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If you wish to find a distraction, you will always find one.

In today’s world, it’s easier than ever to distract ourselves.

Notifications, the news, email. Oh, and you can quite literally contact any person you’ve ever introduced yourself to… in a matter of seconds.

But if we really sit down and think about it… why do we distract ourselves?

It typically boils down to a lack of willingness to do the work.

I don’t say this to preach.

Hardly.

I say it because I have firsthand experience with distractions. How I will open a new browser and type “tw” or “gm” into the URL bar if my Freedom.to app isn’t turned on. How if my phone is in the same room while I’m in the middle of a book, I’ll pick it up instead of reading.

What do I hope to gain by these distractions?

Well, it’s not a thought I even have control of.

I mean, I’m not sitting here thinking, “Gee, I should check out my messages right now.” Nope. It happens without even thought. Which makes it dangerous (and a tad bit scary).

It happens when I’m only slightly bored… even just for a second.

The Problem with Distractions

Distraction doesn’t just take us away from the present moment. Distraction also makes it harder for us to get back to whatever we were attending to in the first place.

Here’s what I mean: say your mission is to write a new article for your website (okay, maybe this example has some basis in my reality).

The vortex of social media pulls you in. So, you mindlessly go to Twitter. No big deal. Except… you lost that moment and you made it harder for yourself to go from Twitter back to writing your article.

That one decision now impacts two separate realities: (1) the present moment when you’re not doing the work and (2) the future moment when you have to figure out how to pull yourself out of Twitter and back to the work.

Many people do their best work on airplanes.

It’s because there are no distractions. It’s just you and your device. You and the work. And that leads itself to incredible, magical happenings. You suddenly become focused. Your mind doesn’t allow the possibility of you doing anything else except that which you need to do. And you get more done.

See, how your brain works is:

“I could do the work, or I could go on Twitter or I could check my phone or I could pick up that water bottle and take a sip.”

You are constantly asking yourself: “What will give me the most enjoyment in this moment?”

That’s why it’s important we understand what distractions are: a short-term fix. The real joy we’re searching for? It’s at the end of a long workout, completing a hard session of writing, or doing the task you’re actually supposed to do.

Why is this true?

Well, it’s because we typically value what we do in proportion to the amount of work we put into it. The bigger the scope of the project, the prouder we are when it’s complete.

And distractions are the way for us to put off doing what we need to do, even for just one moment.

Distractions are easy, and the work is (sometimes) difficult.

But only one will give us the long-term happiness we seek.

So, we’re doomed?

Of course not.

The Solution to Distractions

There are three big solutions I’ve found that tends to get rid of distractions and let us focus on doing the work.

Optimize your environment

Your environment is either working for you or against you. Always.

One reason why so many do their best work when on an airplane is because there is only your laptop and your tray table. The tray table is clean and perfect fits your laptop.

Zero distractions.

So what are ways you can optimize your environment?

Here are my suggestions:

• The previously mentioned Freedom.to is an incredible app that I’ve used to help write many of the articles on this site.
• Clean your work area. For some reason, the clutter on a desk actually seems to clutter our minds.
• Put the task you want to work on. The computer serves so many different functions. You can optimize your environment by opening the document you need to be working on the night before so that when you open your computer the following morning, it appears right away.
• Put your phone in a different room. Yes, your phone is making you dumber.

Do it right away

If you want to get something done, do it immediately.

When I started my 60-minute meditation challenge, I knew there was going to be resistance at first. Sitting alone with my thoughts for 60 minutes is a scary proposition when you’ve never done it before (I hadn’t!).

So, I decided I would do it first thing in the morning. It worked out well.

Resistance gets added as we go throughout our day.

You have a conversation with someone, they tell you about a new Netflix show you’ve got to watch, and all of a sudden you’ve pulled out your computer and you’re halfway through the first season.

By doing it right away, you can get what you need done before others take you down other paths.

Use accountability

Accountability is perhaps the most underrated force in the world.

Think about the most disciplined person you know. And be accountable to them.

Tell them, “I will write blog posts for the next six months” or “I will work out four times a week.”

If you want, you could even utilize the reverse bet.

What is a reverse bet?

Quick five step process:

1. Set goal (an internal action you can control)
2. Tell a friend
3. Write a check to a cause you hate (with a significant amount of money)
4. Give the check to a trusted friend
5. Tell them to cash it if you fail your goal

Where To Go From Here?

Distractions will always exist and you’ll always be able to find one.

But if you can find ways to optimize your environment, do it quickly, and use accountability, you will be better able to handle the modern world.

Get after it.

The last 60 days have been transformative.

Let me give you some background:

For all my life, I’ve had a voice in my head. I mean… we all do. It silently narrates everything that happens, creates plans for the future, and thinks about events of the past.

For the past 60 days, I’ve paid attention to that voice every single day for a minimum of at least one hour straight.

How do you meditate?

Here was my method: I sit down on a nice, comfy chair with a blanket – immediately after waking up – and either do one of two things…

• I think of nothing and note when thoughts inevitably arise. Then, I direct my thoughts back toward nothing.
• I let my thoughts go wild and think of anything I want. Eventually, what typically happens is I get so bored by this inner voice I eventually revert to nothingness.

What’s been my history with meditation?

Now, this challenge isn’t the first time I’ve meditated. I started meditating about a year ago for 20 minutes in the morning. At first, it was hard. But then it became easier. Immediately before this challenge, I was doing two 20-30 minute sessions daily.

But the 60-minute sessions were different.

The shorter sessions were beneficial because they built up my “meditation muscle.” But I often noticed I would just be getting into the flow of the meditation when the timer would go off.

The 20-30-minute sessions got me accustomed to sitting in silence, sitting with my breathe, having periods of nothingness. But the real gains have come from the 60-minute sessions.

What were my expectations?

I didn’t come at this challenge (or meditation in general) with the sense that I would gain anything from it. I just did the practice with no expectations of what would eventually happen.

If a person starts going to the gym and expects to see a six pack and muscles, every time they come back from training and they don’t see it… they’re going to be upset. Meanwhile, the person who goes with no regard for whether or not they will get external gain from the practice will pursue it even when it doesn’t seem to show any results. Something to consider.

If you’d also like to read a detailed, daily log of experiences, you can check that out here.

Lessons Learned

Please don’t take any of what I’ve written below as gospel.

It’s not the truth. It’s simply the truth for me. Your experience may be completely different (or strikingly similar).

More in touch with nature

All my life, I couldn’t give two shits about a plant or a bug or a bird or anything in nature. I’m not sure when – maybe a week or two after I started this challenge – I became really curious about our natural surroundings.

This tweet is a good indication of where my mind was at five days into the challenge:

One of my favorite exercises is to just follow an animal move in its habitat.

Fly, ant, squirrel.

It doesn't matter.

Simply observe.

Watch them for a few minutes and try to have compassion for what they're trying to achieve. It's fascinating.

— danny miranda (@heydannymiranda) May 21, 2020

I’m not 100% sure this affinity for nature was directly tied to meditating (correlation does not mean causation) and I’m not quite sure how or why meditating means being in touch with nature, but it is a drastic change from how I was living before – and there is no other explanation that I can think of than it was caused by meditation.

A sense of oneness and love toward everything

This has been the biggest change in my life. All my life I was angry. I was putting up a mask. I wanted situations to be my way. I was selfish. Not all the time, but a lot of the time.

Ever since I began meditating, I felt a sense of oneness and love toward everything that only increased in magnitude the more (and the longer) I began to meditate.

After starting most mornings with meditation, it was not uncommon for me to want to hug my brother, mother, and father and tell them how much I loved them. One year ago, if I had done this, they would have looked at me like I was crazy.

Today, sometimes, they still do.

A daily psychiatrist

I was really messed up in the head. I have seen probably 5-10 different psychiatrists in my 25 years on this Earth. Never for long, and once I got everything out of my head, I usually felt much better and felt like my problem was solved.

But what these 60-minute sessions allowed me to do was go to the psychiatrist every day.

When two people are having a conversation and one has gone over and looked at and analyzed the deep elements of their mind, while the other has not… well the person who has inherently has an advantage. They are holding less baggage.

Fills out the clutter you’re holding in your mind

Most situations don’t get stuck in our heads. You go to the grocery store. Nothing eventful happens. You forget about it.

But some situations in your life do get stuck.

It could be how you treated someone or how someone treated you. There were a number of times throughout this challenge where I was shocked and amazed that something was still in my head.

Situations from high school or college where I didn’t live up to the highest version of myself and/or holding resentment to others.

It was time to forgive myself and others.

Forgive yourself and others

Most people have a difficult time forgiving themselves. For instance, if you fail to complete your to-do list in any given day, you are hurting your self-image and might be mad at yourself. I spent a lot of days not completing my to-do list. So, there was naturally a heavy backlog of resentment I was carrying.

Once I was able to recognize the situations that were stuck – the clutter that was in the depths of my mind – I was better able to forgive myself.

Let go

One key element that helped me in a number of meditations was to just “let go.” Hardly insightful. However, it was so easy to get attached to a certain way of thinking or a thought pattern or wondering “when will this be over?” Just surrendering to the experience and letting go was incredibly powerful.

So many thoughts!

Each meditation session features so many thoughts. Just listening to your mind is incredibly powerful, particularly because you can see that you can have contradictory thoughts – even in the span of one hour!

It becomes easier to forgive yourself for any thought you might have.

Some religions are punitive for “improper thoughts” and I believe this is especially troubling. Because if you are not allowed to think certain things or are ashamed for thinking them, then you can easily fall into the trap of thinking less of yourself.

Additionally, it has become clear that many of my thoughts have actually already been programed into my head. For example, I listened to Mike Posner’s album, Keep Going, on repeat a few months ago. During meditation sessions (and in general), his words from the album will ring in my ears. I do not consciously think of them, they simply arise.

How many other thoughts like that have been programmed into my head?

Lack of care of other’s opinions towards you.

Meditation has given me confidence.

Throughout this challenge, I’d regularly blast music in my car while singing along, because I was so joyful about life. Part of the reason why I have no desire to say the perfect thing or have anxiety in conversation is because I am more willing to let the moment be what it is. I can better just appreciate this moment, without having to place my judgement on being anywhere or getting anywhere.

A greater desire for deep conversations

I already was a proponent of deep conversations. This challenge has only further driven this desire. Instead of wasting time on “How are you doing” or “What’d you do today,” I want to go deeper. I want to find out about other people’s lives. Not for the sake of my own benefit, but because I’m genuinely interested in what they’re up to.

A greater willingness to listen with love and compassion

Before this challenge, I wasn’t compassionate. I was on my way to being a more empathetic person. But while doing this challenge, I became overflowed with more compassion, more empathy, more loving to all.

No desire to say the perfect thing – conversations flow organically

Before starting this challenge, I was anxious in conversation. I didn’t even realize it. I needed to fill the silence. I needed to find the perfect thing to say.

Now, I have no desire to do that. Conversations flow more organically. I let whatever happens happen. I don’t need the conversation to be a certain way. It just is the way it is.

Taking a shower is not meditating

I used to think taking a shower was similar to meditating. But I don’t believe that anymore. Here’s why… let’s say your mind drifts toward a place you don’t want to go… you can simply turn the shower off. Sure, you can do the same thing with meditation, but there is typically a clock. You are responsible for completing the session.

Meditation and psychedelic experiences are pointing to the same place

After talking to my friends who have had psychedelic experiences (and reading about them), I have come to the conclusion that they’re attempting to get to the same place. Here’s the biggest difference (from what I can tell): taking psychedelics gives you a higher peak experience than someone who meditates, but the person who meditates experiences the feelings of oneness, compassion, empathy on a more widespread basis.

In Conclusion

First off, thank you for reading.

Meditating for 60 minutes daily has become the equivalent of working out for me… a necessity in my life. My mind desperately needs it in order to feel whole.

If you’ve made it this far, you’ll also probably enjoy my newsletter – Tuesday Treasure.

Today, I turn 25.

When I was 15, I figured I’d have a lot figured out by 25.

Here’s a shocker: I was wrong. Buuuut just because I have a lot to learn doesn’t mean I can’t share what I believe the truth to be at this present moment.

I’m sure my views will change. I’m sure I have some severe blind spots. I’m sure I will learn a lot more about this thing called life (we can only hope, right?). But for now, I will share some of the lessons I’ve learned. If they are useful in any way to you, feel free to email me and let me know what resonated at my name {at} this domain.

1. Love. If there’s one lesson you get from this entire post, let it be to love. Love yourself. Love your enemy. Love your friend. Love your lover. Love everything. Not just the people, but the world we live in, the setbacks you endure, the massive wins, and the emotions you feel. I know it may sound too simple and I didn’t believe love could make a difference. But I was wrong. Love is the answer.
2. Discipline = freedom. This is a basic principle that took me too long to figure out. If you have the discipline to learn, you have the freedom to use knowledge. If you have the discipline to save money, you have the freedom to spend it. If you have the discipline to work out, you have the freedom to move your body.
3. You can change. There are two primary reasons why we do not change: (1) we believe the journey will be long and difficult and (2) we believe if we try, it won’t be worth it. But start as soon as possible. It is worth it… It is always worth it. You can be a new person at any moment. Your past “failures” do not mean you can succeed today. You can overcome whatever setbacks occurred as long as you are still breathing.
4. Use your life as a vessel to promote the change you want to see. I went from someone who was depressed to someone who embodied love. I want to become the person that inspires you to change as well. I want you to be able to read through my site, go through these articles, and decide you are capable of doing whatever you want to do.
5. Write. Accept life’s gifts. For too long, my parents/family/friends have told me, “You’re a great writer. You should really pursue that in some capacity.” I thought to myself, “They’re just being nice” and “There’s no money in writing.” But the truth is, I love writing. So why not do more of what you love, even if there’s no guarantee it will lead to future earnings?
6. A peaceful mind is worth more than anything. It turns out there’s a pretty simple way to gain a peaceful mind: meditation. I started meditating approximately nine months ago. At first, twenty minutes was difficult. Then, 30 minutes was difficult. Then, 60 minutes was difficult. But then 60 minutes was easy. Kind of like anything else. It’s a practice. You need to be disciplined. But the rewards are next level.
7. Do hard stuff. My life has been pretty easy all things considered. I grew up in the United States. I was put through a good education. I have A/C. Food. Et cetera. I don’t take these for granted. However, comfort should not be the goal. Because when we get too comfortable, our body and mind start to deteriorate. If you think it’s too easy, purposely make it more difficult. Go for a difficult run. Be consistent for an extended period of time. Challenge yourself daily.
8. Lift weights. I put off lifting weights because I was (am) naturally weak. But when I stopped feeling sorry for myself and just did the damn thing, I was happy with the results. Because it’s not about the external. It’s about the way lifting weights makes me feel and what it allows me to accomplish. Like all things worth doing, I wish I started sooner. So get after it.
9. Do yoga. I thought yoga was a feminine thing to do. This changed in the past year though. I went to one yoga class and immediately realized: “Wow, my mind and body feel so much better.” And, of course, that first class was difficult, but it was how my body was supposed to move. That was how my mind was supposed to relax. After one class, I was hooked. Releasing all that stress away from my body has been incredible. I have no idea how I existed in this world before doing yoga.
10. It’s your job to be a clear thinker. This is one decision that has impacted a bunch of decisions. Prioritizing becoming a clear thinker means you are more likely to take care of your body, your sleep, and your educational diet. It means you’re going to prioritize writing. It means you must make good decisions often. If it’s your goal to be a clear thinker, there are a number of decisions that have been made for you: A clear thinker exercises. A clear thinker reads. A clear thinker writes. A clear thinker doesn’t rely on alcohol.
11. Read. Some parts of my life I have read voraciously, others I have struggled to pick up a book over a period of years. Reading opens your mind to possibilities, widens your perspective, and lets travel through space and time to understand new wisdom. It is my preferred method of gaining knowledge and I recommend it for you as well.
12. Your phone is out to get you. I’ve grown up with the iPhone. But in the last couple of years, I’ve really noticed a drastic change in the way it makes me think and feel. When I read Digital Minimalism, it changed the way I viewed the phone. The device is designed to be as addicting as possible (and it’s why I’ll be starting an experiment for 1 hour of screen time for 30 days in the next week).
13. Cultivate present moment focus. This is hard. Especially when everything (and everyone) is vying for your attention. But it’s the most worthwhile skill you can have in the 21st century. How do you cultivate it? Meditation has been the path that has helped me – and continues to help me. To start to become aware of your thoughts is the single biggest helper to allowing yourself to become transfixed on the present moment.
14. Just because someone else is making money that way doesn’t mean you should. For a long time, I would hop from one business idea to the next. Someone had a great idea, I thought I should do that. Someone else suggested a new idea the following week… let me do that instead. I didn’t have a strong vision for what I wanted, so my monkey mind hopped from one idea to the next. As a result, I got nowhere fast. Until I had enough.
15. It’ll take twice as long as you think it will. Doesn’t matter if it’s a small errand or a big project. We have a bias toward thinking we can accomplish it quicker than we think it will take. But that’s okay. If it’s a worthwhile mission, the time it takes doesn’t matter. What will matter was that you started. So just do it.
16. Focus on what you can control. There is so much stuff out there we can’t control. The weather. How a stranger looked at you as you passed them. The stock market. But that’s okay because you have control so much. Your effort. Your willingness to show up. Your consistency. When your spotlight is on the internal – that which you can control – you have a huge advantage.
17. You are not your thoughts. We tend to get attached to the various opinions and thoughts we have. We tend to get attached to our own names and personalities. We tend to get attached to the various distractions as life floats by (shout out Mike Posner). The truth is: we’re not these thoughts. You are something much deeper, more beautiful. You are the awareness that you are these thoughts.
18. Consistency is a skill. The ability to show up day after day, even when it doesn’t work out for you, even when you don’t feel like it, even when all the signs are telling you not to… is a skill. And it’s one we overlook and don’t typically attempt to get better at. But we all can be more consistent. We can be more consistent in showing up for our loved ones or with our loved ones. Yes, it won’t necessarily be easy, but we can cultivate the skill.
19. Have a checklist for today (and put something “easy” on it). When you have a checklist or schedule, you are accountable to that list. If you don’t accomplish it, that’s okay. The list does not lie (as long as you don’t lie to yourself). But there is a power in checking off different items. It makes you feel accomplished and gives you a sense of empowerment over your day.
20. Accountability is seriously underrated. We do not want to change. But we will change if someone is watching us, monitoring us, and pushing us. Especially if we respect that person. So, if we desire to improve, we should take advantage of this as best as we can by identifying the people in our own lives who can help us and reach out to them. Ask if they’ll hold us accountable. So we can grow.
21. If you want to be something, just do it today. If you want to be a runner, run. If you want to be a writer, write. If you want to be an entrepreneur, sell. You’re only what you desire to be if you actually do it and the desire to do it is available for you at all times.
22. The little things are the big things. I realized this lesson when I did 75 HARD. Snapping a progress photo takes no more than 5 seconds. It counts just as much in the program as doing two workouts. The little thing is the big thing. This is just as true whether you are cleaning your room or taking out the trash. The little things are the big things.
23. The dots will only connect looking backward. We think we’ve got it all figured out, but so often we have no clue. It will all probably make sense, but at a later date. Don’t worry or try to make sense of it all right now, but it might make sense later.
24. Do your best. In everything you do, try your hardest. It seems like an obvious point… and yet, we so often leave progress on the table because we fail to give it our best shot. Whatever you do, do it with everything you’ve got.
25. Stay curious. You might have completed 25 trips around the sun, but you still know so little of what there is to know. The Dunning-Krueger Effect states that those who know a little often believe they know the most. Because I’ve experienced some life, it may lead me to believe I know it. I don’t. I really don’t know anything. But these are my experiences, my experiments, my notes on what I’m discovering. I hope they are of some use to you.

When Mike Posner met Ram Dass, he asked for advice.

Ram Dass told him:

“Love everything.”

I heard this about a year ago. Yet, I still think about it to this day. Because it is so profoundly simple and so true.

Even more, we’ve known it to be true ever since we were young. 

When you are a baby, if someone cradles you, you smile. If someone ignores you, you cry.

Are adults really that different?

If someone gives you love – a genuine compliment, a random act of kindness, a smile – you smile. If someone imposes fear – a dirty look, a middle finger, an irate boss – your heart shrinks. The problem is that as we get older, we put on a mask to hide our emotions.

The Mask

As the young infant grows to be teenager or adult, he puts up a mask to hide his true nature.

It can be a cold world out there. So in order to deal with this reality, we create a persona. This is a false image of who we actually are. It’s a mask.

This mask can get us into trouble.

The classic example is the bully in school.

He appears to be a big tough guy, but that’s just because he’s hiding something deeper beneath the surface. He’s put on a mask. It could be that his dad bullies him. It could be that he wasn’t shown love as a child. It could be that he feels inferior. So the bully takes it out on others, by trying to collect lunch money or starting fights.

But how does the story always go?

Someone stands up to the bully, and the bully starts to cry. 

What is that crying really? 

It’s the shedding of his mask.

But it’s not just the bully who has put on a mask. 

We all put on masks. It starts with the conditioning, “you’re not good enough, you need to have this, that, and the other to be successful. Then you can feel good.”

But what most people realize is that they get these things…

And they don’t feel good at all. It’s the greatest lie of all time.

Mike Posner realized this when he said: “I worked the last ten years. I’m a multimillionaire. I’m thirty years old, it’s supposed to all be good. It’s not fucking all good. Fuck!”

When you are rude to someone, you’re putting on a mask. When you like an Instagram photo and you don’t actually like it, you’re putting on a mask. When you say “I love you” and you don’t mean it, you’re putting on a mask.

Because the Mask is the opposite of love.

What Does The Mask Represent?

The mask is fear.

Fear can be expressed with hate, envy, anger, sadness, or depression.

• When you compare yourself to others, you are living in fear. “I’m not good enough!”
• When you hate someone else, you are living in fear. “I hate this person!”
• When you hate yourself, you are living in fear. “I hate myself!”

We put on the mask to hide our fear. That’s what the bully is doing on the playground. And that’s what the bully in real life might be doing in the boardroom as well.

How To Take The Mask Off

You take off the mask by embodying love.

Not saying “I love you” or wanting someone to love you. 

Just being love.

It’s a practice.

• Watch your mind think for any period of time
• Take a person you intensely disagree with and send them love
• Do a random act of kindness
• Repeat “I love you” in your head to each person you pass

Here’s how Ram Dass practiced embodying love: 

One way I practice doing so is by placing a photograph of a politician with whom I intensely disagree on my puja table – my altar. Each morning when I wake up, I say good morning to the Buddha, to my guru, and to the other holy beings there. But I find that it’s with a different spirit that I say, “Hello Mr. Politician.” I know it sounds like a funny thing to do, but it reminds me of how far I have to go to see the Beloved in everybody.

Something funny happens when you embody love…

Other people’s masks come off. Because the mask is a way for other people to protect themselves, they no longer feel like they have to be a particular way. They are free to express themselves as their true selves.

So try it out?

Embody love. See what happens.

Feel free to send me an email at my email at this domain with your experience.

Love,

Danny

“What Is 75 HARD? What is the Live Hard Program? What Is Phase 1? What is Phase 2? What is Phase 3?”

What is the Live Hard Program?

The Live Hard Program is a four part program. 

The first step is 75 HARD. The next step is Phase 1, followed by Phase 2, and, finally, Phase 3. The Live Hard program is to be completed in one calendar year.

What is 75 HARD?

75 HARD is simple.

Do the following 75 straight days:

• Take a progress photo
• Two 45 minute workouts – one outside. Workouts do not have to be back-to-back.
• Drink one gallon of water
• Read 10 pages – non-fiction/self-help book. No audiobooks.
• Choose a diet – ZERO alcohol/soft drinks/cheat meals

If you don’t complete all five in a day, you go back to Day 1.

75 HARD is the first part of the Live Hard Program.

After 75 HARD is complete, you can move on to Phase 1.

What Is Phase 1?

Phase 1 is to be completed after you’ve completed 75HARD.

In Phase 1, you do all the tasks you did during 75HARD plus three more for 30 days. So here’s what you is expected of you in Phase 1:

• Take a progress photo
• Workout twice/day (once outside)
• Drink one gallon of water
• Read 10 pages (of a non-fiction/self-help book)
• Choose a diet (no alcohol/soft drinks/cheat meals)
• Add three items to your Power List (eight total)
• Take a five minute cold shower
• Do ten minutes of visualization

You do not need to do Phase 1 the day after completing 75HARD.

What is Phase 2?

You must wait 30 days after completing Phase 1 in order to do Phase 2. 

Phase 2 is made up of the same components of 75HARD:

• Take a progress photo
• Workout twice/day (once outside)
• Drink one gallon of water
• Read 10 pages (of a non-fiction/self-help book)
• Choose a diet (no alcohol/soft drinks/cheat meals)

What is Phase 3?

Phase 3 is to be started on the final 30 days of the year you started 75HARD. 

For example, if you started 75HARD on September 18, 2019, you have to start your Phase 3 on August 18, 2019.

• Take a progress photo
• Workout twice/day (once outside)
• Drink one gallon of water
• Read 10 pages (of a non-fiction/self-help book)
• Choose a diet (no alcohol/soft drinks/cheat meals)
• Add three items to your Power List (to have a total of eight)
• Take a five minute cold shower (really cold)
• Do ten minutes of visualization
• One random act of kindness (must be journaled)
• Talk to a stranger

“Random acts of kindness” include donating, volunteering, paying for a stranger’s meal, picking up groceries for someone in need. Each random act of kindness must be journaled.

“Talk to a stranger” means it must be done in person and it must be more than just a greeting. The following do not count: a compliment, a hello, or a head nod. Interacting with someone on social media does not count. The goal is to at least be able to learn something small from a stranger.

FAQ

Who created the Live Hard Program?

Andy Frisella is the owner of 1st Phorm, a nine-figure supplement company. He’s the host of two popular podcasts – the MFCEO Project and Real AF. 

He created the Live Hard Program (and 75 HARD, specifically) when he had 75 days left on a weight loss bet. His goal was not to make money with the program, but to help people change their life and cultivate mental toughness/discipline.

Andy created the program and all of the rules.

One thing Andy notes is not to change anything. Everything is intentional. Just follow the program exactly as it is outlined.

This seems like it would be really hard and unnecessary. Why bother?

In order to get into excellent shape, you don’t need to work out twice a day. You don’t need to eat a perfect diet. But this isn’t about getting into excellent shape. This is about challenging yourself mentally. This is about winning a war with yourself. (I learned more about myself from 75 HARD than anything else in my entire life.)

Who will know if I completed the tasks?

Nobody. But you will and that’s all that counts.

I’m looking for an accountability partner?

Excellent! Streaks is here for that reason.

Are audiobooks allowed for reading?

No.

What if you finish all the tasks after midnight?

That’s okay. You have until you go to bed to complete the activities.

“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance.” –Bruce Barton

You’re already getting brainwashed.

Whether it’s by your friends or family or the news or Netflix or the music you listen to. They’re all forms of brainwashing.

But here’s the fun part…

You can consciously decide to brainwash yourself.

The thoughts in your mind can be ones you consciously select. Not the thoughts that others have been planted inside your mind by others.

This post will be a primer on how to master your mind.

How To Master Your Mind

Step 1 – Meditation

Meditation is the practice of recognizing your thoughts.

Before you can control your thoughts, you must first recognize what these thoughts are.

You are filled with so many opinions from so many different people. They’re all swirling inside your head.

You need a way to reset.

Meditation allows you to recognize your inner dialogue. You can see how your mind operates. 

Personally, when I started meditating, I noticed how quickly my mind jumps from one topic to the next. Perhaps years of using the Internet decreased my attention span. Or maybe my brain naturally moves quickly from one topic to the next. 

Whatever the case may be, noticing this change has allowed me to defend against it. We cannot change what we do not know exists.

I’ll never forget… 

I was driving one day, stopped at a red light. I was getting anxious, thinking to myself… “Why isn’t this light green?” And then I stopped and laughed. I had recognized this thought. I had recognized how my body was changing its physiology. I quite literally screamed “YES!” – all because I noticed my own thoughts.

In this case, seeing my own thoughts was enough to change it. I was no longer anxious about the situation. I was in a car, on a rock, moving through space. Who cares if I was at a red light?

Meditation helps facilitate this process. 

Step 2 – Practice Breathing Techniques

A common thread among high performers is their ability to use the breath to control their minds. Like meditation, breath work helps to declutter your mind. It allows you to focus when there are a million thoughts running through your mind.

Here two different breathing techniques you can use to clear and control your mind:

• Wim Hof Method – Take 30-40 deep breaths consecutively. Then, you hold your breath for as long as you can. You exhale. Then, you breathe in for another 10-15 seconds. Do this for three rounds.
• Box breathing – Inhale for four seconds, hold for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, rest for four seconds.

These are simple. They don’t take long. And they will make sure you don’t feel fogginess ever again. Your mind will feel different after doing these.

[Related: Take a cold shower. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Turn the water as cold as your handle will allow.]

Step 3 – Give Your Problems To Someone Else

American Buddhist monk Jack Kornfield gives the following advice:

Write down your problems, worries, fears, and anxieties on a piece of paper. Then give it to someone you worship (Jesus Christ, Buddha) or throw it out.

You don’t want to live in this place of negativity. It is letting your lower self win. It is brainwashing yourself – in the wrong way.

Once you give them to someone else, you stop brainwashing yourselves with those worries. Someone else now has them. You don’t need to think about them.

And you can start creating your ideal life…

Step 4 – Utilize A Directive Affirmation Statement (or Mantra)

Kamal Ravikant was in a tough spot.

His company failed, his friend died, and the love of his life broke his heart. 

His goal was to remind himself: “I love myself” as many times as possible throughout the day. The results of his experiment were nothing short of miraculous. His life transformed.

Similarly, Olympic gold medalist and mentality coach Lanny Bassham suggests coming up with a Directive Affirmation Statement.

An example of a Directive Affirmation statement (from Lanny’s book, With Winning In Mind):

“I am the best free-throw shooter on my team. I start each game and enjoy the chance to help my team win by making free-throws. I always run a mental program before each shot and reinforce each successful basket by saying “That’s like me!”. Also, I record my performance analysis and read and visualize my Directive Affirmation daily. I’m the best free-throw shooter on my team.”

Write this on index cards and place these around places you normally visit (bathroom, nightstand, work station).

If you think about loving yourself and treating yourself well, you will become that person. If you read your Directive Affirmation statement daily for a month – have it plastered over your bathroom wall – your odds of becoming the person you want to be increased dramatically.

Consistency is everything with these practices. 

You will become what you think about.

Don’t believe me?

Try it out for a few weeks and report back.

Step 5 – Track (Especially What You Can Control)

If you want to make a change, you need to track your progress. 

You can use a spreadsheet or do it the old fashioned way by handwriting. 

You need to make sure every day, you’re taking an accounting of what you did. If you did nothing, don’t be afraid to write it down. 

Tracking something makes someone much more likely to complete it (this is why I created Streaks).

Bonus – Limit Inputs

Now you’ve got the playbook to brainwash your mind, you need to avoid certain things.

It’s easy to get distracted in this world – especially on the Internet.

Here are the big three time-wasters:

News, social media, email. 

Anything that takes you away from your mission. 

Be careful and stay on guard. Everyone is out for your attention. 

The news, social media, and responding to emails are other people’s thoughts. They are how other people believe the world should work.

There’s nothing wrong with these sources. Just check them after you’ve done whatever you need to do.

That includes this blog. If you have something more important to do, close the browser.

Where To Go From Here?

The steps are simple, but they’re not easy.

Clear your mind. Utilize the breath. Give your problems to someone else. Create a directive affirmation statement. Track your progress.

If you have the discipline to stick with it, you can accomplish whatever your heart desires.