Lessons from 75 Hard: Mastering Commitment in Business, Life & Events

When I committed to doing #75HardChallenge, I was already in one of the busiest seasons of my professional life. I was running a growing events and sponsorship agency, juggling multiple clients, traveling between site visits, pitching new business, and planning activations for some of the biggest brands in Australia. The idea of adding two workouts a day, almost 4 litres of water, no cheat meals, daily reading, and a progress photo felt, honestly, insane.

But I did it anyway.

Because something in me knew I needed a reset, not just physically, but mentally. I needed a challenge that would force me to stop saying, “I’m too busy” and start asking, “What am I really prioritising?”

Now, having completed all 75 days, I can say with absolute clarity - this challenge reshaped how I show up in every area of my life. It made me a better business owner, a more focused creative, a stronger leader, and a more intentional human.

Here’s what I learned from 75 Hard, and how it’s transformed the way I run my business, lead sponsorship activations, and build event experiences that matter.

Time Isn’t the Issue, It’s Priority

In events, we are always racing the clock. Timelines. Bump-ins. Deadlines. You think you’re out of hours, until a client calls with an urgent request or a last-minute deliverable. Then suddenly, you make time.

That’s exactly what 75 Hard taught me. You always have time for what matters. You just have to decide what matters most.

During the challenge, I ran double workouts on site recce days, listened to business podcasts while doing my nighttime walk, and packed protein bars and water bottles for client meetings. Was it inconvenient? Absolutely. Was it impossible? Not at all.

Now when we’re planning large scale brand activations or coordinating a campaign with dozens of moving parts, I don’t get overwhelmed by the to do list. I simply ask - What’s essential? What’s non-negotiable? And how do we plan around that?

Discipline Over Motivation, Every Time

Let’s be honest - no one wakes up excited for a 3am workout before a 12 hour event day.

But I did it, because the structure of 75 Hard doesn’t care how you feel. You either do it, or you don’t. There’s no middle ground.

In the events world, this mentality is game changing. So many aspects of what we do, client service, site checks, budgeting, sponsor reporting, require discipline over motivation. The glam moments are rare. But the success of a sponsorship campaign often comes down to the boring, unsexy, behind-the-scenes execution.

Whether it’s delivering signage on time, briefing talent properly, or capturing the right content during a 15 second activation window, our industry rewards discipline. 75 Hard reminded me that showing up consistently, no matter what, is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Make Non-Negotiables in Your Business and Stick to Them

Before 75 Hard, I had plenty of business intentions:“We should do more internal reviews.”“I need time for strategy.”“I should be more consistent on LinkedIn.”

But none of those were locked in. They were optional. Which meant they rarely happened.

75 Hard changed that. When something becomes non-negotiable, whether it’s a daily workout or a weekly team check-in, you don’t question it. You just do it.

Now, I’ve created the same structure in my business:

• Weekly marketing planning is non-negotiable.

• Sponsor reporting templates are blocked out before events happen.

• Post event debriefs are scheduled into every run sheet, not treated as an afterthought.

  
  

It’s helped us work smarter, elevate our client service, and deliver consistently stronger results,  because the things that actually matter no longer rely on motivation. They’re embedded in our process.

Energy Management = Better Execution

The biggest shift I noticed halfway through 75 Hard? My energy was at the next level.

When you’re fuelling your body properly, moving daily, staying hydrated, and reading inspiring books, your clarity sharpens. Your execution improves. Your creativity increases. And when you're managing multiple events and client activations, that energy is gold.

I noticed I was better at anticipating client needs. Faster at troubleshooting on-site. Sharper in pitches. More present in meetings.

As business owners and event professionals, we are our energy. If we’re depleted, stressed, unfocused, our work suffers. The people around us feel it. The client sees it. The sponsors sense it.

75 Hard reminded me that looking after myself isn’t a luxury, it’s the foundation for being able to deliver at a high level.

Clear Vision > Constant Hustle

One of the books I read during the challenge said something that stuck - “Busy is not a badge of honour. Clarity is.” That hit me hard.

In the sponsorship and events space, it's easy to get caught in the hustle, saying yes to every brief, chasing every opportunity, running every event type. But busy doesn’t always mean strategic.

As I moved through 75 Hard, the daily reading and reflection time helped me realign with my long-term vision for the business - I want to create impactful, innovative, and authentic brand experiences. Not just noise. Not just volume.

Now, when a potential client or sponsor opportunity comes up, I don’t automatically say yes. I ask - Does this align with our core values? Does this move us toward the business we want to be?

That clarity has helped us attract better partnerships, deliver more meaningful work, and stay true to our creative edge.

Momentum Compounds In Life and in Business

There’s a concept in 75 Hard that’s beautifully simple - keep showing up, and momentum builds. One day of workouts becomes three. One week of clean eating becomes a habit. Discipline in one area leaks into others.

I’ve seen the exact same thing happen in business.

Once we got consistent with post event content, it became easier to pitch for awards. Once we built out proper sponsor feedback loops, renewals became smoother. Once we committed to client onboarding documents, briefs became clearer, expectations cleaner, and projects faster to execute.

Momentum compounds. But only if you keep moving.

You Can Do Hard Things, And You Should

Here’s the truth: running a business, managing clients, and producing flawless events is already hard. But we often shield ourselves from taking on extra challenges, assuming it will be too much.

75 Hard showed me that you can always do more than you think. The trick is to get clear on why it matters, and then commit to showing up every day, no matter what.

That mindset is now part of the Cielo House DNA. We challenge our clients to think bigger. We challenge ourselves to push boundaries. We say yes to ideas that scare us, and then we back ourselves to deliver.

Final Thoughts - Commitment is a Strategy

75 Hard wasn’t about abs or aesthetics for me. It was about proving to myself that I could set a high standard, and hold it. Every day. No matter what else was happening.

That mindset has transformed how I lead, how I plan, how I show up in meetings, and how I deliver events and sponsorship campaigns that actually move the needle.

If you’re reading this and feeling stretched, burnt out, or stuck, I get it. But I also know this: you can choose commitment. You can choose clarity. You can choose what really matters.

And when you do, everything changes, in your life, your business, and every activation you touch.

At Cielo House, we bring that same focus to the way we craft events, build partnerships, and activate brands. Visit our website and let’s talk about how we can bring your next big idea to life now.