Andy Frisella (the MFCEO) pictured with the #75hard challenge
As someone who is a dreamer and wants to live life on my terms, I live and die by own ability to overcome challenges, rejections, and set backs that can crush these dreams I have inside of me ? something we all struggle with if we have aspirations.
In December 2016, I made a decision to leave a full time secure job because I had no sense of fulfilment. Even though I had no clear picture as to what thing was going to make my life more fulfilled, I was super clear it wasn?t coming from the position I was in. For me, this was enough to pull the trigger ? I handed in the company car, phone, and laptop and bought myself a $4500 Mitsubishi Station Wagon. I?m a waterproofing contractor by trade so I loaded up the car with some basic tools with the intention of working 2?3 days per week as contractor while I figured out the ?thing? that was going to light me up. On face value this seemed like a ridiculous decision but even though I took a hit financially, it gave me the freedom to build new relationships and attend personal development courses to fuel the fire that I felt inside of me.
Mental toughness is my most admired trait in human beings and is something I?ve worked so hard to develop my own life. When I talk about mental toughness, I?m talking about resilience, determination, focus, courage, grit, adaptability, and an overall growth mindset to build self-belief and confidence. I?m fascinated by these traits because as a keen student of success, I?ve learnt these are exactly the characteristics that will make or break success ? success as a mother, a father, in your career, your health, marriage, relationships, or anything worthwhile.
I?ve learned much about myself since taking a leap of faith over 2 years ago. Without a doubt the number one thing I need to improve on is my own mental toughness to keep moving forward and maintain my faith when things don?t go to plan and I get punched in the face ? and so far it?s happened more than I expected. A few days ago while listening the the MFCEO Project, I came across an episode titled 75hard ? a 75 day tactical guide to winning the war with yourself. I encourage everyone to listen to this podcast because I believe we?re all fighting some kind of war within ourself. Just to be clear, you don?t need to be an entrepreneur to resonate with this content because the skills of overcoming the adversity within each of us are transferrable in whatever is holding you back in your own life.
So what does this #75hard movement involve?
To get this information in its full context so you really understand it, you should really listen to the podcast in it?s entirety ? click here if you think it?s worth 48 minutes. For a quick summary, here are the 5 things required during the 75 days.
- Exercise twice each day for 45 minutes ? it doesn?t matter what the exercise is but one of these sessions must to be outdoors.
- Drink 4 litres of water per day.
- Pick a diet or eating plan and stick to that plan. You don?t necessarily have to count calories but be intelligent ? no chocolates, no cake, no soft drinks, and NO ALCOHOL (this is the one I?ll struggle with the most).
- Read a minimum of 10 pages every day of growth mindset material or self-help book. No fifty shades of grey content! stick to real life material to work on your mindset.
- Take one progress photo each day ? even though this is more of a mental challenge, the byproduct will be a physical change at the end of the 75 days.
The big caveat of this whole challenge is that it must be for 75 consecutive days. If I was to stumble on day 74, then I go back zero and have to start again. To be honest, I?ve never been a fan of 12-week fitness challenges because they?re not sustainable long term ? and this is no different. In saying that, the reason I want to have a crack at this is because I know the sort of mental toughness I?m going to develop if I can get through this. Yes, I may stumble along the way and have to start again because I?m human and that?s what humans do ? but I believe the reward of greater confidence, grit, stamina, self-belief, courage, determination, and focus is fair trade off.
If anyone is interested in doing this with me, then please reach out and I?d be happy to become accountability partners. To all your successes!
