What are the reading rules for 75 Hard?
The official rules on andyfrisella.com say you must read ten pages a day of "something that is non-fiction, educational, and can be used to improve any area of your life," and that "audiobooks DO NOT COUNT toward your 10 pages for the day." The official hub adds that the Bible counts.
The 75 HARD hub says the reading "should only be from a self-development or entrepreneurship/business book" and that "this is not time for a 'free read'." The rule quoted above is from the official 75 HARD rules, checked October 30, 2026. Ten pages a day for 75 days adds up to 750 pages.
Which books does Andy Frisella recommend for 75 Hard?
Andy Frisella's article "75 HARD: Books to Read," dated November 21, 2024, on andyfrisella.com, lists 39 titles in four groups: mindset, entrepreneurship and business, memoirs, and history and current events. He calls his own The Book on Mental Toughness "one of the absolute best, if not THE best" for the program.
Source: 75 HARD: Books to Read, checked October 30, 2026. Every title below comes from that article. We add only the author and the year each book was first published; where we could not confirm a year, the cell is left blank. We do not rate or rank the books.
Mindset
| Book | Author | First published |
|---|---|---|
| How to Win Friends and Influence People | Dale Carnegie | 1936 |
| Grit | Angela Duckworth | 2016 |
| The Book on Mental Toughness | Andy Frisella | |
| Relentless | Tim S. Grover | 2013 |
| Winning (styled W1nning) | Tim S. Grover | 2021 |
| The Obstacle Is the Way | Ryan Holiday | 2014 |
| Law of Attraction | Michael Losier | |
| The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck | Mark Manson | 2016 |
| #Maxout Your Life | Ed Mylett | |
| The Power of One More | Ed Mylett | 2022 |
| The Slight Edge | Jeff Olson | 2005 |
| Extreme Ownership | Jocko Willink and Leif Babin | 2015 |
| Awaken the Giant Within | Tony Robbins | 1991 |
| The Four Agreements | Don Miguel Ruiz | 1997 |
| The Magic of Thinking Big | David J. Schwartz | 1959 |
| Badass Habits | Jen Sincero | 2020 |
| You Are a Badass | Jen Sincero | 2013 |
| Eat That Frog! | Brian Tracy | 2001 |
Entrepreneurship and business
| Book | Author | First published |
|---|---|---|
| The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People | Stephen R. Covey | 1989 |
| Third Circle Theory | Pejman Ghadimi | |
| The Tipping Point | Malcolm Gladwell | 2000 |
| All Marketers Are Liars | Seth Godin | 2005 |
| The Compound Effect | Darren Hardy | 2010 |
| Think and Grow Rich | Napoleon Hill | 1937 |
| Profit First | Mike Michalowicz | 2014 |
| Building a StoryBrand | Donald Miller | 2017 |
| Deep Work | Cal Newport | 2016 |
| Crush It! | Gary Vaynerchuk | 2009 |
| Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook | Gary Vaynerchuk | 2013 |
| Wooden on Leadership | John Wooden | 2005 |
Memoirs and autobiographies
| Book | Author | First published |
|---|---|---|
| Man's Search for Meaning | Viktor E. Frankl | 1946 (in German) |
| Can't Hurt Me | David Goggins | 2018 |
| Never Finished | David Goggins | 2022 |
| Endure | Cameron Hanes | 2022 |
| Iron Cowboy | James Lawrence | |
| The Lombardi Rules | Vince Lombardi | |
| Shoe Dog | Phil Knight | 2016 |
History and current events
| Book | Author | First published |
|---|---|---|
| The Chaos Machine | Max Fisher | 2022 |
| The Bomber Mafia | Malcolm Gladwell | 2021 |
How do you pick the right 75 Hard book?
Pick the book that matches the problem you most want to work on during the 75 days: mindset, habits, business, leadership or perspective. Read the first few pages before committing, and choose physical or e-books you can carry everywhere. A book you actually want to open makes ten pages a day far easier.
The official tips article suggests you "make sure you always have 2 books on hand," so a slow chapter never stalls your day. A practical approach is one main book in your bag and a shorter second book at home. Log each day's pages with the free 75-day tracker or the printable 75 Hard checklist.
Do e-books or the Bible count for 75 Hard reading?
The official hub says "the Bible does count towards your 10 pages a day reading." It also says audiobooks do not count and that you need to sit down and read ten pages of a physical book. If you plan to use an e-reader, check the official app or FAQ first, since that is the final word.
What should you read after 75 Hard?
Keep the habit going with the next book on the list, or move to a category you skipped. For what comes after day 75, including the year-long LIVEHARD phases, see Phase 1, 2 and 3 explained and life after 75 Hard.
Frequently asked questions
Do audiobooks count for 75 Hard?
No. The official rules say "audiobooks DO NOT COUNT toward your 10 pages for the day."
Can you read fiction on 75 Hard?
No. The rules require non-fiction that is educational. 75 Soft, a community variation, allows any book; see the 75 Soft rules.
Can you read the same book twice on 75 Hard?
The official rules do not address rereading. They only require ten pages of qualifying non-fiction each day. If in doubt, the hub's advice is to choose the harder option.
Is The Book on Mental Toughness required?
No. It is recommended on the official site, but the rules only require ten pages of qualifying non-fiction a day.