5d (edited) • July Challenge 2026!
Friday July 10 Check In- Mike
10 days in, and I’m feeling good, not great. This challenge has shown me that I’m ready for more difficulty in my life. This year, with the tools I’ve learned from all of you, I’ve been able to greatly reduce, if not completely eliminate, the made-up difficulty that existed in the six inches between my ears. I’m ready for 75 Hard after this.
What changes have I seen in myself?- This challenge has kicked me into four-wheel drive. I’m no longer just going through the motions on autopilot. Every movement and action feels intentional, which has helped me become more present. I’m not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. That doesn’t mean I’m so tunnel-visioned that I ignore what’s ahead; it means I trust myself. If something goes off the rails and I need to call an audible, I’ll shift my defense from zone to man coverage, sorry to the sports-illiterate guys, adjust, and be just fine.
Physically, I’ve also noticed the alcohol bloat is finally gone. I’m starting to see a body I recognize as the real me, and I’m excited to get this Bugatti back to race-ready.
Spiritually- Ole’ Patches literally fucked up my brain this week. I love that he is so disciplined that he obviously only checks his phone on occasion. He was a few days behind all of us addicts on commenting on last weeks check in. His message, that I will repost for reference, was the first time I have honestly ever felt 100% seen and appreciated. I needed that to give myself permission to recognize there is good in me. I took a screenshot of it and have it in my favorites so anytime I doubt myself, I can read someone’s real words to fight Bully Mike that lives in my head. Thank you so much for that gift, Patches. Means the world to me.
Where did I fall short this week?- No strikes, so as far as the personal challenge goes, I don’t feel like I fell short. However, my partner picked up his second strike. I own part of that. I wasn’t the brother I needed to be. I didn’t recognize what he needed from me, whether it was encouragement or just a smart-ass comment to keep him accountable.
Where did I go above and beyond?- Yesterday, I told myself, “You waited until the last minute to get everything done today, asshole. Now you have to pay for that.”
So I jumped into a freezing cold shower using Josh’s pre-cold breathing techniques he shared yesterday. Four-minute cold-ass shower. I could’ve gone longer, but it was already 11:00 p.m., and I still needed to read.
Cold can’t do shit to me when my soul is on fire!
What parts of the challenge will I continue?- Cold showers, 100%.
They’re helping me break down the last of those calcified walls with graffiti spray-painted all over them that says:
“You fucking can’t do it. Quit now before everyone sees the REAL you, pussy!”
I’m also planning to roll straight into 75 Hard, maybe after a week or so break. By then, I’ll have around 100 days of these disciplines under my belt. Hopefully, by that point, they’ve become habits instead of tasks.
Music has hit differently this week, too. Songs I’ve heard 10,000 times are speaking completely new words to me. Yesterday, after our meeting, “Live Forever” by Oasis came on my playlist. This line couldn’t help but make me think about all of us. It damn near brought me to tears. “Maybe I will never be all the things that I wanna be. Now is not the time to cry. Now’s the time to find out why. I think you’re the same as me, we see things they’ll never see.”
I love every one of you, individually and as a brotherhood!
Go make this weekend awesome for someone else. You might change their life.
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Friday July 10 Check In- Mike
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