Every one of us will fall flat on our faces sooner or later during this lifetime. All of us, at this point will have a decision to make. 1.) We can learn from our tumble to the ground, get up, and go on with a brand new sense of maturity and confidence. When we choose this course of action we are “new and improved” people who are better prepared for the next set of challenges. or 2.) We can decide that this crash to the ground has done us in. We surrender to the temptation to do nothing. It is when we make this decision that we have laid the foundation for our own demise. We have chosen death over superior effort and life.
When we launch ourselves into a new endeavor we will fail repeatedly until we get it right. It is vital that we remember why we started in this direction and review with ourselves the plan of action that is needed to overcome this predicament and to excel.
In the world of bodybuilding there is a very steep learning curve especially in the first year. We have to buy into the maxim that nothing is free and whatever we go through to become a champion is worth it. Every day holds out the possibility of doing something very wrong that will cause any one of us to see only loss and failure. The tons of new exercises, the hours spent on an elliptical machine doing daily cardio, the discipline required to stick with the program when it is very hard, the tons of supplements needed to make up for what our diet cannot provide. the posing practice that can be as physically taxing as a workout. The “grind” can wear is down and cause us to doubt our resolve to finish the trek to the winner’s circle.
It’s during these times that we have to take stock of who we are inside. This is the moment of truth for all of us in bodybuilding. The discouragement and difficulty of the road forward can cause us to “fall.” We skip workouts, we don’t pay attention to our diets, we fail to do cardio etc. The “fall” isn’t always instantaneous, it may be a slow abandonment of the fire that brought us so far. It’s here that we must decide to learn something about ourselves, get up, and continue the journey to success. It is here that we must count the cost of “staying down.” We must confront the consequences of deciding to not continue. In every situation, there is only a single outcome for “staying down.” It always results in the death of our dreams, our goals, and ultimately, our own character is at stake.
Bodybuilding is a “daily” exercise of the will to champion and dominate the spirit of defeat in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds and failure. To win and to grow in character we have to decide (while we are fallen) to get back up.
In summary: To fall is normal and expected. To rise again with each failure ignites growth in ourselves that propels us forward. To decide to “stay down” is the beginning of our own obituary. Get up! We need you to remain in the fight for excellence. Be an example to others who have “fallen” and are considering “staying down.”
Until Next Time, I remain: Douglas E. Graham, Lt Col, USAF, (ret), MHSM
Six Pack and Senior 