SPARTAN SERIES #182: “COURAGE DOESNT MEAN YOU DON’T GET AFRAID. COURAGE MEANS YOU DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU!”

You have to believe me when I tell you that “I’m terrified of heights.” If I was captured by the enemy and the enemy wanted information they would be wasting their time to torture me……They ain’t gettin’ nothin’!!! But, if the enemy knew of my fear of heights, they could just take me to a very high place and threaten to throw me off and thus would begin the calmest and most collegial seditious conversation in all the world. My fear of heights has been faced numerous time in my life doing zip lines, rappel down ropes, ascend to the top of gigantic buildings in glass elevators, walk along narrow paths on the side of a mountain, fly in helicopters with the doors open etc. However, just because I faced my fear and did some “boy wonder stuff” does not mean that the fear went away. I still hate being in high places. Interestingly, flying does not bother me in the least.

The key thought is that fear is fear and it’s a good thing. The end game is that fear does not paralyze us from doing our jobs or living our lives otherwise. Fear is nothing more than a hurdle to get over and to do so is a Herculean test of the will to exercise courage. Courage is the discipline to continue despite facing a fear that often besets us. Courage is the determination to finish what you started in the face of an unanticipated or known fear that lies between you and your goal. Sometimes, courage is all we have left to cross the finish line.

I am fortunate to have one malady and not several but the number of fears is irrelevant.

In bodybuilding it’s important to show up despite layers of fear threatening to derail us. I can remember the first time going up the stairs “alone” onto the stage. I trembled, I feared making a fool of myself, I doubted my appearance, I was afraid I’d freeze up and get laughed off the stage. All that went through my mind. But, I was able to reach deep and push these insecurities aside. I went out there and finished high enough to get 3 trophies in various divisions that night.

Being afraid is ok! Not facing them is quite another. Let me repeat myself. You do not have to enjoy overcoming fear. But, in order to progress and accomplish your stated goals it is imperative that “Courage be tapped to take you home.”

Bottom Line! As you approach performance in bodybuilding just remember that everybody else has come this far with you. I have three goals when I compete. 1.) Be in the best shape of my life. 2.) Don’t make any dumb mistakes (e.g. turning left when the judges tell you to turn right). 3.) Move up from the last competition. If I can do these three things I am entitled to eating too much of the wrong stuff right after the show. This, in turn, entitles me to baptize all the hub caps in the parking lot as I barf my way to my car.

I heard Calvin Murphy, a very short guard in the NBA for the Houston Rockets say, “I’m not afraid of no man.” This must be our attitude forever. Fear takes us nowhere and Courage will take us home.