Chad Hardy’s journey from shirtless Mormon calendars to radical self-acceptance in his book, ‘Law of Zero’

When Chad Michael Hardy released Law of Zero early this year, he offered more than a self‑help memoir: he offered a roadmap for anyone who has felt trapped between religious expectation and personal truth. The book, subtitled The Journey to Awakening Your Authentic Self, Unlocking Your Infinite Power, and Taking Control of Your Life, pairs Hardy’s personal backstory with a framework he calls “the Law of Zero” — five access points through which the reader can rediscover their authentic self.

Hardy shares that he grew up within a strict Mormon environment in Southern California, entering on a conventional path: missionary service, Brigham Young University, and the expectation of lifelong faithfulness. But in 2008, he created a calendar called Men on a Mission, which featured returned LDS missionaries posing shirtless and sparked controversy among church officials. That calendar led directly to his excommunication from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints.

The Men on a Mission calendar sold nearly 10,000 copies and thrust Hardy into media attention for challenging LDS modesty. In July 2008, the Church formally excommunicated him weeks after he had completed his academic requirements but before BYU’s commencement. Hardy attended the August graduation ceremony, but in late September, BYU placed a non‑academic hold on his record and ultimately refused to award him his diploma. The informal policy made clear that excommunication put students out of “honor code” standing and thus ineligible to receive final diplomas.

Hardy vowed to “fight this tooth‑and‑nail” by suing BYU to restore his degree. The cost of a lawsuit, however, was overwhelming, but his challenge brought public scrutiny to BYU’s policy of linking church membership to academic reward.

Fast‑forward to now: Law of Zero stands as both a healing memoir and a practical guide. According to the publisher and Kirkus Reviews, Hardy defines Zero as “a place of sacred power and infinite possibilities — the place and the Source of all creation” and lays out five paths to return to that state:

• Find Awareness: Hardy urges readers to identify emotional blocks and unconscious beliefs by charting trauma timelines, journaling, and mindful introspection. He invites readers to ask foundational questions like “Who am I?” and “What do I desire?”
• Secure Alignment: This chapter focuses on aligning one’s core values and intentions—through nature, visualization, and inner clarity — as a foundation for deliberate living.
• Take Ownership: Rather than staying stuck in self-pity or victimhood, Hardy encourages readers to reclaim personal agency, rewriting their personal “Human Story Code” — the narrative of biology, family, trauma—that shapes perceived identity.
• Release to Receive: Let go of limiting beliefs, judgments, and unhealed wounds to allow positive growth and new receptivity.
• Engage Power: Hardy defines genuine power as living with purpose, empathy, self‑love, and courage in alignment with one’s authentic truth.

Across Law of Zero’s 20 chapters, Hardy intertwines stories of childhood fear, religious disillusionment, trauma, bedwetting, and abuse, ultimately leading to his courageous coming-out and departure from Mormonism.

A Queer Lens on Authenticity and Institutional Exclusion

Readers in Utah’s queer and Mormon‑ex‑Mormon communities may find echoes of their own experiences in Hardy’s arc, from conformity to confrontation, from invisibility to voice. The calendar episode, though arguably superficial, became emblematic: a modest challenge to heteronormative standards, a public take on male bodies, masculinity, and religious expectation. For many LGBTQ+ Utahns, Hardy’s story remains a recognizable flashpoint as the calendar challenged power structures, and the excommunication plus diploma withholding represented institutional punishment for daring to defy Mormon norms.

In Law of Zero, Hardy reframes that adversity: what felt like rejection and failure propelled him toward an authentic life. His self‑help tools celebrate that transformation, but the memoir lens anchors it in real grief, anger, courage, and ultimately forgiveness.

After release, Law of Zero immediately topped Amazon’s Gay & LGBTQ+ bestseller list at #2 and reached #16 in New Age self‑help. Kirkus praised the book as “deeply personal, trauma‑informed,” noting its emphasis on radical individual responsibility balanced by emotional healing . Readers’ Favorite and other reviewers described it as illuminating, empowering, and inspiring as a roadmap for self-discovery and agency .

Hardy has expanded the concept beyond the printed page. He is now a motivational speaker, openly identifying as a gay entrepreneur. He runs AdVenture Games Inc., which partners with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and others. He is known for giving impromptu “cocktail napkin sermons” about Zero while splitting his time between San Diego and Orlando.

Why Law of Zero Matters to Utah’s LGBTQ+ Community

• Narrative of Transformation: Hardy’s story dramatizes the tension between institutional religion and queer identity—and the power of rejecting silence to reclaim spiritual and emotional authenticity.
• Toolkit for Healing: The Five Entry Points are accessible and actionable, offering readers a framework for navigating shame, identity conflict, and trauma.
• Resilience Against Rejection: His story defies the idea that leaving the Church—or being cast out—means loss. Instead, Hardy turned repudiation into a catalyst for growth and success.
• Public Reckoning with BYU’s Policies: The calendar‑diploma controversy remains a vivid example of how BYU’s policies can affect LGBTQ+ individuals differently—and how believers and ex‑believers alike grapple with institutional consequences.

Law of Zero is more than a memoir; it’s an invitation. Chad Hardy invites queer individuals, ex‑Mormons, and anyone wrestling with identity constraints to step into a new narrative. His tools and his story suggest that authenticity is not accidental: it’s earned through awareness, alignment, and courage. For LGBTQ+ Utahns navigating religious exile, family estrangement, or personal shame, Law of Zero offers both the raw honesty of struggle and the possibility of transcendence. And, in reclaiming his degree and dignity on his own terms, Hardy models that personal truth can be the deepest foundation for transformation.