For what a few of you have been waiting for (and what I’ve been waiting to share once I recovered from what I consider the worst burnout hangover I’ve ever had), my review of the very popular and relentlessly challenging program called 75 Hard.
For those of you who maybe have had a solid routine of health and systems of discipline in place it might not sound that hard to do the following components of the program:
2x 45minute workouts per day, one has to be outside
Drink a gallon of water a day
Pick a diet and stick to it
No cheat meals or alcohol
Take a progress picture every day
Read 10 pages of a physical (no audiobooks) non-fiction book every day
My systems of health and discipline and background of mental toughness coming into 75 Hard:
since I was 19 years old (11 years ago), I have read AT LEAST 1 personal development/self-help/business/sales book per month, many months 2-3 books
I’ve been lifting weights at a minimum of 3x/week, 12x/month REGARDLESS of all life’s ups and downs since I was 14 years old and TO THIS DAY I have YET to miss a single week or month.
Those who know me the best consider me to be one of the most disciplined, passionate, on purpose people they know
I have overcome poverty, almost homeless, dealt with family member suicide and alcoholism, losing one of my best friends to a tragic accident at 24, was almost kicked out of Marquette, got fired from multiple jobs, been demoted, failed multiple businesses, have been diagnosed and suffered from depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and have gone through emotional abuse and manipulation in sales and business - this isn’t a sob story more than to give you context than life has taught me to be motherf***** relentless and EXTREMELY mentally tough
Why do I share this?
The founder of this program is proud of the fact that this is one of the BEST programs for mental toughness out there. After completing that program, for most people, I can agree with that statement. We are in a weak, average-minded, victim-mentality culture that needs to step up. I know a TON of people who could benefit from this program.
However, there are many high-performing sales people, entrepreneurs, business owners, C-suite executives, and high-level managers, lawyers, doctors (basically anyone making a couple-hundred grand per year and working more than 50 hours per week) I would NOT recommend this program to.
I don’t care if I sound arrogant here because I fully believe this: I didn’t NEED more mental toughness from this program (even my best friends and mindset coaches agreed with this and questioned why I even wanted to do this program) - I even currently had a couple coaches on mindset, mental toughness, and had been through multiple therapists in the last 5 years at the ONSET of me beginning this program…BUT, I wanted to know what I was capable of and what was possible.
Outside of 75 Hard, here are the business/work/life accomplishments and tasks completed WHILE doing this program:
finished two commercial insurance designations for career advancement while starting a new position
Almost finishing 7 different training/coaching certifications from the reading, to quizzes, to tests (almost felt like full-time school)
Continued working with a fleet of coaches/mentors - sales coaches, psychologists, mindset coaches, marketing coaches, marriage coach
Took on a new group of sales coaches dedicating about 20 hours/week to studies, trainings, and working on my sales craft
Still worked average 50hr weeks while achieving the biggest income month ever experienced in my 10year sales career
Still dedicated 10-20 hours/week (based on energy) to the Forward Framework and built out two entire new programs - one launched in March, and one coming in April
Still made time for date nights with my wife and blocked out time for some of my closest family and friends
Alright, now that you know my situation going in and what we were able to do, here’s how it went (or at least what stands out from what I can remember how it went, some days were an absolute blur).
Days 1-15
My minimalist program I was doing before this in the gym (30 minute lifts 6x/week) just became a little extended, but the workouts weren’t too bad
Getting used to that much water, especially when traveling, I had to constantly think about it, many times I stayed up late just to finish my water (was used to going to bed at 8-9pm) but was starting to stay up until some nights midnight as it’s semi-dangerous to have more than 32oz water in an hour, so had to spread out 4 bottles of water past 9pm
Days 16-30
hit Day 22 and wanted to quit, had first minor injury in my wrist most likely just from overuse lifting 22 days straight (most I had ever lifted straight without at least 1 rest day was 15 days)
Old man winter FINALLY came in Wisconsin, many of the outdoor workouts were completed in single digit to super negative temperatures (yes a couple times we were at risk of frostbite because of how cold it was outside -30 with windchill)
Days 31-42
42 days of lifting straight, also with most walks being in negative temps STILL
absolutely burned out at Day 42, I’ve tested the edge of burnout (as a big reason behind my coaching business is helping people avoid burnout and sustain their energy and full engagement) too many times to count and I know when it hits
Day 42 - how that whole day started, I just had a feeling deep down, I was going to quit that day, I couldn’t take the toll on my energy
Well, at this point, completely burned out, not wanting to see a weight to lift or go on another walk, we still had a whole MONTH left - my mind completely took over here because there was no way in HELL I was going to let 42 days go to waste, even if I had to say no to everything I enjoyed outside of work, building my business, and workouts - which I did, I didn’t watch the SuperBowl, I canceled my TV subscription, and didn’t attend or watch ANY of the top NBA games I wanted to, and my Xbox collected a vacuum’s worth of dust…
Last 33 days (43-75):
felt like I was hanging on for dear life
days that I legitimately was so tired, I’d fall asleep after work, and couldn’t even drive home, I’d have to book a hotel when I was in another state traveling for work
During a deload lifting week, had a minor deadlift setback while doing LIGHT weight for reps - humiliating been a seasoned power lifter to hurt myself going LIGHT - tweak was so bad, I couldn’t sit without pain for 3 days - then it went away and happy to report no major injuries
Day 72-75
got super sick and burned out for the 3rd time while completing this program, had to order doordash for food I was so tired couldn’t even drive anywhere - managed to crawl into a gym for last workout of Day 75 to “finish strong” but felt so weak and depleted it was unreal
Quick summary of the above struggles we overcame:
got sick 3x
Probably 1/3 of the outdoor workout walks were in single digit or negative temperatures
Close friend dealing with suicidal thoughts the last few weeks of this program
Close neighbor passed away two weeks before this program ended
Last 3 weeks, every day was a fight not to fall asleep for hours on end during the day
Had two minor injury setbacks during lifting sessions that we fought through the last 2 weeks
And WE DID IT!!! At the time of this post, four whole days later of ZERO workouts, TONS of cheat meals, and days of hibernation, I now have the cognitive function back to write my thoughts and reflections clearly on this program.
Benefits of the program:
Mentally, you can WILL yourself to achieve absolutely any goal you truly set your mind to
I learned that your capacity is a TON greater than you give yourself credit for
Drawbacks I experienced:
I felt constantly bloated despite the fact I was sleeping a lot more than usual (and my Fitbit ranked it super high quality sleep for whatever that is worth), my diet was on point, and I was drinking a gallon of water/day
honestly looking back as why I feel my physique went backwards (I was in the best shape I had ever been in Miami before starting this program): my cortisol levels were on hyperdrive from all the stress of disrupted sleep (needing to pee in the middle of the night), having inconsistent bedtimes (due to needing to cram in extra protein or water because the work days and travel was so busy), and forcefully WILLING myself to stand up reading my 10 pages at night, or just trying my best to balance all the other responsibilities while consciously thinking of all the 75 hard tasks and anxiety of trying to fit in two long workouts every day
This will still be my SCARIEST and WORST drawback to this program:
I used to perform very long work and business days with a high quality 6-7 hours sleep and one 20 minute nap in the middle of the day before this program. During this program, 9-10 hours of sleep and naps over my lunch-break and evenings were the norm from the extra stress and physical exertion I was putting my body through.
With the extra sleep and extra time working out: 230 F****** HOURS LOST of productivity over a period of 75 days.
Want to talk ROI or reverse ROI? This program COST me 230hours x my hourly net worth! That total number is in the stupid 5-figures.
Enough said, but I WILL NOT be completing this program again. Anyone studying human performance, exercise physiology, physical exertion in the gym, and psychological and emotional stress as much as I have in the last 15 years would NOT, with good conscience, recommend this program UNLESS:
you are in a very bad spot emotionally or mentally and have the time to dedicate yourself to emotionally and mentally get yourself back on track through this program
Work a lower-stress 40hour/week desk job maybe with some family and friend commitments but most weekends and evenings just spent usually “chillin” or watching Netflix, or going out - I think this program would be FANTASTIC for you if you want to get to the next level in your life
To not beat a dead horse, I already indicated early on who this program is NOT for.
Feel free to disagree with me IF you have FULLY completed 75-hard and you can honestly say, with your fullest integrity, that you didn’t miss ONE SINGLE DAY. I’d be happy to learn your experience.
My hats off to ANYONE who has truly completed this program.
This was the HARDEST 75 Days of my life, and I’m ready to build off the experience and take this knowledge and wisdom with me to the next level.
And for those of you who are high-performing sales people, entrepreneurs, business owners, C-suite executives, and high-level managers, lawyers, doctors and already making multiple six-figures but feel stuck and want more energy and better health while continuing to build and scale your wealth, stay tuned for a health habit program built JUST FOR YOU.
Until then my friends, enjoy the Madness of March, your spring breaks, and all the Luck of the Irish.
And Wisconsin, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP SNOWING!!!!!
Fashion Fitness
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