning — and I’m glad we did. 

Even though Zach keeps telling me I’m doing “75 Soft” compared to his daily 12-mile runs, I’ve learned three big life lessons in the last 49 days. 

1. We lie to ourselves — and stopping those lies makes life better. This is one of Andy’s big lessons. We all tell ourselves small lies: “I’m going to stop eating junk food. I’m going to read more books. I’m going to be a better person.” Then, we break those promises and devalue our word. 75 Hard is different. I told myself what could have been a lie — I’m going to finish the 75 Hard Challenge — but I’m sticking to it! Honoring my word feels good, and I will carry that integrity forward. 
2. We’re stronger than we think. The hardest part of the 75 Hard Challenge for me is drinking 4.5 liters of water daily. At one point, I caught a stomach bug, and nothing sounded worse than drinking an entire liter of water! I almost quit. But in the end, I picked up that water bottle. Later, I thought about this David Goggins quote: “When your mind is telling you you’re done, you’re really only 40% done.”
3. If we put something off repeatedly, soon it will be too late. You can’t grow as a person unless you lean into discomfort — and if you procrastinate on experiencing that discomfort, you’ll never grow! I can’t believe how much I’ve learned simply by reading 10 pages of nonfiction daily, something I put off over and over before starting 75 hard. If you’re procrastinating on something big in your life, start today because someday it will be too late. 

I’ve experienced a lot of inspiring moments over the last 49 days. My mind is clearer, my body feels stronger, and I even watched Zach run 7.8 kilometers for charity! He joined Blue Devils basketball player Stanley Borden’s fundraising run for victims of the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria. It was inspiring to watch — and who knows if he would have done it without 75 Hard. 

Have you done the 75 Hard Challenge? I should be finished by the time you read this, and I’d love to know what you learned. You can click here to email your thoughts to me!