The best place to start is with a quote by one of my all time favoritesChristian Theologians/Philosopher and sage, C.S. Lewis. “Its not where you start it’s where you end up.” To me this sets the stage for everything in my life and in bodybuilding. It whispers to me that the place that I find myself this moment is temporary so long as I have my eyes on the horizon looking and planning to move forward to my ultimate goal or at least to my next goal. However, it also warns me that if I have no vision (Proverbs 29:18, Where there is no vision the people perish……”), then I will be stuck precisely where I am until I decide to change and move on. This is called settling for what I have rather than seeking something that I need or want. None of us should “settle.” In my world, settling is equal to death.
My all time mantra that I live by and train by is simple, “Make Haste Slowly.” At first blush this seems like and oxymoron but it is not. It’s ok to be in a hurry to get someplace but reality and self-mastery dictates that in order to get to where we want to go we have to master the route and the method that is required. Each effort in the process of attaining anything must begin with a hard look at all that is needed. Next, I am a firm believer in starting where you are. Your muscles in this early process are not yet strong enough to handle extremely large weights. So, you start at a level that you can handle. Work to exhaustion and then move to the next exercise for that day. Very slowly begin increasing the number of reps per set at this level. Continue this until you are confident that a larger amount of weight is needed. Continue with increasing the number of reps per set. Do this process with each training session. You are moving in the right direction at this point. Do not get discouraged just because you do not see huge gains. It takes time and you can’t cheat your way to the top.
As the Title of this article says, “The Man Who Moves Mountains Begins by Carrying Away Small Stones”…..Make haste slowly. Start small and keep moving to larger goals. Set your goals high but do not believe you can get to your goals by any other means than hard work. Like Jose Raymond said to me one, “Keep at it!” He was saying to me, keep going, put in the time, don’t give up.” Now I implore all of us/you to “Keep at it” and move slowly and deliberately toward our stated end. “Begin by Carrying Away Small Stones.” But, don’t lose track of the mountain you choose to move….No matter who criticizes you.
In closing, I will admonish all of us to set a pace that is sure and vectored to our objectives. “Keep at it.” The journey is in the moving of small stones. The crown is found in the moving of the mountain.
Until next time, I remain, Douglas E. Graham, Lt Col, USAF, (ret), MHSM
Six Pack and Senior 