#75JOY
MOVEMENTS & MOMENTS
Walk, Hydrate, Dance, Sleep, Breathe
Recently a friend sent me a link to the podcast “REAL AF” with Andy Frisella, I listen to episode 208 where he speaks at length about his free global program 75HARD. This was a challenge I was aware of and I definitely wanted to hear more about his approach to fitness, discipline and mindset.
Not long into the episode I became progressively frustrated by the yelling-style delivery along with the rigidity of the challenge. The parameters are designed to create mental stamina or “hardness”. I found myself questioning the necessity of this and so imagined other routes to discipline and success through shifting mindset via habit accumulation.
For those unfamiliar, the 75HARD challenge has 5 rules to be adhered to each day for 75 days (if a day is ‘failed’ then participants must re-start the challenge from the beginning - no exceptions):
Follow a healthy diet of your choosing… strictly. No slip-ups or alcohol allowed.
2 x 45 min work outs - 1 45mins must be outdoors and they must be separate not combined.
Drink 1 gallon (4.5litres) of water daily.
Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book each day.
Take progress pictures every single day.
On paper this looks achievable however the general consensus online (without a tracked study) consistently states this challenge has a 90-95% failure rate. So what were the benefits gained of those that completed 75HARD?
Frisella claims successful participants will gain confidence, self-worth, discipline and fortitude amongst other things. However, there is no guarantee of sustainability beyond the challenge and this left me wondering about the longevity of benefits for the small percent that finished; plus did the failed participants experience the opposing feelings of low self-esteem, failure and even depression?
Honestly, I completely respect the personal journey Frisella has been on; this program was something he created for himself and as a result he has completely transformed his life. For participants that complete the journey I imagine the elation is incomparable ~ it aligns in my mind to the end of a 10 day silent vipassana meditation retreat.
And what of the 95% of ‘failed’ participants or others who want a new strategy but are not drawn to this particular one? There was a response program aptly named 75SOFT, a more tangible challenge with rules that mirrored 75HARD and softened the parameters. My response to this is more positive, however 75SOFT is still a fitness-based program ~ albeit without the rigorous mental discipline, which essentially misses the crux of Frisilla’s manifesto that: mental discipline via extreme challenges transforms a person unrecognisably.
My own questions were swirling and I felt deeply motivated to question both the process and the outcome. Looking at my own motivations I was struck with one concept as a priority for my life ~ the experience and embodiment of JOY.
By now most of us are aware of Marie Kondo’s ‘Spark Joy’ book and philosophy the “KonMari Method” ~ where retaining items based on whether or not they spark joy is the foundational principle. The key here is the method revolves around external items and our emotions towards them, something that is not only fleeting but can change over time. A fairly superficial method that can potentially create a beautiful environment but unlikely to transform our internal experience long-term.
The “KonMari Method” cites joy as being something evoked via a relationship with the outside and in particular objects and things I was never able to go deep into this method because I knew instinctively I can evoke joy from my internal state and project it onto an object as much or as little as I needed. So what’s the alternative?
Joy is an inside job and an experience we can choose.
A program that challenges participants to:
Be disciplined.
Optimise their time.
Prioritise self-care.
Embody Joy as a natural daily experience.
I’ve created a response to 75HARD and the program I have created and lived is equally a mindset challenge, however the parameters are not hard (or soft), they are expansive and flexible as a strategy to step into more flow and experience joy daily.
The 75JOY program is as challenging as you need it to be, it’s flexible and open-ended so you can tailor it to your needs (for example if you’re already doing some of the components you can add to your current schedule), The main components are:
Walking - 30 mins
Meditation - 10 mins
Movement - 10 mins
Mindfulness - 10 mins
Gratitude - 5 mins
Hydration - Daily
Sleep - Consistently
I have been following this program and tracking my own responses (physical and emotional), and the outcomes have been both wonderful and surprising, I hope you will embark upon a little journey for yourself to embody more presence and joy. The workbook has all the foundational material for you to begin.
Join our 75JOY community on instagram for more resources.