I didn’t start 75 Hard to collect a hashtag. I started it in mid-January…in Upstate New York. Two workouts a day (one outside), a gallon of water, no alcohol or sweets, 10 pages of personal development, and a daily progress photo. No wiggle room. No, “I’ll make it up tomorrow.”

By day three, the snow was horizontal, and that little voice in my head, “skip the ruck, read double tomorrow,” was loud. Here’s the truth I relearned: success in dentistry, leadership, and life has less to do with hacks and more to do with honoring non-negotiables when it’s inconvenient.

Discipline > Motivation

This challenge is marketed as fitness. It’s really a mental health and systems challenge. Five clear tasks. Do them daily. No negotiating with yourself. That muscle—doing what you said you’d do—translates directly to case acceptance, schedule integrity, morning huddles, and culture. When you keep promises to yourself, it gets easier to ask your team to keep promises to patients.

There were nights I was ready for bed and realized I still owed my 10 pages or my second workout. The old me might punt. The new muscle said, “Nope. We finish.” In your practice, that’s the difference between knowing your values and operationalizing them.

The Best Part Wasn’t the Workouts

My wife, Kara, and I did most outdoor sessions as walks/rucks. Forty-five minutes without kids, charts, or Slack. We talked about everything—from what’s on deck today to how she wants to celebrate her 50th. That daily connection did more for my marriage, leadership presence, and clarity than any podcast binge. If you want better practice growth, start by being more present at home. It will show up in the operatory.

What I’m Keeping

• Daily connection with Kara: Maybe not 45 minutes, but daily
• Reading: If you’re new to it, Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy are a great start
• Strength training 4–5x/week:  Energy up, decision fatigue down
• More water, not a gallon: Sleep matters, and so does not living in the bathroom
• No “progress selfies: I’ll save the photos for post-walk smiles with Kara

If 75 Hard Feels…Hard

Make your own rules. Call it 75 Medium. One workout a day. Drink a half-gallon of water. Five pages instead of 10. Six clean days, one flex. The point isn’t perfection; it’s consistency. In our practices, that’s how we build systems—small, repeatable behaviors that compound into healthier teams, cleaner finances, and calmer days.

If you need a nudge, borrow this question that kept me honest: “Is future me glad I did this?” Most days, the answer was yes.

If this resonated and you want more on how personal discipline fuels dentistry, leadership, and practice growth, listen to the full conversation on the Dental Lighthouse Podcast for more insights.