Why I packed 24 Meals to travel to New Orleans...

Here I am getting ready to leave for New Orleans, the food capital of the world… As I am putting the finishing touches on my speaking presentation, my friend Lindsay is cooking & separating 24 meals for me to pack into a duffel bag and take with me.

Wait, what?! Don’t I want to eat beignets, maybe drink a hurricane with my fellow speakers and friends?

Why would I need my own food?

More importantly, why would I go through the trouble of bringing my own food to the airport… let alone TWENTY FOUR meals for four days of my absence from my life here in Fresno?

I will tell you why.

I am participating in my coach, friend and mentor’s program. His name is Andy Frisella and his no nonsense mental toughness challenge is called 75 HARD.

Andy’s program promises to 100x your confidence, self-worth, self-esteem, self-belief, fortitude, and grittiness. Who isn’t down for that?! I love me some grit.

Any program that makes these types of promises can’t be easy and certainly is going to require a lot of time and energy. With the amount of speaking I’m doing, the growth FresYes is experiencing and the passion projects I have cooking… I know I have my work cut out for me. It would be easier to put it off till a less busy time. But it wouldn’t be as rewarding to me if I was to do that, it’s not called 75 Easy or 75 Donuts, it’s called 75 Hard… I should honor that.

There is no point of putting so much energy towards a challenge if you’re not going to go all in.

So, instead of waiting for ‘Monday’ or the perfect time – I’m doing it now. During the toughest season, in the food capital of the world and I’m going to kick ass.

In fact, Andy says his program teaches you how to get things done even when the conditions aren’t ideal. Well, these conditions certainly aren’t ideal.

So, what do I have to do?

75 HARD includes five basic rules:

1. Follow a Nutrition Plan

No cheat days and no alcohol. My friend and Arete Syndicate brother Alex Spinoso helped design my plan. Side note… it has carbs, Eek!

2. Two Workouts a Day

45 minutes per workout

One workout has to be outside

3. 10 Pages of Self-Development Book

Non fiction books, the point is to learn something to improve your life

4. A Gallon of Water every day (I’ll do 1.5)

5. Progress Pic Everyday

And, why am I doing it?

Mental Accountability

Sharing this with you on FresYes.com, through my social media channels and even on stage at my upcoming event means I’m not backing down. I’ve always promoted external accountability because it works so well for me. What’s better than telling the entire world (ok, maybe just my whole network) your goal?

Andy says, “Mental toughness is a skill, not a character trait.”

I plan on beefing mine up over the next 75 days.

2. I have a goal to get to 10% body fat

Frisella also says 75 HARD teaches you how to push yourself well beyond what you think you’re capable of. I can’t even imagine myself at 10% body fat. Currently I’m 35%. Weight wise my lowest was 235, currently I’m 275. If I don’t go beyond my limits – I’ll never know what’s truly possible. I hope to inspire others through my triumph.

3. I refuse to go backwards

When we get busy, professionally or personally – often the first thing to go is our commitment to ourselves. When I saw myself canceling my second workout (which my body needs), I knew I had to get serious. To me, nothing is more serious than a 75-day challenge kicking off in the booziest, most butter-filled city in America.

So, off I go to my next challenge. I have to ask you – what could you do to transform your life over the next 75 days? Are you willing to get uncomfortable for growth?

I’d love to hear your ideas about what you could do, or if you’ve ever challenged yourself like this before – give me your tips in the comments!

I’ll report back after New Orleans.

Laissez-Bon-Temps-Rouler!

Jason

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com

I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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