When 75 Hard first came out in 2019, everyone around me jumped on it. I didn’t get it—I thought it was just another hustle thing. My life and business were stressful, and adding more didn’t make sense. I figured the solution was to work harder and longer… and then go have some beers.

I wasn’t ready to face the idea that doing hard things would build my capacity for bigger challenges (hormetic versus toxic stress, i.e., trees need wind to grow strong roots). Like most of us, I used the excuse, “I don’t have time,” especially when things felt overwhelming.

But after a lot of inner work and a major mindset shift, I realized something: we make time. We generate it. When we stop reacting to what’s happening around us, we free up the energy needed to change our circumstances and build the life we want.

Over the last 75 days, while doing 75 Hard (two workouts a day, reading, sticking to a diet, all the stuff), I managed to:

- Take a 3-day trip to Salt Lake City with my son to see his favorite band.

- Go to a 2-day meditation retreat in the mountains.

- Launch an 8-week business course.

- Host a 3-day team retreat with my company, Virayo.

- Play in a golf tournament (I’m not good, but it was fun).

- Go on a 6-day camping trip with my wife.

- Develop software to filter and sync terabytes of data between systems.

- Create over 25 hours of coaching and content.

- Attend a 3-day conference in Austin with my wife.

- Spend 3 days with my daughter riding roller coasters and hitting the beach.

I’m not sharing this to brag (though it feels great to acknowledge myself) but to make a point. We all have the same 24 hours. What matters is how we spend them.

When you say, “I don’t have time,” what you’re really saying is, “This isn’t a priority.” And that’s okay! But don’t confuse lack of time with lack of intention. You’re in control. You decide where your energy and minutes go.

You can’t ‘find time’ because it isn’t lost. You create it. You can do so much more than you think you can.

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