I don’t have many noteworthy qualities that I’m proud of.
Unlike my wife’s friend. He’s absolutely brilliant and a lead researcher in developing the recent Ebola vaccine and (apparently) even tested it on himself. When I first heard that, I quickly reminded my wife was comic book type shit and exactly how Dr. Curt Connors became The Lizard.
But one thing I’m happy with is that I’ve never been an “envy-hater.”
If I see someone with an incredible physique, my go-to emotion is always a 50-50 mix of joy and inspiration, and never yeah-well, as in “yeah, well….”
– let’s see his/her drug schedule
– he/she doesn’t work and has all the time in the world to train
– he/she has their own chef
– he/she doesn’t have kids
– he/she won the genetic lottery
Blah blah blah.
Even if all of the above are legitimate factors, to me they all seem like excuses for mediocre effort. Or feel-better distractions from failing at the things that really matter:
– hard work
– consistency
– high standards
– commitment
– focus
– Sam’s Club discount on Growth Hormone. (I kid).
So to that end, I was talking with one of the smartest bodybuilders I know, Jim Brown, about the physique idol guys like me love to hate, Mike O’Hearn.
Mike is 51, in absolutely ridiculous shape, and has been for about the last 30 years.
Of course everyone talks shit about his claims to be natural blah blah — I don’t because it’s all just noise.
I mean, look at the fucking guy. Whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it right. And most any gym in any city has dozens of guys on a laundry list of anabolics, and yet I don’t see many (or even any) new Mike O’Hearns gracing the covers every year.
So it’s definitely not a pharmaceutical thing.
Which brings me back to talking with Jim.
He said when he thinks of Mike O’Hearn he doesn’t think of drugs either —he thinks of the fact that Mike (apparently) hasn’t eaten a meal off-plan in 30 years.
THIRTY years. About as long as he’s been a top cover model. #coincidence
But that legitimately (though only briefly) triggered my own deeply buried envy-hate.
“Like, come on. Seriously? 30 years, no cheats? That’s not a life. What a boring, no-fun loser….”
…who also happens to be in incredible shape, year after year, decade after decade…
Nope, he’s NOT a loser. FAR from.
He’s just doing the really important shit waaaay better than me.
He’s awesome because his standards are so high. And to me that’s inspiring, as it’s something I can control, even something I can shoot for and perhaps one day achieve similar standards.
But thats also what choosing joy & inspiration over envy & hate does.
It makes you better, happier, open minded, just brighter. Whereas envy & hate only brings you plenty of negative company, all stuck on the same train plodding towards the same dreary, mediocre destination.
We all can choose whether we want our lives to be full of hate & envy or joy & inspiration.
Choose wisely.