In this edition, Joe shares:
The ancient mental weapon that explorers and emperors used
How a few words a day can literally rewire your brain
Why writing like a warrior builds discipline like nothing else
Hi, it’s Joe here, writing this week from stunning Croatia, where I’ve been writing notes after some interesting government conversations I’m having.
A Weapon, Not a Hobby
Writing notes and thoughts down is something I’ve done for a long time. When I was sixteen, I ran a pool business in Queens. I’d be out the door before sunrise, digging trenches and hauling gear all day. Then at night, when everyone else crashed, I’d scribble notes down, like numbers I needed to remember, problems to fix, and small wins. It wasn’t poetic, instead it was totally practical. Writing helped me to focus when everything else felt like chaos.
Later on up in Vermont, when the winters got brutal and the bank was breathing down my neck during Spartan’s early days, I kept that habit going. Some days, it was just one line in a notebook. Some days, it was a list of things I hated. It forced me to tell the truth and helped me survive.
That’s how journaling has always been for me - a simple way to sharpen my mind when the world’s trying to dull it.
The Old Way Works
You see the same thing in the lives of great leaders, warriors and explorers. Marcus Aurelius wrote Meditations while commanding armies. Shackleton documented his brutal Antarctic ordeal not to complain, but to stay present and sane during a time that would have crushed almost anyone. Musashi, the undefeated samurai, kept a war log that blended swordsmanship and self-mastery. Some reclusive monks I’ve met in Japan write one sentence a day for years, because reflection for them isn’t optional, it’s part of their discipline.
These greats didn’t write to sound smart, but to stay sharp. When I’ve sat down with Navy SEALs, monks, and pro athletes, the one thing they all seem to have in common is this: they track their lives. They write, record, and therefore notice what matters.
Your Personal Journal Challenge
I created a Hard Way Journal to give you, me, and other Spartans a clear, structured way to sharpen our minds the same way we train our bodies. I didn’t want it to be about fancy pages or hollow quotes, rather I see it as a power tool that works.
Each day, I challenge you to set targets, reflect on your training and life, identify what held you back, and double down on what worked. The format is simple but powerful, because we built it from research in neuroscience used by elite military units, pro endurance athletes, and thousands of Spartans who’ve already unlocked results.
This is how you learn from your training and daily life instead of just logging miles and going through the motions. You’ll track goals that actually matter, log daily and weekly breakthroughs, recalibrate your mindset when things get tough, and build momentum the way it’s always been built by those greats I mentioned: slowly, brutally, and for real.
"The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen." - Lee Lacocca
We designed it to be durable and travel-ready. It can be stained with sweat and mud, and still be standing when you cross the next finish line.
If you’re ready to go deeper with this challenge, we’re also launching Project 300. This is your chance to train, track biomarkers, and journal every single day to see what happens when you live with full accountability - all expenses paid.
Regardless of what you do today, the journal should be non-negotiable. You train your body. Now train your mind to match.
Start writing,
Joe
You Ask, Joe Answers
Q: I don’t know what to write in a journal. Where do I even start? — Jim C.
A: " If your brain feels like a mess, get it on paper. You don’t need perfect grammar or some brilliant idea, you just need honesty. I tell people to write one line if that’s all they’ve got. The point is to get your mind right so your actions follow. You can’t win the war in front of you if you’re losing the one in your head." — Joe
