The Bodybuilding
Inner Game:
Psychological Strategies For
Bodybuilding Success
By Sean Nalewanyj
- Copyright & Disclaimer Before beginning any new exercise, nutrition or dietary supplement
program you should consult a physician first. The information presented
herein is not meant to treat or prevent any disease or to provide the
reader with medical advice. If you are looking for specific medical advice
then you should obtain this information from a licensed health-care
practitioner.
This publication is intended for informational use only. Sean Nalewanyj
and www.MuscleGainTruth.com will not assume any liability or be held
responsible for any form of injury, personal loss or illness caused by the
utilization of this information. The individual results obtained from the use
of this program will vary from person to person and we make no
guarantee as to the degree of results that you will personally achieve.
This publication is fully copyrighted and does not come with giveaway or
resale rights. You may not sell or redistribute this report. It is reserved
solely for MuscleGainTruth.com members. Copyright and illegal
distribution violations will be prosecuted.
© 2006 - www.MuscleGainTruth.com - All Rights Reserved
Table Of Contents
Introduction
5
Theory
11
Motivations
12
Triune Brain Theory
18
Maslow's Hierarchy
24
Happiness Equation
27
Application
29
Visualization
30
Verbalization
34
Goal Setting
36
The Leap Of Faith
41
No Journey Is Perfect
44
Mental Workout Techniques
47
The Subconscious Mind
53
Positive Thinking
55
Affirmations
57
3 Personality Types
60
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Introduction
"There is always an inner game being played in your mind no matter what outer game you
are playing. How aware you are of this game can make the difference between success and
failure in the outer game."
-Tim Gallwey
It seems almost inconceivable that a once primitive species who slept in caves and huddled
around fires to keep warm would eventually harness the brainpower to travel to distant
planets, explore the ocean floors, create artificial intelligence and devise sophisticated tools
to analyze the microscopic blueprints of their own existence. The human race has clearly
separated itself into its own distinct class, unique from any other species on the planet.
While the rest of the Earth's creatures remain as “biological slaves” to their DNA instruction,
human beings have seemingly escaped this pre-programmed way of life and have risen
above and beyond the basic steps of "live, eat, reproduce and die." We have created religion,
science, mathematics, philosophy and culture in an attempt to make sense of the world
around us and to question the very purpose of our existence in this universe.
Using the power of our brains, humans were able to take raw materials from the earth and
combine them to produce the very computer you are sitting in front of right now.
Amazing, isn't it?
Regardless of how we can explain the incredible accomplishments our species has been able
to achieve, one thing remains clear: we must never underestimate the power of the human
mind. For it is the power of the human mind from which all of these accomplishments
ultimately stem. And without our minds and the ability to think, we are nothing.
Your mind is your reality.
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Your ability to see, smell, hear, taste and touch is all taking place in your mind. You do not
see with your eyes, you see with your mind. Your eyes are merely tools to analyze what is
there, but your mind is where the image is ultimately coming from. The same can be said for
the smells, sounds and textures that you experience.
It's all in your mind.
The reality and consciousness you have experienced your entire life has merely been a
product of electrical signals being interpreted by your brain.
Now before I dive too far into this and leave you wondering if you accidentally purchased a
book analyzing the premise behind "The Matrix", you must realize that this is all very
important information that applies heavily to your muscle-building endeavors. Just as all of
your experiences take place in the mind, so do your decisions and motivations.
You are reading this book right now because there is something that you want to accomplish.
We all have our own personal reasons and motivations, but the bottom line is that you are
here right now because you desire a strong and muscular physique.
The attainment of this dream body can ultimately be summed up in 2 words:
The first is education.
The second is application.
You see, proper training, nutrition and supplementation teach us only a fraction of the
complete story. Education merely teaches us what to do, but equally as important is learning
how to do it.
After all, if no barbells are picked up, no weight stacks moved and no diet plan implemented,
all the knowledge in the world won’t allow us to move forward.
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You may have the discipline and the willpower to spend time and effort researching the
principles behind building a lean, muscular physique, but do you have the discipline and the
willpower to take that knowledge and apply it in the real world?
Anyone can sit down and shuffle through papers, read words, observe diagrams and ask
questions. But few have the courage and determination to take that information to physically
rise up and conquer; to actually enter the gym and put their bodies to work on a consistent
basis.
Knowledge alone builds no muscles.
Knowledge merely teaches us what to do to get to where we want to be as quickly and
efficiently as we can. But knowledge on its own cannot bring us success.
Why, then, do the majority of bodybuilding and fitness authors focus only on teaching us
what to do instead of also teaching us how to do it?
Sure, workout structure, nutrition and supplementation are key pieces of knowledge to
obtain, but what about learning how to get motivated and stay motivated?
What about learning how to develop patience and perseverance?
What about learning how to set proper goals and reach them?
Beyond the external methods of how to physically implement an effective muscle-building
program lies a much deeper, complex, internal set of principles that must also be addressed
in order for long term success to be had.
I’m talking, of course, about the psychological aspects of achieving bodybuilding success. I’m
talking about teaching you how to think about your program rather than merely teaching you
what external principles to apply.
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This is where the true muscle-building secret lies.
It doesn’t lie in a specific workout principle, a special exercise, or a magical combination of
sets, reps and rest periods. It isn’t found in any unique nutritional methods, breakthrough
pills and powders or miracle methods.
The true muscle-building secret can be found in a dark, confined space no more than 1500
cubic centimeters in capacity that is concealed from the outside world. It can be found in a
small mass of organic cells, neurons, axons and synapses.
It can be found in the depths of the human mind.
You may now be educated as to what methods make up an effective muscle-building
program, but will you have the mental fortitude to physically carry out that plan?
Will your mind be strong enough to consistently battle against the discomfort of the gym and
stay focused on a proper nutritional approach?
What will prevail, mind or matter?
And for how long?
A few weeks, months, years or decades?
Bodybuilding is both an inner game and an outer game, but it is what you do on the inside
that determines what will happen on the outside.
Will you push yourself to the limit on this set of squats, or back down in the face of physical
pain? Will you eat your next meal on time, using the proper foods, or will you give in to
laziness and skip it?
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Page 8 of 64
It is your mind that will answer these questions and then carry out the physical process in
the real world.
How, then, do we train our mind to do what we want it to do? Can we? Is there any truly
effective way to “workout” the most important “muscle” of all?
This e-book looks to provide answers for these questions. In nearly a decade as a dedicated
natural bodybuilder I’ve seen more lifters come and go in the gym than you could imagine;
guys who decided to give it a try and ended up nowhere other than on the sidelines.
Why did they fail? Why did they give in? They had an initial goal and a desire, but why didn’t
they reach it?
The answer can be found in no other place but their mindset. Something happened that
changed their way of thinking towards their program, and that change caused them to quit.
After witnessing the dramatically lopsided ratio of successful trainees to unsuccessful
trainees, I realized that analyzing the psychological aspects of this bodybuilding game would
be an invaluable tool for up and coming lifters.
This book is divided into 2 major sections:
1) Theory
2) Application
The goal of the “theory” section is to put your bodybuilding mindset into perspective and to
help you understand why things are the way they are.
Why do people begin bodybuilding? What kinds of obstacles will you face? Why do so many
quit and so few succeed in the long term?
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All of these questions will be answered by relating them to basic biological processes, to
evolution and to psychological theories. At the end of this section you’ll have a better
understanding of your own thought processes in relation to your muscle-building program,
and why they are the way they are.
The goal of the “application” section is to provide you with real world techniques that you
can apply to your program. These techniques will address many different aspects of your
program such as motivation, workout psychology, pain tolerance, patience and perseverance
using tested methods such a goal setting, affirmations and visualization.
Please keep in mind that I am not a psychologist, a doctor or a hypnotist. The theories and
techniques presented in this text are not proven facts (very few things in life are) and are
based only on my own research and experience over the last 7 years as a natural
bodybuilder. In that time I’ve come to many conclusions about the thought processes and
psychological aspects of the sport and am confident that you’ll find them to be helpful in
achieving the body you desire.
You may disagree with some of these theories, and that’s fine too. It would be impossible to
write a book that every reader agrees on, especially with this sort of topic. Many of these
theories will relate to human behavior, biology and evolution. I respect whatever beliefs you
may hold about the world around you and am simply presenting things the way that I
personally see them in the hopes that it will allow you to learn more about yourself on your
quest to increased muscle mass and strength.
That being said, I believe that you’ll find the content herein to be valuable and helpful to
your program whether you agree with everything or not. If spending one sitting to read
through this material allows you to walk away with just one valuable piece of insight that will
increase your chances of success, then this book did its job. All of my other material has
taught you what to do in the gym, and now I hope to teach you how to consistently apply it
over the long run using your own mental strength… Let’s get started!
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Theory
What is the meaning of life? What is our purpose on this earth? Why are we here, and what
should we be doing with our lives?
These are basic philosophical questions that date back to the beginning of mankind, and I
would be a fool to attempt to answer them. We all have our own set of unique beliefs, and
we may as well consider everyone to be equally correct. I cannot disprove any of your beliefs
with certainty, and you cannot disprove mine.
Everyone is different. We all come from different upbringings and have unique innate
characteristics, and beyond science there are no clear-cut answers by any means. I don’t
look to challenge any of your beliefs or claim that things must be a certain way, but when
writing an e-book that deals with psychology, I have no choice but to write it from my own
personal perspective. There are simply too great a number of possible theories and ideas to
cover.
As an experienced natural bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast, I’ve had a great deal of time to
observe and analyze my own thought processes when it comes to the iron game. I’ve seen
endless ups and downs, triumphs and victories, setbacks and achievements both from myself
and from others. I’ve also spent a great deal of time researching as much literature as I
possibly could in relation to this topic, and this e-book is a compilation of everything I’ve
come to believe thus far.
Even if these ideas do not jive with your own I still believe that you’ll find this e-book to be
interesting, insightful and beneficial to your own program. If you’re a beginner you can get
an idea of what’s down the road, and if you’ve already been training for some time then
hopefully these ideas will allow you to gain a greater understanding of yourself in relation to
your bodybuilding journey.
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We begin this section with that age-old question…
“What is the meaning of life?”
Philosophically there are an infinite number of possible answers, and the philosophical side
doesn’t really provide any benefit to us as a bodybuilder.
Biologically we can at least establish a partial answer, and understanding this does provide
insight into the thought processes related to building muscle mass and strength.
I think that most of us will at least agree on some level that biologically speaking, we as an
organism live our lives around two basic motivations…
The first and ultimate motivation is survival.
We as humans are driven to stay alive and healthy by avoiding potentially harmful situations
and by seeking out situations that will better our chances of survival. Over millions of years
of evolution the body has fine-tuned and hard-wired itself with various emotions and
physiological feelings in order to motivate us to survive and thrive.
When our body is hungry and requires nutrients, our stomachs feel uncomfortable. This
motivates us to eat.
When our body is thirsty and requires water, our throats feel dry and uncomfortable. This
motivates us to drink.
When our body needs to get rid of waste, we feel physiological discomfort. This motivates us
to get rid of the waste.
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When an outside force harms our body, we feel pain. This motivates us to avoid the harmful
situation and seek safer grounds.
These physiological feelings are also accompanied by emotions, which seek to further
motivate us to survive. Love, hate, fear, courage, joy, sadness and pleasure… All of these
hard-wired physiological feelings and motivations are at least in some way tied in to the
body’s underlying motivation of survival.
The secondary motivation is replication.
Sex and romance play a central role in most people’s lives, and most would agree that this
process is ultimately present for its use as a “gene mixing” mechanism. We as humans are
driven to procreate in order to pass on our genes to our offspring. Our offspring will then
pass those genes onto their offspring, who will then pass the genes further and so on.
Various hormones and other substances present in the body such as testosterone, estrogen
and progesterone are responsible for motivating us to seek out a partner to mate with. Just
think back to your late teenage years when you were most primed for replication. It’s no
coincidence that your hormone levels were through the roof and that the motivation and
desire for a sexual partner was at its highest. If you’re a teenager right now then you
understand exactly what I’m talking about.
And it’s no coincidence that women become most sexually aroused when they are ovulating
and when the chances of successful egg fertilization are at its highest. Or what about the fact
that as we age and our chances of producing healthy offspring decline that our desires for
sex also decline with it.
Why do you think that the majority of the population ends up having children? Why would a
woman essentially risk her life in order to give birth?
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It’s because it’s hardwired into our genes to desire it. 4 million babies would not be born
each year in the United States if not for a damn good reason.
We do it to pass on our genes.
In fact, many scientists today hold the belief that it is the genes that use us to pass
themselves on and to ensure their own survival.
It is the idea that the genes are actually the ones who “run the show”, and that we are
simply there to house them. This theory is described in detail in Richard Dawkin’s
controversial book, “The Selfish Gene”. In it, Dawkins explains the idea of the “replicator”…
“Was there to be any end to the gradual improvement in the techniques and artifices used by
the replicators to ensure their own continuation in the world? There would be plenty of time
for their improvement. What weird engines of self-preservation would the millennia bring
forth? Four thousand million years on, what was to be the fate of the ancient replicators?
They did not die out, for they are the past masters of the survival arts. But do not look for
them floating loose in the sea; they gave up that cavalier freedom long ago. Now they swarm
in huge colonies, safe inside gigantic lumbering robots, sealed off from the outside world,
communicating with it by tortuous indirect routes, manipulating it by remote control. They
are in you and me; they created us, body and mind; and their preservation is the ultimate
rational for our existence. They have come a long way, those replicators. Now they go by the
name of genes, and we are their survival machines.”
For many it is quite a strange concept to grasp, but it makes sense from a biological
standpoint.
Regardless of what viewpoint you wish to take, let’s accept for now the idea that the basic
biological purpose of our existence on earth is to stay alive and healthy so that we can
reproduce and ensure the survival of our genes.
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This theory is not questioning the existence of God or the significance of human life; it simply
states that from a purely physical, biological standpoint, this is what we are mainly motivated
to do throughout our lives.
The real question that you’re probably asking yourself is: what the heck does any of this
have to do with my bodybuilding program?
On its own it means almost nothing, but as we get deeper into the text you’ll see how it all
comes together. I’m simply laying the groundwork so that you can understand where I’m
coming from throughout the book.
Your ultimate goal in life is survival.
This is the main concept to grasp. Reproduction does come into play, but as far as
understanding your thought processes and motivations behind bodybuilding, survival is the
most important aspect of the entire picture.
As humans, we do all kinds of things to ensure our survival, both obvious and below the
surface. In fact, almost every single thing that you’ve done in your life could in some way be
related to the concept of survival.
The most basic survival instincts are those that come from an immediate physical standpoint.
If you accidentally touch a hot stove, you immediately pull your hand away. If you’re hungry
or thirsty, you eat or drink. If you have an itch, you scratch it.
Physiological comfort is at the base of all human instincts. We are driven to seek physical
comfort and to avoid physical discomfort. Physical discomfort is the most immediate threat to
our survival and therefore we are always motivated to avoid it.
This is the number 1 obstacle that stands in your way as a bodybuilder.
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It is the fact that building muscle requires you to place your body under intense physical
stress, which is both physiologically uncomfortable and momentarily depletes the body of its
resources. Not only must you endure this discomfort, but you must voluntarily produce it by
battling against your body’s instincts and continuing to exert maximal effort at all times in the
gym.
In order to be successful in bodybuilding you must override your most basic, primitive and
powerful motivations of avoiding physiological pain and discomfort. Not only that, you must
do this several times per week, for months and years on end.
Here’s the thing…
Your body has no idea what your motivations are in the gym.
Your body doesn’t know that you are surrounded by barbells, dumbbells, machines and other
people who are doing the same thing as you. When you perform a set of bicep curls to
muscular failure, all that your primitive instincts know is…
Muscle tissue is being damaged and broken down.
Energy reserves are being used up.
Central nervous system is being taxed.
Joints and connective tissue are under stress.
Survival is being threatened.
As a result, the survival mechanism switch is turned on and the body says…
Pain, pain, pain.
Stop, stop, STOP!
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Your body is physically motivated to avoid the gym at all costs. The gym represents nothing
more than unnecessary stress that should be avoided.
Not only is it physically stressful, but excess muscle tissue is not biologically desirable. We
were not meant to be hauling around excess slabs of muscle all over our bodies, but rather
were meant to be lean and smaller framed. Muscle is also metabolically expensive and
requires a surplus of calories to build and maintain. The body would much rather use those
calories for other jobs.
Physiological pain is the most powerful motivator of all, and to the body, lifting barbells and
dumbbells is nothing more than pain.
If this is the case then what’s the deal with all of those bodybuilders out there training hard
week in and week out?
If they’re so motivated to avoid pain at all costs then why do they put their bodies through
these grueling workouts on such a consistent basis?
Why are so many men (and some women) walking around with thick, muscular physiques
when we weren’t meant to be built this way?
It’s because human beings are not like every other animal.
Through thousands of years of natural selection and environmental adaptations, we have
evolved to become more intelligent, more sophisticated, higher thinking beings than our
fellow inhabitants on the earth.
Although we are still driven by our most basic primal instincts to avoid physical pain, we have
developed other brain functions that allow us to rise above some of these instincts.
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The direct cause of this can be attributed to our massive cerebrums (the largest area of the
brain responsible for speech, memory, vision, personality and muscle control), although our
ability to communicate using symbolic logic systems (such as language and math) also
contributes.
We don’t know exactly why our brains developed this way, but there are many possible
theories…
1) A change in jaw structure that allowed our brains and skulls to grow.
2) Opposable thumbs that allowed for greater manipulation of tools.
3) An upright posture that allowed for more flexible tool use.
4) Dietary changes that allowed for greater brain development.
In any case, we as humans are driven by more than our basic primal instincts alone. We are
able to distinguish between what we have defined as “right and wrong” and resist some of
the basic drives that we might otherwise have gone ahead with had we not been able to
rationalize them. We seem to be able to “step outside the box” and analyze our own behavior
and motivations, and the fact that I am writing this right now is perfect evidence of this.
The Triune Brain Theory
One very popular theory to demonstrate this is Paul Mclean’s “Triune Brain Theory” that
suggests that our brain is actually 3 brains in one. He based this on the evolutionary
development of the brain and separated it into 3 sections…
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1) The Reptilian Complex.
Otherwise referred to as the “old brain”, the R-Complex (consisting of the brain stem and
cerebellum) is responsible for our most primal motivations of physical survival and
maintenance. It also orchestrates digestion, reproduction, circulation and breathing. Its
overriding characteristics are automatic, ritualistic and highly resistance to change.
2) The Limbic System.
This is the second brain to evolve and houses the primary centers of emotion. It is involved
in memory storage and comes into play during situations that arouse strong emotional
feelings such as fear, pity or anger. It serves to inhibit the R-Complex and its preference for
ritualistic ways of responding.
3) The Neocortex.
Otherwise known as the “new brain”, the neocortex was the last brain to evolve.
It makes language and writing possible and specializes in voluntary movement and
processing sensory information. It also allows us to think logically, see ahead and plan for
the future.
Given this information, one could reasonably argue that the attainment of bodybuilding
success comes down to the conflict of interest between the Reptilian Brain and the other 2
brains, mainly the Neocortex. (From now on we’ll simply refer to this as the “primal brain”
and the “higher thinking brain”.)
Our primal brain is only concerned with the most basic, short-term motivations of survival,
while the higher thinking brain can reason logically, plan ahead and understand long term
benefits.
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The primal brain motivates us to avoid the physical struggle and “survival threat” of the gym,
while the higher thinking brain understands that the gym does not truly pose a threat to our
survival and that it is actually a beneficial activity in the long run.
Why exactly is it beneficial? Why do we desire increased muscle mass and strength in the
first place?
There are a multitude of reasons, and each of us has our own unique motivations. Some of
the main reasons for the desire to develop a muscular, powerful physique are…
1) Establishing dominance and respect among our peers – Bodybuilding accomplishes
this by allowing us to appear physically dominant through increased muscle size and
also through functional strength. This naturally gains us respect and envy from others
and establishes physical dominance.
2) Attracting the opposite sex – The attraction to larger, more defined muscles could be
considered a natural instinct. Most females are naturally attracted to men who appear
strong and physically dominant as this increases their chances of survival as well as
the survival of their offspring.
3) Improving our skills in athletic competition – A stronger, more muscular physique is
obviously highly beneficial in certain athletic competitions, especially those requiring
intense physical exertion such as football, hockey or rugby.
4) Improving our overall health – Exercise resulting in increased muscle mass has
obvious positive implications for long-term health and well-being.
5) Increasing self-confidence and self-respect – Because of the above listed reasons,
bodybuilding increases ones confidence and makes them feel better about themselves
on a daily basis.
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Sounds like a pretty good list of reasons, huh?
Here’s the interesting thing that you must take away from this…
We established earlier that the biological purpose of life is to survive and to replicate, and
that our primal drives motivate us to avoid the gym since intense weight training is perceived
as a threat to our survival.
The truth is that our primal drives have it all wrong in this situation.
Our primal drives are outdated.
They are motivating us to avoid an activity that actually improves our chances of survival and
replication. Our higher thinking brain understands this, and that’s why we become motivated
to enter the gym and to train hard in the first place. But those primal drives are always
lurking in the background, telling us to stop, telling us to stay home and avoid the gym.
The primal brain sees weight training as a threat while the higher thinking brain sees weight
training as having great long-term benefits.
In other words, bodybuilding success is nothing more than a battle between our outdated
primal drives that motivate us to seek physical comfort and our higher thinking brain that
knows the rewards of intense weight training are a positive thing.
Simply put, those who are able to use their higher thinking brains to override the short-term
desires of the primal thinking brain will succeed in bodybuilding. Those who cannot override
the primal desires for comfort and pain avoidance will fail.
Think about those muscle-building benefits again…
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Dominance over peers.
Respect from peers.
Increased attraction to the opposite sex.
Increased overall body health.
Increased confidence and well-being.
Increased strength for physical competition.
Every single one of these has a direct, dramatic effect on our chances of surviving and
replicating, and our primal brains are motivating us to avoid the very activity that will
accomplish all of these incredible things.
Because of this, we are faced with a constant inner conflict. If you’ve already been weight
training for some time, then you understand exactly what I’m talking about.
You know that feeling that you get on days where you don’t want to train? Or the feeling
that you get as you stare at a heavy, loaded bar that you’ll be forced to place on your back
and squat with?
That feeling is the inner struggle between the primal brain and the higher thinking brain. The
primal brain wants you to avoid the gym and the physical struggle that will inevitably arise,
and the higher thinking brain knows that although there will be a momentary struggle, the
positive long term benefits outweigh it.
If our bodies were perfectly fine tuned, which obviously they are not, then training with
weights might actually be physically pleasurable.
As long as our bodies knew that weight training was not a true threat and that it would
increase our chances of survival and replication, it would be something that we would seek
out and crave.
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But evolution lags, our drives and instincts are outdated, and because of this the gym is
perceived as nothing more than a physical threat and therefore we feel pain as a result of it.
The truth is that we’ll never be able to fully rise above our hard-wired, primal instincts.
They’re simply too powerful and can never be pushed aside.
The happily married man knows that cheating on his wife is a terrible long term idea, but his
primal drives for sex and reproduction may still force him to give in.
The high school student knows that cheating on his test could bring harsh consequences, but
his primal drives for success and recognition may still force him to give in.
The angry friend knows that engaging in a physical fight with another friend is not going to
solve the conflict, but his primal drives to defend himself may still force him to give in.
We can never truly rise above these instincts. All we can do is acknowledge their existence
within us and use the discipline of our higher thinking brains to tame them as best we
possibly can.
This is often far more difficult than we think, especially when it relates to high intensity
training and dedication to a proper nutritional plan. Our primal brains are constantly trying to
throw us off the path thinking that this is what’s best for us.
When we aren’t hungry, our primal brains tell us not to eat. When we’re getting ready to
enter the gym, our primal brains tell us that this is not a good idea. And since physiological
comfort is the most powerful motivator of all, this can be extremely difficult to override at
times.
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Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs
In 1943, Abraham Maslow proposed a psychological theory of human motivation that is still
widely regarded today. It is known as “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” and is based around the
idea that as humans meet their basic needs, they seek to satisfy successively higher needs
that are placed in a hierarchy.
The main idea here is that the higher needs on the hierarchy only come into focus once the
most basic, lower needs are satisfied.
And just take a look at what the most basic, most important human needs are: Physiological.
This is your need to eat, drink, breathe, sleep, dispose of bodily wastes and to seek physical
comfort. When you are physically uncomfortable (such as that incredibly intense, stomach
turning discomfort that you feel in the middle of a heavy set of deadlifts), your body turns all
of its motivations on getting rid of that pain, and this is where the true test comes in.
When you’re in the middle of that set, not only must you use the power of your higher
thinking brain to battle through the discomfort and pain, but you must also dig even deeper
in order to continually push harder and harder until muscular failure is reached. This is no
easy task, and this is why so few people can execute it effectively.
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When looking at the hierarchy you’ll see that the 3 needs of love/belonging (friendships,
sexual intimacy, families), status (self esteem, respect from others) and actualization (self
fulfillment) are all placed as having a lower priority than physiological comfort and safety.
In other words, the rewards that you’ll obtain as a result of your bodybuilding efforts are
considered by your body to be less important than the most basic physiological and safety
needs. This is yet another example of why bodybuilding is such a difficult process to carry
out over an extended period of time. You are forced to constantly battle against the most
basic forces of your body by using the power of your higher thinking brain.
You must your higher thinking brain to understand that your primal drives in relation to
bodybuilding are outdated and flawed. Your primal drives seek to avoid pain, yet they fail to
understand that the long term benefits of building muscle mass and strength far outweigh
the momentary physical setbacks that are necessary to get there.
What you need to realize is this…
You are already in a state of pain.
I’m talking about the emotional pain of being unhappy with your body. You wouldn’t be
reading this book right now if you didn’t feel some level of pain in regards to your
dissatisfaction with your physique. That emotional pain has driven and motivated your higher
thinking brain to desire a stronger, more muscular body by executing the short,
physiologically uncomfortable battles that it will take to get there. Yet your primal brain seeks
only to avoid those short battles and tries to stop you from performing them.
Can you see the incredible conflict of interest here?
Here’s the key concept here…
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Your primal drives seek to avoid pain, yet in the long run the gym is the true
answer to pain avoidance.
Your primal brain fails to realize that you are already in a state of pain, and that although the
gym does represent a momentary physical struggle, the net effect is positive.
The emotional happiness that results from bodybuilding success far outweighs the
physiological discomfort that it takes to get there.
This can be represented in the following…
Momentary physical pain in the gym +
Constant emotional pleasure of achieving a muscular body
> IS GREATER THAN >
Momentary physiological comfort of never entering the gym +
Constant emotional dissatisfaction with your body
This may look a bit “out there”, but if you really think about it, it makes perfect sense.
You’ll be far happier in the long run by enduring short, consistent bouts of physical strain in
the gym followed by the rewards of those battles rather than constantly living in physical
comfort but also feeling the emotional pain and dissatisfaction of being unhappy with your
body.
The net effect of bodybuilding is positive.
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And even though everyone knows this to be true, very few actually stick to it over the long
run. The simple fact is that most people give in to their primitive drives for physical comfort
and simply can’t muster the courage to rise above and conquer them.
Most people live lives of mediocrity. They simply can’t dig deep enough to blast through the
obstacles needed to achieve great things. They recognize the long-term benefits, they know
that the hard work will pay off, but those basic drives for comfort and laziness rule them.
Most people can’t battle through that wall needed to achieve true pleasure and happiness.
They’re constantly stuck in the zone of either living a mediocre life or a life of dissatisfaction.
They may be comfortable physically since they never end up putting in any hard work in the
gym, but the constant emotional feeling of mediocrity/dissatisfaction outweighs that physical
comfort and results in overall unhappiness.
Those who can battle through that wall of hard work, physical pain and discomfort live lives
of achievement, happiness and satisfaction. Although they must endure short bouts of
intense physical strain, the happiness that results from constant satisfaction with their bodies
far outweighs it.
What zone will you choose to live in?
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Will you rise up, conquer and claim your place among the elite? Or will you back down in the
face of a struggle, and live your entire life in the zone of mediocrity and dissatisfaction?
What will rule you, your primitive drives for comfort and laziness, or your higher thinking,
sophisticated drives to be the best that you can possibly be?
Are you ready to step up and make a change? Are you ready to put all of your fears and
inhibitions aside and finally blast your way into the muscular, rock-solid body that you desire?
You must understand that it is your mindset that will determine your success.
With a weak and unconditioned mindset, you will fail, plain and simple. If you do not have
the mental strength and wherewithal to work hard, stay committed and persevere in all
situations, failure is guaranteed.
However, if you can learn how to use your mind power to your advantage and tap deeply
into this all-too valuable resource, you will achieve things you never thought possible. You
will go places that you never dreamed you could go to. You will experience feelings you
never thought existed.
Sound too good to be true? Believe it.
History has surely shown that the human mind is without a doubt the most powerful tool on
this planet. Just as one conditions the body by exercising, one must also condition the mind.
We’ll now dive into the “application” section of this e-book (which is by far the most
important) as I’ll provide you with real-world techniques that you can apply to strengthen
your mind and ensure long-term bodybuilding success.
Let’s get started.
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Application
In his famous wealth-building book, “Think and Grow Rich”, author Napolean Hill tells his
readers to repeat out loud the following statement…
“Within my mind lies all of the tools needed to accomplish anything in the external world”.
I want you to apply this same way of thinking towards your bodybuilding program. Before
you even set foot in the gym, before you touch a barbell or dumbbell, before you carry out a
single muscle-building task, you must realize the power of your own mind and truly believe in
your ability to succeed.
You see, we’re all born with the ability to accomplish great things. All of the tools needed to
achieve our goals in life are already present within us. The world is full of people with
unrealized potential, and most go through life never knowing just how powerful and truly
capable they are of achieving great things. They simply don’t know how to tap in and
harness the power of their minds to get what they want in life. They have the ability to
accomplish incredible things but they don’t even know it.
Always remember that.
You already posses all of the tools that you need in order to achieve bodybuilding
success.
It’s already there, lying dormant in your mind, just waiting to be used. You do not need to
create anything new within your mind, you must simply learn how to harness the power that
is already there. You are capable of much more than you know, and your bodybuilding
success relies on your ability to realize this and to put your brainpower to use.
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This is the very first step toward achieving the muscular body you desire.
The very first step is for you to acknowledge that you can achieve this. The very first step is
for you to know that you can achieve this. The very first step is for you to get in front of a
mirror, look yourself deeply in the eyes and know that behind those eyes, in that small, dark
place sealed off from the outside world lies everything you could ever need to achieve any
goal you set for yourself.
Not until you truly believe in yourself and in your ability to succeed with every fiber in your
entire being can you begin carrying out your program.
Visualization
Here is what I want you to do…
1) Clearly define exactly what you want to achieve.
What is it that you want to achieve? What are your ultimate goals? You're reading this book
for a reason. You opened your Internet browser, found my website, read through it and
decided that it was worth your time and money.
Okay, great, but why was it worth your time and money? What was your reason for buying
it?
Don't say, "I want to build more muscle", or "I want to increase my bench press." If this is a
goal of yours, fine, but what exactly do you want to achieve?
I may be asking a lot of questions here, but it's extremely important for you to find the
answers. A vague image of your goals simply isn't enough; you must have a clear, welldefined image in mind if you truly want to be successful.
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If you wanted to build a house, you wouldn't go about it by grabbing some wood and nails
and trying to haphazardly piece them together.
Instead, you would make a blueprint and clearly define exactly what it was that you wanted
to build. And so it must be the same for your muscle-building journey.
So…
Close your eyes. Eliminate any distractions around you. Relax, and breathe deeply. I want
you to visualize the body that you ultimately want to achieve. I'm not talking about a vague,
fuzzy picture of a body that would "be nice to have." I'm talking about a well-defined, crystal
clear depiction of the exact physique that you are going to build.
Look at your new body from the third person perspective, that is, from someone else's point
of view. Imagine your new physique from the front, and then slowly rotate it in your mind so
that you can see it from every angle.
You must focus on details here. You must see everything exactly how you want it to look
from your chest to your shoulders to your back to your legs.
Lock that image in your brain and focus intensely on it.
Now in one quick, explosive movement, transport yourself into that body. You are now
experiencing your new physique from the first person, looking through its eyes. Look down at
your muscles and see them as if they are yours.
Feel them. Flex them. Experience them.
Imagine that you're looking in the mirror and seeing a reflection of this new body. Try to
make this visualization process feel as real as possible. Experience this reality in your mind as
if it were actually happening. Imagine the sounds, smells and textures that are around you.
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2) Clearly define the purpose as to why you are trying to achieve that body.
Okay, so you've now made a clear mental picture of the body that you want to achieve.
Great! This is very important, because without a clear image of your ultimate goal, you won't
have anything specific to work towards. Well, now you do.
But (and this is a big but) why do you want to achieve that body?
You see, an impressive physique is ultimately a material possession. As human beings, we
strive to acquire material possessions because they make us feel a certain way.
Muscles are just muscles.
But why do you want muscles? What will they do for you? How will they make you feel?
Why do you buy a new car, take a trip to Hawaii or go to a restaurant and order a New York
steak? It's because it makes you feel good. All of these things make you feel good for
different reasons. Maybe you buy a new car because it makes traveling to and from work a
more luxurious experience. A trip to Hawaii provides relaxation by allowing you to lie on the
beach, listen to the ocean and feel the sand between your toes. Ordering a New York steak is
physically pleasuring because it tastes good.
So what do muscles do you for you? Why do you want them?
Think deeply about this and examine your ultimate purpose. You want to develop an
impressive physique for a reason. What is that reason? Analyze this reason and be honest
with yourself.
Maybe you want more attention from the opposite sex. Maybe you enjoy the idea of being
physically dominant among your peers. It could be that you want to feel healthier or become
more skilled at a sport. Or maybe you just want to get noticed, period. Maybe it's a
combination of a few, many, or all of these.
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Whatever it is, define it.
We don't train merely to build muscles. We train to build feelings. Muscles evoke these
feelings, and that's why we want them.
Okay, back to visualization again.
Close your eyes.
I want you to put yourself back into the body that you created earlier. Take a moment to
readjust yourself to this new body and to really feel it as if it were your own. Again, try to
make this experience as realistic as you possibly can.
This time, instead of merely visualizing the new body that you've created, I want you to also
focus on the feelings that are associated with that body.
Because you haven't actually physically succeeded yet, it's impossible for you to truly know
exactly how it will feel when you do. However, as I said earlier, we want muscles because we
know they will make us feel a certain way. Although you haven't felt success in the real world
yet, somewhere in the back of your mind is a prediction of what that success will feel like.
That's why you are trying to transform your body in the first place; to reach that mental
prediction.
Find that feeling. Search it out, and pull it from your brain.
Now feel that feeling.
Focus intensely not only on your new body, but on how it feels to have that new body.
Soak it up. Magnify it. Let the feeling consume you.
Create scenarios in your mind of what life will be like once you achieve this new physique. If
your goal is to gain more attention from the opposite sex, imagine it happening.
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For example, maybe you're at the beach and you notice that women are eyeing you out
whenever you walk by. Or maybe a female friend compliments you on how huge your arms
are. Transport yourself to these situations and experience them. Focus on the benefits of
your new body. After all, the benefits are what you are out to capture, not merely the body
itself.
Now, hold that thought!
3) Verbalize It.
Keep your eyes closed. Continue to visualize your new body and the feelings that are
associated with it. Focus very hard on it.
Now I want you to take all of those positive thoughts and feelings you are experiencing, and
verbalize them. You may find this embarrassing to do, but this is one of the most important
parts of the entire process.
I want you to say out loud everything that you are experiencing. Make sure to say it as if it
has already come true.
Don't just say it, believe it.
It might sound something like this…
"My body is thick, muscular, defined and strong. I have massive shoulders, a thick, chiseled
chest, gigantic, vascular arms and a ripped, 6-pack stomach. My legs are like tree trunks;
wide and powerful, and my calves protrude like footballs. I feel strong, powerful and
confident. I'm going to walk up to every person who ever poked fun at me for my size and
watch the disbelief on their faces. I'm enjoying comments from friends and family who have
noticed the impressive results I've achieved. I can talk to girls with full confidence because I
know that they think I look good. My life has completely changed for the better."
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By clearly visualizing your goals, experiencing the feelings of reaching them, and then
verbalizing them with concrete words, you will literally create a surge of emotion-producing
chemicals within your body. This surge will help to physically reaffirm your goals and will
always remind you of why you are putting in the work that you'll be putting in.
You should repeat this process at least once a day (or as often as you'd like) so that you
never lose sight of you what you are trying to accomplish, and so that you always keep your
mind on the right track.
If you simply brush this procedure off and believe that it won't help you, you are sadly
mistaken. You cannot embark on a journey that has no clear destination.
So create that destination.
But more than simply creating that destination, you must truly believe that you will get there.
You must have faith in yourself, in your inner-strength and in your ability. If you do not truly
believe with every fiber of your being that these goals you have envisioned can and will be
attained, then you aren't ready to try and reach them.
Above and beyond simply believing is knowing.
You must let go of all doubts, inhibitions and fears and simply say to yourself, "I know I can
do this."
And the truth is that you really, really can.
The only thing that could possibly stop you is you yourself. As I talked about earlier, every
thing we see, touch, taste, feel, hear and decide for or against, it all comes from within the
mind. Therefore, attaining an impressive physique is an inner battle. It is a battle that is
fought against yourself, because you are the only one who can prevent these goals from
becoming a reality. And as you already know, reality takes place in the mind.
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When you performed your visualization exercises, you transported yourself to the place that
you ultimately want to reach. You were able to clearly see your new body and feel what is
was like to be a part of it.
So if you could see it, and feel it, and touch it, and experience it, who says that you cannot
make this a real-world reality?
Remember, all of the tools that you need to achieve your goals are already present within
you.
You can make this a reality as long as you believe it. Limits are man-made.
Who can prove that limits are real?
If you don't believe in limits, then maybe they don't really exist. Let go of your limits, and
hold on to the belief that you can achieve anything you want. And if you really, truly and fully
believe this, anything is possible.
Write down your blueprint for success.
The next thing for you to do is to clearly define the steps that it will take to get there. Just as
an architect designs a blueprint of what he wants to create, you must also make a concrete
copy of all of necessary steps you must follow in order to achieve the body you desire.
You know exactly where it is that you want to go, and now you must construct a bridge that
will connect you from where you stand now to where you want to be in the future.
Just as you made a clear, concrete image in your mind of the body that you want to achieve,
I also want you to make a clear, concrete plan of the steps that it will take to get there.
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First, I want you to sit down with a pen and a piece of paper and at the top of the page,
write down your goals. Just as you visualized what you wanted to achieve and why you
wanted to achieve it, you must also write all of these thoughts down on paper.
Be specific with your goals. Just as you were specific with the mental image that you created
in your head, you should also be specific with your words.
What exactly do you want to achieve? How much weight would you ultimately like to gain?
What kind of measurements do you want to achieve for your major muscle groups? What
sort of strength gains do you hope to achieve? And in what sort of time frame do you want
to achieve all of this?
It’s also important that you write down goals that can be concretely measured. Obviously it’s
extremely valuable to be able to look in the mirror and see the changes taking place, but this
doesn’t provide a set-in-stone way of tracking your progress.
This is why you should set goals that can be objectively measured, such as your body part
measurements and overall body weight. Before and after pictures are also extremely useful
and I would highly recommend taking some “before” shots prior to getting started so that
you can directly compare your appearance over time.
It’s best to set both short-term and long-term goals. When most people set out on their
muscle-building journey, they only think about the big picture. This is completely natural, and
I do think that setting your eyes on the biggest prize is an important thing to do. After all, big
goals are what will motivate you the most in the gym. Big goals are what you ultimately
strive for, and are the main reason why you began in the first place.
However, it’s also important to set short-term goals that will ultimately lead to your long-term
goals so that you can take things one step at a time and not become overwhelmed.
So, you’ll need to set goals for the following time periods…
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1) Your ultimate goal. (The long term body that you would like to achieve)
2) 1 year goal (The results you want to achieve after 1 year)
3) 3 month goal (The results you want to achieve after 3 months)
It’s important to aim high, but also remember to set realistic goals that you truly believe you
can reach. There is no set-in-stone way to say what a realistic goal is, since everyone’s rate
of progress will differ due to a multitude of factors such as your work ethic and your
genetics. Some people simply have a harder time building muscle mass due to genetic
factors beyond their control.
Also remember that there is a big difference between gaining lean muscle mass and simply
gaining weight. As you progress along your muscle-building journey there are 4 main types
of bodyweight that you’ll gain…
1) Lean muscle mass
2) Body fat
3) Water
4) Glycogen (carbohydrates stored in the muscle)
As far as pure, lean muscle mass is concerned, a gain of around 10-15 pounds over a one
year period is realistic. By the end of that year you may be as much as 30-40 pounds
heavier, but the extra weight can be accounted for from the other 3 bodyweight factors. This
is completely fine and totally natural, and both glycogen and water will enhance the
appearance of your physique in terms of overall size and fullness.
So when setting your goals make sure to be specific about exactly what it is that you’re
aiming for.
Next up is to write down exactly why you want to achieve those goals. Just as you visualized
the benefits associated with your brand new physique, you should write all of these benefits
down on paper as well. Create a list of as many things as you can possibly think of.
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Why exactly do you want to achieve this new body?
Remember, it’s not enough to simply say, “I want bigger biceps” or “I want a thicker chest”.
You need to write down the benefits associated with building bigger biceps or a thicker chest.
Maybe you want to build confidence. Maybe you want to attract the opposite sex. Maybe you
want to feel dominant among your peers. Whatever your reasons are, make a list and write
down as many benefits as you possibly can.
Okay, so you’ve written down your ultimate goal, your 1-year goal, your 3-month goal as well
as all of the reasons why you want to achieve these goals. There’s actually one more set of
goals that you’ll need to outline, and those are your daily goals.
In other words, this is a list of small, individual daily tasks that will allow you to reach your 3month goal, 1-year goal, ultimate goal and, overall, the benefits associated with that new
body.
So below your goals and desires, I want you to make a numbered list of all of the main
things you must accomplish on a day-to-day basis in order to achieve it.
You see, achieving an impressive physique is all about baby steps. As you're already aware,
transforming your body does not happen overnight. It requires hard work, patience and
discipline. Achieving your goals comes from the cumulative effect of small steps. It is about
taking a set of individual principles and consistently applying them, week in and week out.
There is nothing more to it than that.
By writing down all of these individual steps, you will always be able to hold yourself
accountable if you fail to accomplish them. This is an extremely powerful tool. You don't have
to get carried away and write down all the nitty-gritty details of every single thing you're
going to do during every waking minute of the day, but rather construct a small list of the
most basic and important tasks that must be accomplished.
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Some of the points might say things like…
1) I will take every set that I perform in the gym to true concentric muscular failure.
2) I will track my workouts in detail and review them on a daily basis.
3) I will eat 5-7 small meals every day, spaced 2-3 hours apart.
4) I will consume 15-20x my bodyweight in calories everyday.
5) I will get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
Etc etc.
Create as many points as you want, and then sign the bottom. You should review this list
everyday.
Okay, so here’s what we’ve done so far…
1) You have acknowledged and understood that you are completely and totally capable of
achieving the body that you desire. You now realize that reaching your goal of a stronger,
more muscular physique is merely a matter of whether or not you WILL do it, and not
whether or not you CAN do it.
2) You have created a clear mental image of the body that you wish to build. You have used
your mind to transport yourself into that body and to experience all of the wonderful feelings
associated with it. You now know exactly why you want to achieve that body by outlining the
concrete reasons.
3) You have written down your blueprint for success. On a piece of paper you wrote down
exactly what you want to achieve, why you want to achieve it, and a list of the small steps
that it will take to get there. You signed the bottom of this page and agree to review it on a
daily basis.
So…
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You know exactly what you want to do.
You know exactly why you want to do it.
You know that you are completely and totally capable of doing it.
You know what you need to do to get there.
What’s left for you to do?
The only thing left for you to do is, quite simply, to do it.
You’ve done the research, you’ve laid out your plan of attack, you know what you have to do
and why you need to do it….
So go and do it!
There is only one thing that separates you from that powerful, dominant physique that you
desire, and that is taking the leap of faith.
The Leap Of Faith
I remember when I took my leap of faith. Even after all of these years of hard training in the
gym and dedication to my eating plan, after all of the ups and downs, setbacks and
triumphs, successes and failures, I can still narrow my entire bodybuilding journey down to
one specific, precise moment in time where my life changed forever.
I remember it vividly. I remember staring at myself in the mirror, ashamed and embarrassed
of my skinny, underweight body, just wishing that my reflection would magically change.
I had wanted to change for so many years but hadn’t had mustered up the courage or
willpower to take any real course of action. I remember feeling depressed and sorry for
myself and knowing that if there was anything in my life that I wanted to change, it was my
body.
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And in that very moment, as I stared at my reflection in the mirror, something in my head
just sort of snapped. My desire for a bigger, stronger body overcame me, and I realized that
living this way was no longer an option. I realized that the only thing stopping me from
getting to where I wanted to be was me myself.
If I wanted to change my body, I could.
I realized that I was perfectly capable, and that this was something that simply had to be
done.
In that very moment, I took the leap of faith.
It was as if the stars had perfectly aligned. I simply looked at myself in the mirror, and with
full confidence and conviction I said to myself…
“I am going to do this”
I didn’t say, “I am going to give this a try” or “I am going to attempt to change” or “I am
going to start working out and eating properly”.
No, no. Forget about all of that. Regardless of what I would have to do to get there or what
would stand in my way or even how long it would take, I simply looked at myself in the
mirror and said…
“I am going to do this”.
That’s the leap of faith.
The leap of faith isn’t about trying or attempting or “giving it a go”. The leap of faith is about
making the conscious decision to change at all costs.
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The leap of faith is a decision of certainty. The leap of faith is when you put all of your
doubts, fears, inhibitions, questions and uncertainties aside, when you take a goal, and when
you say…
“I am going to do this”.
THAT is when things start to happen. That is when goals become realities. That is when lives
change and great things are accomplished.
If you’re serious about making a change and developing the rock-solid, muscular, powerful
body that you want so badly, take the leap of faith.
There is no gray area here. This is a matter of black and white. Either you do, or you don’t.
There is no middle ground or “in between” area. You can’t “sort of” succeed.
Either you succeed, or you fail.
Take the leap of faith, make the plunge towards complete and total success. Leave yourself
no other option. Say to yourself…
“I am going to do this.”
Make your bodybuilding journey nothing more than a matter of WHEN.
Only when you take the leap of faith will be able to truly transform your physique.
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A Critical Bodybuilding Truth: No Journey Is Perfect!
Taking the leap of faith is all about making the conscious decision to change at all costs, but
at the same time it’s about acknowledging the hard work that lies ahead. It’s about
understanding that the journey will be difficult, filled with ups and downs, and that you’re
willing to battle through this to get the body that you desire.
You see, I’m a perfectionist.
When I want something done, I want it done right. I want to pour all of my focused effort
into it until it’s perfect and without flaws.
When something goes wrong, I get frustrated. I’ll still be willing to work hard at it, but when
things don’t go exactly as planned it can drive me crazy.
After years and years of serious and consistent training in the gym, I’ve realized that this way
of thinking can be disastrous for a natural bodybuilder.
If you’re serious about achieving a strong, muscular physique, leave your perfectionist
attitude at the door. Perfectionism does not exist in bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is not a
project that you work hard on for a set amount of time, finish, and then sit back and admire.
Bodybuilding is an ongoing, lifelong process filled with ups and downs, triumphs and
setbacks, peaks and recessions. You’re never finished working. There is no true point B. It
takes hard, focused effort to build muscle, and it takes hard, focused effort to maintain it.
Hard work in the gym and dedication to your eating plan is a continual price you must pay in
exchange for the dream body you want to build or maintain.
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So if you’re getting ready to begin a bodybuilding program and are ready to take your leap of
faith, you must first sit back and make some realizations about your awaiting journey.
You must realize that no journey is perfect.
If you’re expecting to eat and train consistently without any problems or setbacks, you’re in
for a huge disappointment. Those who expect perfection from their programs are doomed for
frustration, because a perfect program does not exist.
This is one of the fine lines that separates the champions from the wannabes; the line that
separates those who experience long term success from those who die and fall off along the
way. You must treat your setbacks as an inevitable part of the entire muscle-building
process.
Sometimes you’ll be at your peak and will be marching your way to new grounds of success,
and other times your progress will be receding and moving backwards because of various
factors, many of which will be beyond your control.
All kinds of bumps in the road will present themselves along the way…
There will be times when you catch a cold or flu and lose 10 pounds.
There will be times when you go on vacation and have limited access to a gym or to proper
bodybuilding foods.
There will be times where you are struck down with an injury and will have to take time
away from the gym.
There will be times where you skip meals.
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There will be times where you skip workouts.
There will be times when you give in to temptations that will harm your bodybuilding
progress.
There will be times when your motivation dips down and you’ll question your entire purpose
and whether or not the whole bodybuilding thing is even worth it.
This is the reality of it all, and as a serious natural bodybuilder for many years I can say with
certainty that all of the above scenarios have presented themselves to me on many, many
occasions.
The difference between a successful bodybuilder and an unsuccessful one is in the way that
they handle adversity.
Both your progress and motivation will rise and fall along the way, but will you make a stand
and accept these swings for what they are, and continue training hard despite them? Or will
you piss and pout and toss in the towel when things don’t go your way?
You must accept that no journey is perfect. You are a human being, and you will make
blunders along the way.
Whether or not you choose to accept and implement this way of thinking will make the
difference between long term success and failure.
Successful lifters get thrown into holes and dig themselves out. Unsuccessful lifters get
discouraged and remain buried.
After years and years of training, I’ve seen more people come and go in the gym than I could
possibly begin to count. But despite this, I’m still here. Will you be?
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Harnessing The Power of The Mind In The Gym
We’re now going to switch gears for a little bit and discuss some specific mental strategies
that you can use during your actual workouts.
As you already know from reading through all of my other material, one of the most
important factors that determines how much muscle you can build is the amount of effort
you are willing to exert in the gym. In order to achieve maximum muscle and strength gains,
you must be willing to take every set that you perform to the point of muscular failure. In
doing this you will trigger the greatest adaptive response from your body and, as a result,
will build the maximum amount of lean muscle mass and strength that you are capable of.
The reality of it all is that training to failure is hard.
What makes it so hard? Well, plain and simple, it is highly uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, the society we live in today has brainwashed us to avoid discomfort at all
costs. Humans have become lazier, fatter and more out of shape than ever. We are
constantly being flooded with advertisements for products that make our lives easier.
Believe it or not, human beings weren't always as lazy as they are today. Once upon a time,
before there were streetlights and skyscrapers, we roamed with the animal kingdom in a
manner far different than we do now. We couldn't hop into the car and cruise down to the
local 7-11 for a big gulp slurpee and Doritos. We were hunters and gatherers who relied on
speed, strength and endurance to fill our stomachs with the nutrients we required for
survival.
It is a far different world today, as our increased intelligence has allowed us to construct
machines and tools to accomplish the jobs we were once required to do. We no longer have
to hunt or focus our effort on avoiding potential predators as we have constructed a world in
which these things are simply unnecessary.
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But remember, you are an organism, a creature, an animal, and the natural killer instinct and
will to survive still remains buried within your subconscious mind. Although your everyday life
has been conditioned to ignore these instincts, they still remain dormant, waiting to be used.
The key is to tap into this valuable resource and utilize it in your attack against the weights. I
want you to think about this every time you enter the gym and milk these warrior-like
instincts for all they are worth. And believe me, they are worth a lot.
I mean, what is pain?
Pain is simply a natural alarm system used to ensure your well-being. Pain is put in place in
order to stop us from doing things that could be potentially threatening to our survival. Last
time I checked we weren't going to the gym in an attempt to kill ourselves.
As human beings, we are able to rise above and analyze our biology, and pain is no different.
It's an alarm system. That's all.
Since you know that weight training is beneficial to you rather than harmful, you must simply
do your best to ignore the pain and treat it as a part of the muscle-building process.
Although your body will be screaming "stop!" you must allow your mind to override this and
dominate every situation.
Pain is a temporary feeling that will reap rewards far greater than the simple discomfort it
causes. Every time you set foot in the gym you are taking your body to battle. When the
battle is over, the pain will disappear, and you will be left with a feeling of satisfaction and
fulfillment, for you will know that you are one step closer to achieving the muscle mass you
desire. You should not be going to the gym to "get it over with." You should be going to the
gym to embrace the battle and thrive on the feeling of torn muscle fiber, gritting teeth and
the explosive force of will associated with hard training.
It is crucial that you never lose sight of your purpose in the gym.
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What is your purpose? To build muscle.
How do you build muscle? By breaking down the fibers.
Think about this as you perform every rep of every exercise. Visualize what is happening
inside of your body. Envision the tearing of raw muscle fiber as they are engorged with blood
and nutrients. Embrace the feeling of lactic acid being secreted throughout your body.
Typically these feelings are very physically discomforting, but they don't have to be. After all,
pain is what we are after, since we know that pain equals growth. And if pain equals growth,
and growth is our ultimate goal, then pain no longer becomes a feeling to fear, but rather a
feeling to embrace, to want, to achieve.
If you can truly understand and implement this way of thinking into your workouts, then pain
becomes nothing short of pleasure. You are capable of a lot more than you know. I really
want that thought to sink in…
You are capable of a lot of more than you know.
How can we explain situations where young mothers have lifted up cars in order to save their
children from underneath? It shows us that physical limits are not imposed upon is, we
simply create them.
Let go of your limits. They do not truly exist unless you believe in them.
Before every single set, you must focus and channel all of your concentration on the task at
hand. You’ll need to block out all of the distractions around you. Forget about the other
members in the gym, the sounds, smells, or other noises.
Take a moment to think deeply about what you’ll need to do in order to execute an effective
set.
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Come to terms with the fact that you’ll need to exert an all-out effort, and that you may only
stop the set when you cannot complete another repetition with proper form despite your best
efforts.
You should know exactly how much weight you used in the previous week and how many
reps you performed with that weight. Your goal this week is to improve upon those numbers
slightly in order to force your body to adapt further. If you fail to improve upon last week’s
numbers, your muscle gains will remain stagnant.
Here is a list of some mental techniques that you can utilize before and during your sets to
pump up your intensity and prepare your mind before your muscle-building sets. They may
seem kind of silly, but some of them are actually quite effective. Give them a try and see if
they help. Remember, the mind is a powerful tool, and you must use it to your advantage...
Magnetic Force - Pretend that the weights you are using are powerful magnets that are
being attracted in the opposite direction. If you're performing a bench press, imagine that
the bar is a magnet being attracted to the ceiling.
Pretend It's Not Your Pain - Training to failure is physically discomforting. While you are
approaching muscular failure, pretend that the pain you are experiencing is also being felt by
someone that you dislike. The harder you push, the more pain you will transfer to them. It
may seem like a cold-blooded technique, but it works.
Self-Rewards - Imagine that if you successfully complete your set, you will be rewarded
with something extremely valuable. You can think of anything: money, a new car, a hot date
or a vacation.
Negative Thoughts - Although it's important to always think positively of yourself,
sometimes you can use the opposite technique to your advantage. While you are in the
middle of your set, say something negative to yourself (i.e. "you're so damn skinny!") and
then try to prove yourself wrong.
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Positive Thoughts - You can also do the opposite of the previous technique. In the middle
of your set, say something like, "I'm so f****** strong and powerful!" in order to give
yourself a jolt of confidence and grind out that last rep.
Life-Threatening Situations - In the middle of your set, transport yourself to a life-ordeath situation where your life or someone else's life depends on your ability to move the
weight. For example, when performing chin-ups you could pretend that you are hanging from
a cliff, or while deadlifting you could imagine that you are rescuing someone who is trapped
underneath a car.
Ghost Spotter - Imagine that there's someone helping you move the weight. Focus on the
fact that you are using their strength as well as yours.
Envision Your Muscles - Remember that your purpose in the gym is to break down your
muscle fibers. In doing this, you will trigger an adaptive response from your body. While
performing your sets, visualize what is happening inside your muscle tissue. Imagine the
fibers tearing and being engorged with blood and nutrients.
Set Ridiculous Goals - If you need to perform 7 reps on a given set, imagine that your
goal is to perform 100. Don't just tell yourself this, believe it. As you begin to perform your
set, truly convince yourself that you will perform 100 reps.
Close Your Eyes - This should only be applied on certain exercises that are very simple to
perform. You definitely wouldn't want to employ this technique when squatting or deadlifting.
On other, simpler exercises, try closing your eyes. This will block out all of your visual stimuli
and will allow you to focus 100% on performing the exercise.
Steal Energy - Before you perform a set, look at someone else in the gym. Focus intensely
on them (being careful not to freak them out!) and imagine that you are pulling energy from
their body and adding it to your own. When you perform your set, pretend that you are using
that other person's energy in addition to yours.
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Have Someone Watch You - I'm not talking about using a spotter here, I'm simply talking
about having a friend or training partner watch you perform your set. We usually tend to
push ourselves harder when we know that someone is watching.
Music - Listening to music while you workout can provide a definite boost of motivation. Not
everyone listens to music when they train, but most people find it quite helpful.
Positive/Negative Force - For pushing exercises, imagine that you are moving something
negative away from yourself. You can associate anything with this: someone you don't like, a
negative emotion or something material. For pulling exercises, imagine that you are bringing
something positive towards yourself. It could be money, someone you love or a positive
feeling.
Fake Spotter Assistance - Have a spotter place their hands on the weight without adding
any extra help. While you perform your set, try to convince yourself that they are actually
helping you move the weight.
Remember, the human mind is a powerful tool. If you can learn to condition your mind
during your workouts and utilize some of these techniques to your advantage, you'd be
surprised at what you can achieve.
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Conditioning The Subconscious Mind
“The strangest secret in the world is that you become what you think about”
-
Earl Nightinggale
We’re now going to discuss a technique that will allow you to reframe your typical ways of
thinking and condition your mind for success.
There are two main levels of thinking; that which occurs on a conscious level and that which
occurs on a subconscious level.
The conscious level of thinking is that which you are directly aware of and have been
consciously experiencing your entire life. It is the part of the mind that thinks logically and
rationally. When information is brought into the conscious mind, it must decide whether or
not that input is true or false and then react accordingly.
However, there is another level of thinking that goes on just below the surface.
Do you ever notice how certain acts that you perform seem to happen reflexively and without
any real conscious awareness?
For example, you might have feelings of anger, hate or jealousy without any real control over
those thoughts. Or you might react instinctively to a situation without even realizing how
you’ve reacted.
These thoughts and reactions arise from the subconscious mind. This level of thinking
happens underneath our conscious awareness and is the sum total of our past experiences.
All of these individual experiences are stored in the subconscious mind as subtle impressions.
All of these different impressions react with one another and turn themselves into
tendencies, forcing us to react in a specific way to any given situation depending upon the
tendencies of the subconscious.
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It would seem that since this level of thinking happens below our conscious awareness that
we would really have no control over its actions. Interestingly enough, you have far more
control over your subconscious mind than you think.
You see, the subconscious mind doesn’t think logically or rationally. It doesn’t reason and
analyze the information that is given to it. The subconscious mind simply takes in
information, assumes it to be true, and stores it. The problem is that most people are in the
habit of feeding their subconscious mind with negative information. This negative information
builds up over time and eventually expresses itself in their behavior without them even
knowing it.
If you’re always walking around telling yourself things like…
“I’m so damn skinny”
”I’m weak and small”
”I’ll never be strong and muscular”
”Everyone is in better shape than me”
…Then your subconscious mind will simply believe all of these things to be true and it will
reflect in your day-to-day behavior and thought patterns. The subconscious mind simply
takes in information and then attempts to materialize it, whether the stimuli is positive or
negative.
If you’re constantly thinking about how much you hate your body or how dissatisfied you are
with it, then your subconscious mind will continue moving you farther and farther away from
the body that you truly desire.
This all ends today, because starting right now we’re going to reframe your way of thinking
and teach you how to condition your subconscious mind to carry out the tasks that you want
it to carry out. This can be accomplished through the process of autosuggestion or
affirmations.
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Quite simply, we’re talking about learning how to think positively.
You’ve been hearing it all your life. You’ve always been told that you should “think
positively”, but you probably just brushed it off and didn’t really acknowledge its importance.
Most people don’t understand how powerful negative thoughts can be, and how empowering
positive thoughts really are.
If you learn how to think positively you will completely reframe your subconscious level of
thinking and this will eventually materialize itself in the outside world.
The first thing you need to do is to stop focusing on what you don’t want, and instead start
focusing on what you do want. We as humans are primarily motivated to avoid pain as a first
priority. Only when we’ve avoided pain can we begin seeking pleasure.
The majority of people reading this book right now are doing so because they want to stop
being unhappy with their bodies rather than simply wanting to be happy. Your primary
motivation is to escape the unhappiness rather than to seek the happiness.
Reframe that.
Stop thinking about what you don’t want!
Eliminate that pathway of thinking altogether. Instead of focusing on what you’re trying to
avoid, focus only on what it is that you want to achieve. Go right to the benefits rather than
thinking about getting rid of the pain that you feel.
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The Wrong Questions
The RIGHT Questions
“how can I stop feeling skinny and
“how can I feel muscular and dominant
inadequate around my peers?”
among my peers?”
“how can I stop people from making fun of
“how can I gain respect and envy from
me about my size?”
others about my size?”
“how can I stop feeling unconfident and
“how can I feel confident and secure about
insecure about my body”
my body?”
“how can I prevent women from thinking that “How can I become attractive and sexy
I’m unattractive?”
towards women?”
Do you see the difference there? Can you actually feel the power in saying out loud what you
want rather than what you don’t want?
This is the first step towards thinking positively.
The second step is to remove all doubt from your statements.
This relates back to what we talked about in the “leap of faith” section. Instead of saying
things like “I’ll try to do this” or “I should do this”, you should only be saying things like “I
will do this”, “I can do this” and “I’m going to do this”.
The Wrong Way Of Thinking
The Right Way Of Thinking
“I want to get in shape and build a muscular,
“I WILL get in shape and build a muscular,
strong physique”
strong physique”
“I should start working out consistently”
“I WILL start workout out consistently”
“I’ll try to eat 5-7 small meals everyday from
“I WILL eat 5-7 small meals everyday from
the proper food sources”
the proper food sources”
“I hope all of my hard work pays off and gets “I KNOW my hard work will pay off and get
me the results that I desire”
me the results that I desire”
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Again, do you see the power in all of this?
So we’ve established that:
1) You must think positively and avoid all negative thoughts from entering your mind.
2) You must focus on getting what you want rather than avoiding what you don’t want.
3) You must think confidently and without any doubt by avoiding words like “try”,
“maybe” or “should” and instead using words like “will”, “know” and “can”.
I’m now going to outline an actual step-by-step process for feeding positive information to
your subconscious mind and reframing your way of thinking on a daily basis.
This relies on the use of “affirmations”.
Affirmations
You’ve probably lived your whole life unknowingly feeding yourself constant negative
thoughts. The idea behind affirmations is to begin voluntarily and consistently feeding
yourself positive thoughts in order to change the way that you think about yourself and your
abilities. This can be done in a variety of ways, and I’m going to share my 4 favorite
techniques.
Affirmations aren’t going to deliver any instant, dramatic results but after a couple of weeks
of consistent usage you should notice a definite improvement in the way that you view things
and in your commitment to your bodybuilding program.
When using affirmations always remember to…
1) Speak in the present tense. Always make your statements as if they have already
come true. For example, instead of saying “I am going to be strong and muscular”,
say “I AM strong and muscular”.
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2) Focus on the positive. Remember, it’s always important to focus on what you want
rather than what you don’t want.
3) Keep it personal. Always use the word “I” and speak directly to yourself when
stating your affirmations.
Here are 4 powerful ways to use affirmations to your advantage…
1) Writing them down.
This is probably the most common technique and is what I would most highly recommend.
Simply sit down at a table and make a written list of all of your specific goals in the form of
affirmations. You should then repeat each goal out loud 3 times with confidence and
conviction.
It’s not enough to merely “go through the motions”. You have to really believe in what you’re
saying and mix as much emotion into it as possible. The more emotion you can stir up while
reading these affirmations, the more effective they will be. Everyday you should sit down and
actually write all of these affirmations out and then read them out loud. Some good
affirmations might be…
“My body is powerful, muscular, dominant and the envy of everyone around me”
”I will confidently battle my way through today’s workout with an explosive force of will”
”All of the foods that I eat today will assist me in building mind blowing muscle mass and
strength”
”My muscular, rock-solid body is attracting sexy women everywhere I go”
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This stuff is absolute gold. I recommend doing this 1-2 times daily, preferably in the morning
and again before bed.
2) Throw negative thoughts in the trash.
No, literally! Whenever a negative thought enters your mind, write it down on a piece of
paper. Rip the piece of paper to shreds and then throw it in the garbage can to reinforce that
the negative thoughts are leaving. You should then replace that negative thought with a
positive affirmation. For example, if you caught yourself saying/thinking “my chest is flat and
undefined”, you would write that statement on the paper to throw in the trash. You would
then replace that with “my chest is round, thick and muscular”.
3) Meditate.
Take 10-15 minutes out of your day to sit in a quiet space free from distractions. Close your
eyes, breathe deeply and repeat your affirmations quietly to yourself.
Again, it’s important to stir up as much emotion as possible and make these affirmations as
powerful as you can. A great time to use this technique is when you are lying in bed before
dozing off to sleep.
4) Workout affirmations.
Another great time to use affirmations is during your actual workouts. As you’re training and
powering your way through each set, repeat empowering statements to yourself such as “My
physique is strong and powerful”, “This workout will stimulate my muscles to grow”, “I am
completely and totally capable of lifting this weight for 7 reps”. This will help to crank up the
intensity of your workout and force yourself to train harder than ever before.
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These techniques may seem a little bit “out there” but there is compelling evidence to
suggest that affirmations and positive thinking do have a significant impact on a person’s
outlook on life, overall happiness and work ethic.
I would highly recommend giving these techniques a try if you’re serious about achieving
dramatic results. They’ve worked extremely well for me and for thousands of people all over
the world.
Once you learn how to think positively your entire outlook on things will change for the
better.
Hopefully by now you’ve learned some very valuable mental tools that will aid you in your
muscle-building journey. We talked about the psychological theories behind bodybuilding and
outlined some specific techniques for you to use on your quest to increased muscle mass and
strength.
We talked about goal setting, visualization, verbalization, positive thinking, affirmations as
well as specific techniques that can be used to increase the intensity of your workouts.
You now know exactly what to do in and out of the gym, and exactly how to do it. You’ve
learned about bodybuilding from the inside and out, both from an external standpoint and
from an internal one.
The only thing left for you to do now is to start implementing everything you’ve learned.
In my experience in bodybuilding and just life in general, I’ve found that there are 3 main
types of people in the world…
1) The ones who say they’re going to accomplish something yet they never even attempt it.
They talk the talk and never walk the walk. They spend their lives making excuses for their
problems and never actually getting off of their asses to do something about it.
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They will waste their years wishing but never having. They will resent and criticize those who
succeed because they know that they will never succeed themselves. They try to build a
reputation on things they claim they are going to do but haven’t actually done.
They lack willpower and discipline. They are doomed to a life of mediocrity but will never
accept responsibility for this.
2) The ones who say they’re going to accomplish something, attempt it, and quit soon
thereafter.
They talk the talk, begin to walk the walk, but fall down in exhaustion, never reaching their
goals or enjoying the fruits of their labor on any kind of long term basis.
They lack patience. They lack perseverance. They too will never stand among the elite and
will struggle time and time again but continually fall short.
They deserve some credit for their attempts at success, but simply do not have the willpower
to follow through on their desires and work hard over an extended period of time.
3) The ones who say they’re going to accomplish something, form a blueprint for how they
will get there, and then, quite simply, they get there.
They make firm decisions that contain no hints of “maybe” or “try”. They understand that
there are 2 possible outcomes in any decision: success or failure. They crave success, and
they will do anything they have to do to achieve it.
When they make a decision to accomplish something, they already know that they will
succeed. They don’t question their ability to achieve a goal; they only question the time that
it will take to get there.
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They understand that within their minds lies all of the tools necessary to accomplish anything
in the external world. They have faith in their talents and beliefs and truly feel that they can
accomplish anything they want.
They make no excuses. They understand that they are in complete and total control of their
destiny, and that every man and woman is responsible for their own lives.
They are ready and willing to battle through setbacks, physical and mental pain, discomfort
and exhaustion. They know that anything worth having does not come easy, and that no
man ever achieved anything great without a struggle.
They are willing to struggle to be great.
They never fail in the long run.
They only experience momentary setbacks and bumps in the road. When a setback or bump
in the road presents itself, they form a plan for how they will get past it.
They don’t stop, stare and question whether to quit or keep going. Quitting is not an option
in their minds, and they thrive on the battle and understand that setbacks and mistakes
serve no other purpose than to make their inevitable victory that much sweeter.
They see the big picture.
And when the smoke clears and dust settles, they stand among the elite.
They soak up the satisfaction of their victories and look back on their accomplishments with a
feeling of pride and fulfillment. They gain the respect and envy of others and know that they
deserve it.
Which category do you fall under?
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True bodybuilding success is only reserved for category 3.
It is an ongoing battle that does not lend itself to those who seek instant gratification. It will
not be had by those who are unwilling to dedicate themselves to a goal and work hard to
achieve it.
If you have any doubts about your ability to succeed, eliminate them. Dissolve your
questioning, your fears and your wondering. Make firm decisions for what you want to
achieve, create a map for how to get there, and then, quite simply, get there.
Only when your decisions contain questions of “when can I reach this goal” rather than “will I
reach this goal” will you ever truly succeed both in bodybuilding and in life.
I can’t make the decision for you, I can only teach you how to get there, and I’ve certainly
done that by now. Your choice comes from within, and not a single person in this world can
make those choices but you.
I believe in you, but do you believe in yourself?
Take the leap of faith. Do something extraordinary. Accomplish something great.
I know you want to, and I know that you can.
I would say good luck, but luck has nothing to do with it. You are in complete and total
control of you own destiny.
Here’s to your success!
Sean Nalewanyj
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- END -
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