Commitment Has No Asterisk: What 75 Hard Reinforced About Leadership

Recently I completed the #75Hard program, encouraged by my personal trainer who has completed this a few times.

In short, the program requires participants to do the following for 75 days straight without any exceptions:

• 1 x 45-minute minimum outdoor workout 

• 1 x 45-minute minimum additional workout 

• Pick a diet and stick to it 

• Drink 100oz water 

• Read a minimum of 10 pages nonfiction 

• No alcohol 

• No cheating - or start over from Day 1

Reflections from 75 Hard that apply to work and life

First, I’ll share that some of the requirements were easy for me - I’ve long since built habits around clean eating, reading nonfiction, and I haven’t had a sip of alcohol since before cancer (nor was I ever a big drinker).

However, even with that in mind - there is something for everyone in this regimen. And that includes me.

First lesson: Commitment — there are words and there is action

How many times have you said, "I'm 100% committed!", and then allowed circumstances to dictate your path? Or let them become excuses that validate your actions?

I’ll use these examples throughout this article:

• You commit to meet someone at 6pm. You show up at 6:30 and say, “I was held up on the phone.” 

• You commit to a product release on June 20th. Team members are late with deliverables, so you push the launch.

No harm, no foul? Maybe not. But how do these loose commitments impact others? How do they affect confidence in you? 

There is always a ripple effect.

Even when the commitment is to yourself - like with 75 Hard - there's long-term impact. The moment we choose to slack, the next excuse becomes easier. The excuse becomes bigger than the value of the commitment.

As my brother said when I tweaked my lower back during the program: “You don’t want to complete it with an asterisk.”

I definitely did not. Come hell, high water, or a bad back - I was going to make this happen. Not because of circumstances. But, because I said so!

In life, you’re either committed to something, or you’re not. There is no in between.

What if the “it” feels interesting… but not quite urgent?

When I first committed to 75 Hard, I wasn’t totally sure why I was doing it.

My trainer’s why was “discipline.” But that wasn’t mine. I already know I’m disciplined when I want something. I’ve proven that countless times at work, in fitness, and in life.

So, I paused. I took my own advice. I had to be intentional about uncovering my why. In my words (not Sinek’s): What made doing 75 Hard important to me?

That became the anchor I returned to on the days I didn’t feel like showing up.

Back to those examples: Consider this...

• What’s important to you about showing up for that meeting? 

• What’s important (to you as a leader, to your customers, to your reputation) about meeting the product launch date?

Suggestion: Whenever you commit to something - solo or with a team - write down 5 reasons it matters. If others are involved, ask them to do the same (what's important to each person may be different - and that matters). Revisit those reasons regularly.

My personal why

Let me shoot from the hip: my why was about menopause and the not-so-glorious changes my previously fit body had undergone.

In 2021, I got hit with a triple whammy: 

• Surgical menopause 

• Chemotherapy (this hits hard)

• Graves’ disease (a hyperthyroid condition)

I started to see changes in my body that didn’t respond to anything the way I used to. And I was mentally uncomfortable with it. I could write a book on this topic - but that’s not the point of this article.

I had long since mastered clean eating and built purposeful habits. But at 55, nothing was working. And I can’t take HRT (hormone replacement) or GLP-1s.

I felt stuck in what my friend Andrew Hilger calls the “liminal space” of transition. And I was frustrated.

So here were my whys:

• Maybe this commitment could kick my body back into gear 

• I feel better mentally and physically in a fit body 

• And I wanted to once again prove that Conigliaro-style discipline (as my family calls it) - and own the circumstances instead of letting them own me

Those were mine. Yours can be different. They may change over time. But you need at least one you can really connect with.

Because that why becomes your lifeline when things get hard.

Lesson two: There are always unconventional possibilities

75 Hard might not be for everyone. But here’s something universal: even when you feel stuck, possibilities exist. You just may not have uncovered them yet.

Here’s what I found:

• One day I had a 5:30am PST airport pickup and a cross-country flight. I did a 45-minute walk through the terminal with a heavy backpack - circling the chairs at the gate again and again. That evening on the East Coast, I went for a lovely hour-long walk in NYC. 

• When I injured my back, I swapped workouts for slow trail walks. 

• When I had back-to-back meetings, I got up earlier than usual for yoga or Pilates. 

• And when it rained? I did it anyway.

Suggestion: When you think you’ve run out of options, pause. Write down five more.

Lesson three: Success is lined with intention

Over the years, I built strong habits around food, fitness, reading, and movement. But during this program, I noticed I’d become passive in my execution.

• I was using healthy fats - but not being mindful of the quantity 

• I was working out regularly - but not always with purpose 

• I was going through the motions - without conscious engagement

This challenge brought me back to intention. To noticing. To choosing in the moment.

The pause gave me the space to act with purpose - not on autopilot.

Consider (those examples) again...

• You committed to that meeting. What intentionality will help you show up aligned with that commitment? 

• You set a June 20th release date. How can your daily actions reflect that intention across the team?

Suggestion: Pause daily. Revisit what’s important. From there, reset your intention.

The results

This post isn’t really about the physical results. But yes - I broke through the menopause barrier.

• I can see my muscles again 

• I’m exponentially stronger 

• I’m down a clothing size 

• My body feels like it’s working again 

• I’ve built a two-a-day habit 

• And I’ve reinforced what I call Conigliaro-style discipline

And if you think you’re not a disciplined person, I’d bet you just haven’t found the right why.

I’m not saying this program is the answer to menopause. I believe in bio-individuality. What worked for me may not work for you.

But what’s universal are the leadership lessons around commitment, intentionality, and possibility.

Whether it was walking airport laps or doing sunrise yoga, the mindset I built applies well beyond fitness.

So, think back:

• Being late to a meeting 

• Pushing a product release 

• Skipping the hard conversation

What if, instead of defaulting to excuses, you paused, reconnected to your why, and found 5 new paths to show up fully?

That’s not just how you finish 75 Hard.

It’s how you lead with integrity. No asterisks.

🧭 A Closing Leadership Challenge: No Asterisks

This week, choose one commitment - personal or professional - that you’ve been treating loosely.

Ask yourself:

• What was important enough that I said yes to this in the first place? 

• What ripple effect does my consistency (or inconsistency) have on others? 

• What would it look like to show up with full ownership - no excuses, no asterisks?

Then:

1. Write down 5 reasons this commitment matters - to you, your team, or your purpose

2. Revisit those reasons daily. Especially when resistance creeps in

3. When obstacles appear, pause and list 5 unconventional possibilities

The challenge isn’t to be perfect.

It’s to lead from clarity and act in alignment with what you said matters - even when it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, or uncertain.

Because that’s not just how you complete 75 Hard. That’s how you lead.