What is the DEF RESET?
Advertised as ‘Four weeks to unlock year-round discipline and transform your life’, this is a new year challenge put out by Jocko Willink and his team at Echelon Front.
From the website: ‘At its core, DEF Reset is about developing healthy habits and everyday discipline (physically, mentally, and emotionally) so you can achieve your 2024 goals. The DEF Habit Tracker details each critical habit and serves as your weekly checklist so you can track daily and weekly progress.’
They had prizes too, but for me that was low down on the scale of incentives. I’m sure if I was based in the States, it might have been a little more interesting. But the price of plane tickets to the States, and then the price of being in San Diego… well, maybe next time.
So what were the daily habits?
- Up Before the Enemy (Wake up early)
- Get After It (Exercise)
- Prioritize and Execute (Identify the top three things you need to get done and then execute each one)
- Clean Fuel (Eat clean)
- Hydrate (Drink water)
- No Sugar-Coated Lies (No blatant sugar, cookies, candy, cake, ice cream, donuts, sugary coffees, etc)
- Back to the Book (Spend time on personal development: reading, journaling, reflecting or meditating)
- Remember (Think about something you are grateful for each day)
The Plan
I usually do a form of this already, albeit a very loose form. I just had to schedule things in, pick a book to start with, download and follow Jason Khalipa’s workouts that he put out for this program, and stick to the program. Easy, right?
The Implementation
Of course, the first couple of days was easy. Starting a new program is always like that, I’ve found. Usually I flag around the third week, but knowing this program was only four weeks made it easy to stick with it all the way through.
I’ve done 75Hard in the past, and while this has its similarities, the main difference that I’ve found is that Jocko’s put Prioritize and Execute as a separate habit. The Morning Miracle, the 5AM Miracle, etc, etc, etc, all have these same points as the priorities and it seems as if you wake up early in the morning to get these various things done.
DEF Reset makes you think about three things you actually need to get done to move your life and work forward that is NOT just getting up early, reading, exercising, and generally taking care of yourself. I like this part the best.
The Aftermath
It’s been nearly a month since the program stopped. I’ve modified it a little but still implement the basics of the program. I don’t get up as early and work out first thing. There has been less electricity than before in this part of Africa, so I sleep when there is. But when I do work out, I get my husband and kids involved and that’s an added benefit. Leading by example and all that.
I get all the books read, journals written, exercises done, clean food eaten, easy to hydrate in Africa because it’s so hot, etc. but just not first thing in the morning.
Epilogue
I’m sorry I am not eligible to win first prize and make it to a Muster run by Echelon Front. I’m sorry I also don’t have the means to sign up for Jason Khalipa’s Train Hard App and workout programs, as I enjoyed the EMOMs that he put out for those four weeks. I’m gonna keep on GETTING AFTER IT, whatever IT is that 2024 has in store for us.
Thank you, Jocko and the team at Echelon Front, Jason Khalipa, and the host of people who we didn’t hear about who ran the website and kept it updated. Keep up the good work!