All of us guys/girls who have played sports of any kind can attest to the fact that when you move to the next grade/level the effort, talent, strength, maturity, and skill goes up as well. Think about moving from Sophomore Football to Junior Varsity, and then Varsity. Each time you went up a level you had to adapt and elevate your game. This change was required to even get a chance at playing. In short, every practice had to be treated like it was game day.
What’s not stated is that in order to be competitive you had to do some serious growing up. In the off season you had to prepare to be better. Tons of lifting, running, and independent practice. Then, at the first day of practice you brought the new and different you who was ready to play. In fact, as the season wears on, you become better at what you do so that there are multiple new and different personalities that you develop. By season’s end you are a much different person/player than when the season started. This process repeats itself with each new level.
In bodybuilding we do the same trek. The first time out we are just happy to be there. Each time we hit the stage after that we want to be rising in our own expectations of development and performance. Ultimately, we will rise to a level that has exceeded all that we do. Each new contest is an opportunity to show off our new found maturity and skill. We never want to be the same ever again. Each contest demands another version of ourselves to keep going.
These principles are universal. I think Albert Einstein or Gordon Peterson said, “We keep digging deep until we think we cannot go on. It is here that we are introduced to our other self.” Then we invoke personal discipline to push forward to our stated goals.
Bottom Line: In order to move up and get better we must mature into the “different person” that is required to push on to the next level. The other person that you started with has to be left behind and the new and different person must take over. He/She has to be a bigger, more mature person to bear the new demands at the new level of performance. This is our time…..”Grow up and grow into the different person that is needed to win!”
Six Pack and Senior 