Peoples around us responds naturally to our actions. It’s a fact but I can’t blame anyone about this. If you start doing something new, different, unusual for the rest of them, you will encounter such questions as:
– Why do you do this instead of a “normal” sport?
– Why do you spend your money for this instead of “normal” things?
– Why do you wants to be that big?
– Do you think it is worth it?

Also, many people will react to your new hobby with concern for your health or they’re tell you that you’re putting too much strain on your body, etc. At the same time however, it’s also unfortunate that so much of this concern is misinformed or otherwise unfounded.

Do I often wonder why there is a fundamental resistance in peoples against change? At the moment when they have to step out of the comfort zone, taking actions becomes “repulsive” as if it were the opposite poles of the magnet. Comfort and change like fire and water.

Since I started dealing with bodybuilding, lifestyle change, and personality development, I realized that basically you can only relieve the aforementioned “repulsion” if you can formulate a rock solid purpose you are willing to make sacrifices for. If you strongly believe in your goal it will motivate you enough to make effort into action. Just think about what you’ll feel when you succeed. This will give you endurance to get out of your comfort zone.

Connection between mental and phisycal fitness

Today I saw a TED talk in which Mischa Janiec perfectly summed up the point.
What the ordinary peoples think of when they hear about bodybuilding?
– Chicken breast, brown rice and broccoli.
– A way too muscular, narcissistic guy like overtanned, flexing in front of the mirror.
– Or the classic: Steroids!

Instead of such general stereotypes, they should think that mental and physical fitness is associated. If you are not in a good shape phisically, you can’t be on the right emotional level to do something properly. The first thing I’ve learned in this sport, if I’m not there in the spirit and in the head (Brain-Muscle Relationship), then I can do anything in the gym, the result won’t be the expected, or even it cause injury.

As soon as you start workout you start to sweat, you start to breathe deeply, and after you finished you just feel absolutely amazing. The reason for this is endorphins. A hormone your body releases after you get physically active. It is therefore evident that physical fitness has a great influence on our mental health, so it is also clear that we can not develop one without the other. They effects each other.

Body language

Many people do not know the importance of posture and body language. It expresses and influences our personality, our communication, our emotional state.

Another even more important reason is your body posture. It’s not only proven that a bad body posture causes people to appear insecure and sad, but also to change their whole mental state. And it goes in both directions. That means, as soon as you start to work on your physical appearance, you’re not only going to look happier, you can become happier, more secure. (Amy Cuddy held a very interesting TED talk about this topic, like body language shapes who you are.)

Mirror, mirror tell me…

I’m sure most of you work hard, you have dreams, you study for weeks, months, years, even for decades, pull the yoke for some purpose, but how confident are you working for the right purpose? In financial terms: Is the investment worth it?

Among other things, bodybuilding has taught me how to be confident. Before you misunderstand, no, I will not be confident because I have bigger muscles. I do not watch myself in the mirror all the time (“narcissistic” guys infront of the mirror…), I’m not self-righteous. The mirror can be your best friend, but your greatest enemy too, so many ladies can confirm.

The mirror always reveals something new, small detail that has evolved or needs to be developed. I belive, this sort of self-criticism is essential if you really want to develop your body and thereby your mental health as well!

My mirror image frankly shows me my deficiencies, but it gives me the courage to be the greatest critic of myself. Such self-examination is difficult because it is very easy to avoid. We are not looking into the mirror and done! 🙂

You do not have to accept yourself because everything is as good as it is. You do not have to accept yourself because you will be able to accept your deficiencies. You have to accept yourself because knowing about your weaknesses is not enough, if you’re not willing to work on yourself.

Failure is necessary for success

Peoples still struggle to overcome their doubts, and to take action in order to get better. Something deep inside them won’t let them believe that hey need to invest in themselves if they want to succeed in life. Because taking action requires courge. But why is that? Because you could FAIL.

We always hear failing is something bad, you should avoid failing, like society tells us failing is negative. But I want you to understand why failing is actually important if you really want to get better. Let’s take it even a step further here:

You need failure in order to grow.

Most of the bodybuilders are fail almost every single day but they love it. Every time when they step into the gym, the goal is to push themselves past their limits. They know that reaching failure will only make them stronger in the long run. It is a fact that as soon as you over reach a certain capacity your body has, you get stronger than before. So that means you have to over reach and over reach again and again and with this, you get stronger and stronger every time.

So failing for a bodybuilder is nothing new. What most people don’t get: it works the same in your everyday life. So why do people apply this logic in the gym but not in everything else they do, because the road to success is never straight.

But everybody should strive to become the best version of themselves. And bodybuilding is a major stepping stone to get there. Look at the bigger picture, and forgive the negative prejudice. It’s more than just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. Why don’t you start today? Invest in yourself instead of criticism. Go beyond in the gym and you will go beyond in every other aspect of life as well. It’s your decision.