As an ardent admirer of Jocko Willink, I’ve been inspired by his principles of discipline and extreme ownership. This year, as part of my New Year’s resolution, I embraced these principles further by joining the DEF Reset challenge, a four-week program designed to instill long-lasting discipline and habits in various aspects of life.
Understanding DEF Reset
DEF Reset, or Discipline Equals Freedom Reset, is a structured program focusing on eight core habits:
- Wake Up Early: Start each day by rising early to set a productive tone.
- Get After It: Complete your workout first thing in the morning.
- Prioritize & Execute: Identify and complete the top three tasks each day.
- Hydration Goal: Maintain a daily hydration goal for optimal health.
- Nutrition Plan Adherence: Consistently stick to a chosen diet or nutrition plan.
- Sugar Elimination: Avoid blatant sugar sources like sweets, cakes, and sugary drinks.
- Personal Development: Dedicate time to activities like reading and journaling for mental growth.
- Practice Gratitude: Reflect daily on gratitude.
My Personal DEF Plan
- Wake Up Time: 5:30 AM daily, including weekends.
- Workout Plan: 6 strength and at least 3 cardio sessions weekly.
- Daily Tasks: Top 3 tasks, focusing on work, family, and personal goals.
- Hydration and Diet: 1 gallon of water daily and a strict diet avoiding sugar and junk food.
- Personal Development: 45 minutes daily for reading, writing, learning, or listening to podcasts.
- Gratitude: Daily reflection and quality family time.
Weekly Summary of My Journey
Week 1: Setting the Foundation
During the first week, I established a new routine, starting each day at 5:30 AM. This early start allowed me to complete my workouts and personal development activities by 9 AM and most work tasks by noon. Hydration, with a goal of 1 gallon of water daily, was crucial. I avoided screen time in the evenings, which allowed for more productive activities like writing and planning the next day’s tasks. Socially, I navigated a party without deviating from my diet plan and ended the week with a day dedicated to blogging and self-reflection.
Week 2: Overcoming Challenges
The second week presented new challenges, including a busy work schedule and travel. Despite these, I managed to adhere to my workout and diet plans. An unexpected delay in my travel led to my arriving home late and missing my early wake-up the next day. Nonetheless, I maintained discipline in my diet and workout regime, even while eating out with my family. The week concluded with fulfilling family time.
Week 3: Deepening the Habits
In the third week, I focused on deepening my established habits. I overcame physical challenges, such as an old injury, by adapting my workouts. I also dedicated time to online courses and chess studies. The weekends balanced physical activities with quality family time and positive community contributions.
Week 4: Reflection and Growth
The final week was a period of reflection and growth. I continued my routine of balancing work, workouts, personal development, and family time. A notable highlight was winning a power-lifting meet on Day 26, which involved a temporary deviation from my diet for performance. Despite this indulgence, I quickly returned to my disciplined routine, ending the challenge on a high note.
Learnings from My DEF Reset Journey
The DEF Reset challenge was a holistic journey that imparted valuable lessons across various aspects of my life:
Embracing Early Mornings
Consistently waking up early enhanced my productivity and positively impacted my family, particularly in helping my daughter maintain her school schedule.
Enhancing Personal Development
I consistently wrote a blog post every week and read almost one book per week, expanding my knowledge and mental stimulation.
Dietary Discipline
I successfully avoided junk food throughout the challenge, except for one day of indulgence during the power-lifting meet.
Reducing Screen Time
Significant changes included eliminating movies, shows, social media, and mindless screen time at home, which previously occupied a large portion of my time. I limited watching movies to outings with family.
Reflective Practices
Through diligent journaling and tracking with the DEF Reset sheet and EQH app by Jocko, I maintained accountability, reflection, and effective planning for the next day.
In summary, the DEF Reset challenge was transformative, positively impacting my physical health, work, mental well-being, productivity, and family life. It highlighted the power of discipline in creating positive, lasting changes and equipped me with habits and tools that I plan to continue beyond the challenge.
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