When I did 75 Hard for the first time, it literally changed my life. It’s why I’m addicted to it and already planning for my SIXTH round in January 2026. I went through a total body recomp because I turned the challenge into a 10-week mini-cut by prioritizing a low-carb, no added sugar, and high protein diet while working out twice a day every day for 75 days. This was life-changing in and of itself, but the real game-changer was reading Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Early in the book, the author makes it clear that, “if you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system.” Most people blame themselves when they can’t stick with a habit or fail to reach a goal. You might think you’re lazy or lack willpower when in reality, you need to focus on changing your environment and routines.
The truth is, you actually might be lazy and lack willpower (lol sorry just being honest), but you need to stop blaming yourself and making excuses and start putting systems in place to make it easier to achieve your goals.
Essentially, goals tell you what you want. Systems dictate how you get there.
A real-life example of this could be setting a goal to get 8 hours of sleep every night. If you’re someone who averages closer to 5-6 hours of sleep, it is not realistic for you to expect to start consistently getting 8 hours of sleep if you aren’t intentional with setting yourself up for success. A system reset could look like setting up a Sleep Schedule on your phone so that your notifications are automatically silenced after a certain time, or removing screens altogether an hour before bed.
New goals require new systems and habits because if nothing changes, nothing changes.
“If nothing changes,” → You keep doing the same actions, routines, and habits. “Nothing changes” → Your results and outcomes will stay the same.
I’ve been home from Spain for a couple of weeks now and am slowly but surely getting back into routine. I was gone for less than two weeks, but even before I left, I was pretty out of my routine because I was so overwhelmed at work. Workouts were inconsistent, I was missing meals because I’d be too busy and forget to eat, and overcaffeinating was ruining my ability to get quality sleep. Coming back from Spain, I knew I needed to hit reset and really focus on having the right systems in place so I don’t end up back in the same place that I was in before I left.
I can step back into my reality with every intention of living a more balanced life that prioritizes rest, but again, if nothing changes, nothing changes.
Atomic Habits is a book I reread (or at the very least refamiliarize myself with) every year. Especially as I’m almost 2 months into my 4-month game plan to close out the year strong, I don’t have time to waste, especially when a tried and true formula for creating long-lasting behavioral changes already exists. Instead of obsessing over the outcome (e.g., getting more sleep), when you focus on creating a system to support your goal, results will naturally follow.
Speaking of my 4-month game plan, let’s do a quick check-in on how things are progressing with The Great Lock-In.
My September focus was content + self-reflection. I had every intention of launching my podcast last month, but looking back, I realize how unrealistic that was given my travel + other work priorities. I did a lot of soul searching last month because I didn’t hit several of my goals, but remember this isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being consistent. To be honest, I wasn’t very consistent either (lol), so this blog post is 100% a reminder for me to make sure that I follow my framework and I practice discipline in every area of my life.
I can’t believe we are already so close to November, but October’s focus has been on my finances + my faith. I have some aggressive financial goals that I’m on track for, and I’m really proud of.
September was rough, not even going to lie, but October has been promising, and I know I’ll be able to carry this momentum into November, where I’ll focus on a mini 75 Hard (I’m calling it 30 Hard-ish) and practicing daily gratitude leading up to Thanksgiving. It’s up from here for sure.
P.S. Do you have a book that has changed your life? Put me on. I’m overdue for a good personal development/life hacking read.
xx
