OP Delivers

Hi r/Brogress, I'm DudeyQ and this is my old blog =]

Modern Mythology Series: Introduction

         

 

                Many people would argue that morality is an innate part of human nature. Because we as a species use reason in addition to instinct, our behaviour is more or less dictated by the morality we feel best integrates us into this world. When we do something "good", we are servicing our morality. Conversely, when we do something "bad" we are ignoring whatever moral rules we operate on.

                I'd like to propose that morality may be something a little more contrived than just a natural part of ourselves. I believe we can forge morality by introducing elements like educators, social groups, environmental pressures, and our own psychological and philosophical reflections. For example, when we watch a show about a meth-cooking family man being pushed to do really shitty things, we are subconsciously analyzing our own morality simultaneously. When Mr. White turns into Heisenberg, the reason the transformation makes us react so strongly is because it is throwing a subtle challenge to the way we would act in those same situations. I would never do that. How could he be so cruel? Etc.

                Stories have a great way of challenging us. Questioning human behaviour in general is necessarily questioning your own. And stories really do have the power to change us because they're also the tool we've been using since we could walk and talk to not only make sense of the world, but also to teach ourselves how to make sense of it. Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Moses, Zeus, Socrates, Horus, etc are stories to us. This is no insult or challenge to their truth or status, just what they are directly to us. No one alive has seen these people/beings. They are stories about people that have been passed on to direct us today. Leaving the religious element out of it, they make up what can be considered to an extent a series of mythologies that are easy to remember, rich, in-depth, wise, and inspiring stories of beings capable of doing extraordinary things. We look up to the protagonists of these stories because they teach us things about ourselves. Inspire us to do and be more.

                From my own experiences on this earth, I've seen a large disconnect from people and the stories they choose to model themselves after. We live such fast-paced and busy lives that it's easy to just go through the motions, never stopping to reflect on what we're doing or why. We just trust that we've developed enough about ourselves up to this point to be a participant of society.

                This is why I love superheroes.

                To me, comic book characters and culture is a modern mythology. They introduce to us characters that are so fast, so strong, so smart, and so powerful that all find themselves incapable of living problem-free lives. This is what keeps them interesting and also where we find them to be useful to us in more than just an entertaining way. The fact that Batman blames himself for something he couldn't have possibly stopped makes him very human to us. Iron-Man's addiction to drugs and alcohol reminds us that even the most bad-ass, on-top-of-the-world people have demons they go home to. Peter Parker still needs to find a way for his broke-ass to pay the rent at the end of the month. And we all have a little Hulk in us, a monster that we unleash when we're pushed to the breaking point. Like Hulk, we also get angry and smash, ruining our own life and the lives around us when we let the beast take over.

                Superheroes are our version of Shakespeare. The media just extends beyond the panels of a comic book. TV shows, movies, graphic novels, toys, lunchboxes, bumper stickers, video games, etc. Comics are all around us and have the potential to reveal our true self to ourselves. At face value, you can grab a bag of popcorn and watch Thor kick some serious ass for two hours. But if you dig deeper, you find the story of a man torn between what his parents expect of him and what he truly wants to do with his life.

                There's a hero out there for you too. One seemingly designed to address the same questions you have about yourself and your own demons. What do I do about my addiction? How do I get motivated to do something with my life? Why am I so alone and isolated? Why should I be good if bad things happen to good people?

                If nothing else, these stories and characters provide ideals we should strive towards. And going forward, I am going to be doing blog posts profiling the more profound and philosophical elements to a number of characters. Maybe I can convince you that these grown men wearing tighty-whitey underwear over their spandex leggings are more than just thug-crushing, flamboyant, 12-year-old boy fantasies.

                Comic books have historically given writers the outlet to make social and political commentaries that no other medium could provide. They are allowed to take creative license with things that no one else dared even talk about. Granted, the internet has broadened our ability to target controversial issues, but the vibrant colours and oversized text boxes from the pages of comic book stories have long addressed the same issues we're only starting to open today. Enjoy the series.

Lover, Warrior, Magician, King: How To Be A Real Man

     If you've spoken to me for a duration longer than 5 minutes in the last 6 months, you would know that notions of masculinity or "being a man" has been something I am unable to stop contemplating. It must be the stage of where I am at in my biological and physiological development, where my body is accepting the fact that it is no longer a boy's body. But the question emerges for me: what really makes somebody a man? I can tell you for sure that it isn't how full my facial hair is now, or being addressed with the prefix Mister. What is harder tell you is what being a man really is. Being raised with minimal male influence, I've found now that I may have missed the boat on some key elements that every male should be exposed to. This is not to say that all guys with a male influence around are definite experiencers of manhood, but it certainly doesn't hurt their chances.

Only now am I able to take a step away from myself and try to look as objectively at my upbringing as possible. I can see that my biology had naturally gravitated towards things that would idealize what I now understand to be traits common of manhood. Things like my undying adoration and constant investigation of superheroes and comic book culture has greatly shaped my conception of what it means to be a man. Music, novels and movies have also helped forge the features of masculinity. I'd like to share with you however, what the greatest mentor I have ever had (or ever will have) has introduced me to. Elliott Hulse has exposed me to an ancient archetype of manhood that outlines the four elements of a complete man. These four elements are:

Lover
Warrior
Magician
King

As far as I can determine my judgments presently, these are the four elements that need to be developed about a male in order to make him a man. In a moment I will be going over very briefly what each element entails and how it forges a solidarity of manhood. But first, the following video gives a great introduction into what anybody's life, not just a man's, should ultimately attempt to embody. A hero's journey. One that looks to conquer the self and transcend limitations. In other words, this hero journey is the what and the King-Warrior-Magician-Lover archetype is the how.

Jason Silva's "A Hero's Journey"

Shots of Awe on YouTube

A hero's journey, although genderless and without discrimination, is pursued differently by man and woman. This is how the K-W-M-L fits. This is the man's how to the hero's journey. Each male has and needs to develop each of the following four parts of his self in order to become a complete man and this is definitely the way I envision attaining a form of manhood I will be content in living.

Lover

     This is the part of a man that gives gratitude and repays the nourishment he has received from the earth and its fruitful, life-giving supplements. This is the poetic side of man. His emotional and most in-tune with the earth and his spirituality. This is where man develops the friendships and the partnerships with not only those nurturing people around him, but with himself. The lover creates your values, but does not necessarily deliver them. This is the part of the man that cries when he watches the last scene in Forrest Gump or becomes overwhelmed with the birth of his first child. The lover only tells truth because the lover is not capable of denying the earth what it is owed. And not only the earth in its planet form, but the earth in the people the lover loves. This is the part of a man that looks his partner through the eyes and into the soul and allows himself to release the most vulnerable words he could ever find the courage to muster - "I love you". And you must believe the lover when he says this thing. This part of the man is not attractive or endearing - this is the part of the man he exposes his soft side to someone he deems worthy of his love and affection. This is a man at his most vulnerable, and that's okay. A complete man must know his weaknesses in order to develop his strengths. And although the lover approaches what he loves with open arms, he does so with a sword strapped to his side.

Warrior

     This is the part of a man that clenches his sword with a hand that is uncompromising and decisive. A warrior man is able to commit to a goal and stop at nothing to make sure that his mission is satisfied. This is where a man cuts the chains of his oppressors and slays the dragon to save the village. This can come in many forms - and rest assured, they're not all Medieval in nature. A warrior is a man who doesn't allow himself to get bullied at work or the part of a man that is able to find the courage to ask his boss for a raise. This is the part of a man that sees his challenge and attempts it regardless of how awful the situation seems. This man keeps his friends close and his enemies closer. But not in such a way that he becomes a spy or paranoid, but in a way that makes him know that he is in control and that enemies are just obstacles. The warrior kills but with purpose. In 2014, this can take the form of breaking off "friendships" that slow you down rather than help you out. Ultimately, a warrior is decisive and eager. He is proud of his being male and is incapable of being hurt or slain by any battle. This is the guy that gets insulted by people looking to destroy his journey but he ignores them. Even if they're your parents or your friends or your lovers. The warrior is sure of himself to the point of ignorance. He is confident in his ability but more so, he is confident in himself. This guy doesn't let the idea of getting drunk at a downtown bar the night before a final exam detract him from doing the thing he's supposed to. This is more or less the traditional and incomplete depiction of a man. But this is inaccurate and resembles perhaps the evolutionary-biological man. This is the part of the man that takes his sword and spreads a strong seed.

Magician

     This is the most mysterious and most endearing part of a man. This is a man's utility. Is a man charismatic? Does he have a skill or trade? Do his words make sense? Can this man sell a snow cone to a polar bear? These are all domains that belong to the magician part of a man. The magician is seductive in that his tricks, illusions, skills and ability are both sexually attractive and real-world useful. Many dudes are born with strong inclinations towards being a magician, but this is a part that can be developed like any other of the four elements of a man. People with the natural ability find themselves in careers where their words can penetrate and seduce almost anyone. Think: politicians and entertainment business.The people you idolize most are magicians in their own right. If you have a musical artist, an actor, director, celebrity, painter, motivational speaker, teacher, professor, doctor, or any person you admire for something they do, then their magic has seduced you. Every man needs to develop the magic he casts on the earth. A man who does not develop worth in skills or ability (magic) is unable to contribute to society. He becomes a subordinate in some way or another to a man who was courageous and warrior-like enough to find the discipline to create utility. Essentially, the magician is a master of his craft. He has developed his skills in such a way that without him, the village suffers because production in some capacity is lost.

King

     The ultimate responsibility of man. This is the strongest and most fertile part of a man. A king has one pursuit and that is the kingdom. What makes the king distinct from the others is that the other three are reflective of self-desire and self-development through the self whereas the king develops something bigger than he is by offering himself. The king does not have to be as glamorous as the title suggests - no nobility needed. Ultimately, a king lives for something bigger than himself. This is without question the most attractive, but not seductive, part of a man. Attractive because nothing drives a girl more wild than a man with purpose and confidence which are both necessary conditions for a man to achieve kingdom. But this is not a seductive part because a king does not focus on selfish pursuits - he is able to come out of his bodily desires in order to do what is necessary for the earth.This is the part of a man that takes responsibility for lives other than his own. A good father on some scale is a king in his own right. If he is able to vanquish thoughts of achievement in order to support the growth of another, this is the true strength in being king. Ultimately, the king can no longer gain in his own life. This stage of man sets in when all the accolades and accomplishments stop giving him a sense of doing well but rather serve as teaching points for new soon-to-be-kings. A king has created his destiny and now lives to see that the earth is bettered by it. In terms of the self, a king can only lose, but this is not a bad thing. It shows that the king has ownership. A man who starts a family and spends 80 hours a week at work so his children don't need to worry about having new books at school or a roof over their heads is a king. A man that is able to take the backseat when necessary and can allow his woman or partner to flourish as an individual rather than take away their right to sit in the throne is also a king. Whereas the lover, magician and warrior can only be one thing at a time in any situation, a king is all three at once and each decision he makes reflects one that is examined by each part of his being and approved unanimously. A man that is able to forge something greater, more important, more significant and overall, just bigger than he is has earned his right to sit atop a throne. A king's pleasures don't resemble the ones privy to the other 3 parts. A king's pleasure can only come in death, where his soul looks back at a life well lived and knows that he has done well. This is the most tragic but the most crucial to being a king. The only reminder he has that the path he has chosen is the right one to be walking is by looking upon the wonders he creates through other people, not himself. And the only way to confirm that his walk was well spent is to die and leave behind the only chance at living forever a man has because his wonders and creations live on long after he draws his final breath. Being a king is the only way to be immortalized.


So there you have it. I am not an expert in man-ology nor am I speaking for all men when I say these things. This is just how my experiences and exposures has led to my conception of manhood. I am not the man I want to be right now and certainly nowhere near the king I wish to be. It takes time and development. The important thing to consider is that everybody, male or female, has the ability to develop any part of their character that they so choose. This is how I choose to plan my developments. It's in the structure of the lover-warrior-magician-king that we can keep ourselves accountable to not just being a complete man, but a complete person. These are examples of the male experience in the world and these terms are pretty ambiguous. They serve as guidelines for parts of your personality that can be cultivated if you work at it long and hard enough. I'm sure before I know it I'm gonna change my mind completely on what it means to be a man, but this is what it is to me right now. Maybe super smart computers and really expensive microchips will be able to use science-fiction-magic-whatever to keep people living for thousands of years but until that time, this is the only way to make sure your life is eternal.




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Further reading/links:
The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell
King Warrior Magician Lover - Robert Moore
Jason Silva's Shots of Awe YouTube Channel
Elliott Hulse's YouTube Channel


Bonus Shots of Awe:

New Year Resolutions: Why You'll Fail if You Do More in 2014

The modern English language is a strange one. It borrows from languages much older and much more elegantly structured. Quite characteristic of the English language is the following set of headaches: Random word spelling (silent letters? Seems pretty dumb to me), strange verb tenses,  slang words that in their true definition mean something almost completely different when used in normalized conversation (I just killed that test!; The boss has really been riding me at work lately), almost no consistency whatsoever with the way we add prefixes or suffixes to words and so on and so forth. English can be so incredibly random and almost impossible to learn for an outsider. It presents itself as language that is better learned not from a textbook, but from immersing yourself into the English speaking world itself to try and adopt the strange expressions and spontaneous rule changes.

It's because of this randomness that we are quick to overlook and under-appreciate the true meanings of words (that and also because English is a language of almost endless synonyms; see: beautiful - pretty, cute, handsome, gorgeous, magnificent, adorable, awesome, good-looking, breath-taking, superduper, etc).

The reason I provided this pretext before telling why you are most undoubtedly going to fail whatever Resolution you have for 2014 will become obvious when we look at the word Resolution itself.

Stolen from Google:

res·o·lu·tion

ˌrezəˈlo͞oSHən/

noun

1. 1.

   a firm decision to do or not to do something.

   "she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more"

   synonyms:

   intention, resolve, decision, intent, aim, plan
2. 2.

   the action of solving a problem, dispute, or contentious matter.

Or, you can break it down as: re-solution. Re, in its most basic English application means to "do something again" and solution to mean "answer to".

Before I get further into this word, let's look at some other words that have this "do something again" prefix.

Recycle, Reclaim, Research

Recycle is an obvious one. We use this word to show that what was once used before can be used again and put back into the "cycle" of being used. Nowhere in this word (or with application of the word into the real world) do we insist on adding something to it. Rather, we say that it can be used again. If you recycle your garbage, you are literally committing to put that plastic bottle back into the cycle of consumption as it can be melted down to plastic and reshaped (there's that re again!) into something else.

Reclaim is another obvious one. What was once yours will be yours once again when you reclaim it. This word was much more popular in ancient times as empires would look to reclaim territory or position that they owned before the tides of war had lost it for them.

Are you noticing the trend? We'll do one more example.

Research. This one is more revealing of the importance of the re. Spending hours upon hours slaving away at a research paper seems like tedious work. Why does the professor want me to write a report on conclusions that other scholars have made about this subject? I'm not adding anything new. If anything, I'm just repeating what they've all said. Exactly. The answers already exist in the world. A research paper (or any paper for that matter) is not adding anything new to the world, it's discovering a truth about the world and showing other humans your findings. Our universe does not change because you write a paper about it. The only thing that changes is our understanding of the world. "Groundbreaking" papers aren't really groundbreaking at all. The ground is very much left unchanged, the picture of it just becomes more clear.

This is why your Resolution will fail. You're looking to do or be something you're not. You can't add anything new to the world or your family or yourself. 

Resolution is finding the answer about yourself that you've had all this time. Being healthier in 2014, dropping those stubborn 15 pounds, making more money, finding a boyfriend or girlfriend, doing better in school or at work, starting that business you always dreamed about - none of those are things that you have to create. Those are all things that you uncover about yourself. They're hidden. You have the solution already. That solution is you.

Do you want to know why you haven't achieved those goals yet? It's because right now, you're not you. Bare with me here. You're you plus 150 other things that cloud you or distract you from who you really are. The person you are gets so caught up living in a world of more more more that things you wish weren't important in your life or that eat up a lot of time and energy (Facebook, Twitter, gossip, shopping, television, Netflix, etc) become more prominent than basic desires of self-improvement, discipline, fulfilling your fantasies. We become so caught up on what happened on the last episode of Breaking Bad (which was phenomenal by the way) but for some reason it has become so taboo to be caught up on what happened on the last episode of you. Escapism becomes easier and easier the more you allow it to become your reality. If something is bothering you then it is up to you to remove it from your life instead of adding something new to distract you from it. This is how stress accumulates and becomes the reason you might overeat, oversleep, party too hard and just overall breakdown both physically and spiritually. 

When I was 17 I was told to pick a program in university that will allow me to find something I want to do for the rest of my life. In this, the conclusion was made that my purpose and passion in life was something to be found out in the world. Like an answer that was waiting for me to reach out and grab it if I only gave it the chance. I've reached a point now where I see the opposite is true. The answer was right but the question was wrong. The goal shouldn't be to find a school or job or hobby or passion that you might grow to love, but rather, let your passionate self dictate the things you do in life. You'll find that this way of thinking can put into perspective the number of filler things you add onto your life in order to help you "find the right answers". It's not your fault. You were given a ladder and asked to find something buried within yourself. I offer you rather a shovel, so that you can dig your way into understanding the answer that has long matured within you instead. 

I invite you then, if anything, to look at 2014 not as the year of doing more, but doing less. It is an attitude adjustment. The person you want to be is not out of reach, but rather, begging to come out. If your goal is to look better, then identify that as allowing your body to look the way it's supposed to as opposed to some figment you one day hope to achieve. If your goal is to be more optimistic then forget about how much more optimistic you can be and seek rather to be less pessimistic. 

You can't change who you are on a spiritual or even biological level, but you can certainly help that self emerge from the shadow that you've cast it in. This is how you will find the answer you've been looking for in 2014. This is how you will complete your Resolutions. 

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Further Insights into Goal Setting and Resolutions

     Something that had inspired me to think this way not only about my goals this year but for my life is a movie I watched a few days before New Years Eve on the bus to Montreal. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is more than a movie about a man and his sushi shop. It's about waking up every single day and dedicating your life to a single motivating passion. Jiro is 85 years old and the only sushi chef in the world to be awarded 3 Michelin stars (the most prestigious award in the restaurant industry). 3 stars means that the restaurant is worth traveling to the country in order to dine there. However, even with the awards and accolades, Jiro, who has been practicing sushi for over 60 years, continues to wake up every day in hopes that he can perfect his art. He stresses that money isn't important to him and there is a level of truth behind his eyes that make you believe this statement. This is a must watch for anybody looking to see what life could look like if you remove the distractions that cloud your judgment and your ambitions.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Another person you should learn to love is my personal hero/online mentor Elliott Hulse. His philosophy is one that very strongly shapes mine and his insights on just about any and every topic are worth listening to. Here's a video posted a few days ago about his thoughts on new year resolutions:

Elliott's weightlifting YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ASolYU_Yh3yShLFQC0stg

Elliott's Personal Philosophy Channel

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLrI-dOLyDbRnPyUeWadsOg


*Note: there is a great deal overlap in the subject content of Elliott's videos on both channels and they are not mutually exclusive

Ted Talk
A lot of the above philosophy has been inspired by what is known as living a Minimalist lifestyle. The idea is that less really is more and that the things you own end up owning you. Here is a short and informative video about trying to be more minimal (and therefore happier):
http://www.ted.com/talks/graham_hill_less_stuff_more_happiness.html

6 Myths About Diet and Exercise

We've all heard it and we've all had our own theories about fad diets and fitness trends. From no carbs to CrossFit, everyone is an "expert" on fitnessology (just made that up. Sounds legit, doesn't it?).

The following is a quick list of myths that circulate the health and fitness world that just aren't true:

1. Chemicals are bad for you
     -Tricalcium phosphate, Disodium Phosphate, Mono and Diglycerides, Carrageenan, Sucralose,        
     Acesulfame, Potassium, Vitamin A Palmitate, and Vitamin D3

If that all sounds scary to you, then you should send your mother an angry text message before reading on because what I just listed there are the ingredients found in milk. That's right, the same chemicals that your parents force fed you as a baby. I'm not quite sure where the origin of this fear for chemicals came from, but I think what people mean by chemicals is pharmaceuticals. If that's the case, then I can see the argument. But it's because of blurred lines that we've arrived to the point where "chemicals" just means bad stuff. Everything is made out of chemicals, so don't be so quick to dismiss something just because someone told you that it's a chemical.

Mmm, Tricalcium Phosphate 

2. Squats are bad for the knees

Truth be told, the reverse is actually true. NOT squatting is bad for your knees. And really, the issue isn't with the exercise, it's with improper form. Which can be said about anything mechanical you do with your body. Seriously, try getting out of bed without bending your knees or only using your arms. That would be bad form. Any exercise (or movement) when improperly executed is a dangerous one and the reason people get hurt when they squat is because they try and pack on more weight on the bar than they can handle, have improper form, or are not flexible enough (yet) to execute it. There are dudes squatting 700lbs and somehow they are not wheel-chair bound.

Looks like the dude can walk just fine to me!

3. Stretching before a workout is bad for your joints

This one is a pretty heavily contested issue in the sports world. In my experiences, doing dynamic (moving around) and static (paused, holding a stretch) stretching before a workout actually increases my range of motion during an exercise. The critique is often that when you are not warmed up and begin to stretch, the muscle/joint will tweak and you'll hurt yourself. This is very true in fact that going from a state of inactivity to stretching can irritate or even injure you. The solution to this however is to warm up. Routine can go: 5 minute cardiovascular work, 2 minutes dynamic stretching, 15 minutes deep/static stretching, then weight-lift. You'll feel a lot better and find your range of motion dramatically increased. Doing so over time will grant you flexibility that pays off big time in the weightroom.

Mr. Olympia Competitor Kai Greene certainly takes advantage of stretching for flexibility

4. Fats make you fat

Fats do not make you fat. Eating healthy fats promotes good blood flow, is anti-inflammatory and actually has cognitive (your head muscle) benefits. Behind carbohydrates, fats are actually the second easiest of the macronutrients (carbs, protein, fats) to be converted into energy (which is good in case you wanna, you know, do stuff). You get fat by eating more calories than you burn. 1 pound of body fat is made from 3500 excess calories. Therefore, if you eat roughly 500 more calories in a day than you burn off, you'll be gaining 1 pound a week. This is how you get fat. Leave the fats out of it.


5. Doing a million sit ups will give you abs

Abs are made in the kitchen. Simple as that. While training your core and abdominal will build mass and give you strength, if your body fat % is too high then they just won't show. This is tied to the above myth. It's why really skinny guys can have a 6 pack and dudes like Bill Kazmaier (below) - who was a strongman competitor - do not.

Behold! The muscle gut! 

6. I'm a girl and lifting heavy weights will make me bulky like the Lost Batman

This one is a shame and I feel for you ladies. There aren't a whole lot of girls that I know that want to have massive shoulders, wide backs, massive arms and a muscle gut like our friend Bill above. Thankfully for most of you, there are a bunch of physiological differences for women that aren't necessarily nurturing of the Schwarzenegger look. One of which is testosterone. Female bodybuilders (the really really really big ones) take testosterone and human growth hormone boosters to get that big. Naturally, the female body typically does not produce even CLOSE to the amount of testosterone needed to develop muscles that are huge and clunky and monster-like. Instead, lifting heavy weights will make you 1) Harder 2) Better 3) Faster 4) Stronger. Strong is sexy, ladies. Don't be afraid to build power and explosiveness while toning up by pulling heavy weight

Unfortunately, the form isn't the greatest in the world, but it still delivers the same message I'm trying to. You can lift heavy weight and not be bulky. You go girl!

These are my sincere conclusions and insight into these topics. Of course, I would love to support my claims with evidence if asked of me but in the end you must realize that these are MY thoughts and I would never claim to be an expert on the subject or some sort of information wizard (although I am pretty dang good). Open to debate and discussion! 

Workouts For Burning Fat and Gaining Muscle; Diary of a Fat Kid (Part 1)

As a quick disclaiming statement: I use a pretty harsh tongue about some issues including obesity, self-disrespect, pity and indulgence in this post. Although I  may come off as overly critical and cruel, this is a very sincere reflection of experiences I have had with battling weight and delusion for a pretty difficult time in my teens.
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A lot of what my posts are going to be about will reflect my philosophies about working out and more importantly: training. Firstly, there is not a distinct method of training or workout style that I personally view as supreme or even my favourite. I respect all disciplines whether it's bodybuilding, powerlifting, athletics, general fitness, or whatever. What I get most excited about is using the body and seeing just how much it can improve day-by-day. Testing the limits that you are capable of reaching and then breaking past what you thought was possible is an event so gratifying and powerful that it is often electric. Those of you who have set fitness goals and achieved them know exactly what I mean.

This improvement is not just physical for me. When I first started working out I was a bucket of lard. Weighing in at 275lbs at the start of my senior year in high school, I reached a breaking point where I told myself that living that way was just not an option anymore. I was done telling myself that I was an athletic fat guy or that my genetics were to blame for my appearance. These were just lies that I used to try and mask my laziness and fear to commit.

Ask me 5 years ago what I see in this picture? I'd say a worthless, volatile human being.

The fear to commit is a very real phobia. When you're that out of shape and you feel as disgusting as I did on a daily basis, you're essentially in a state of constant vulnerability. Sure you can try and mentally train yourself to ignore the fear of rejection - tell yourself that you're beautiful on the inside and that's all that matters. I did that and sometimes it worked. The lies made me feel less vulnerable for a stretch of time. I had been able to develop a comfort zone where I was content being as obese as I was where any infraction on my comfort zone only lasted a few minutes before I found peace in the lies again. These infractions were very simple and happened semi-frequently throughout a normal day.

Standing up from your seat and seeing it pooled with sweat even though you weren't doing anything strenuous at all was an infraction on my comfort zone I faced more than a couple times a day. It really is embarrassing and I would pray to god that no one else sitting near me noticed the sweat on my seat. Or the hope that no one dared have a conversation with me while we were walking up a flight of stairs - breathing was hard enough. Or being the guy who didn't do grade 9 gym because it was co-ed and got butterflies in the stomach every time the grade 10 all-boys gym class interacted with the grade 10 all-girls gym class. Being too afraid to talk to the girl you like because you know you're nothing but an instant rejection waiting to happen.

Of course, those infractions may not be as simple as I first mentioned. There clearly is a range of embarrassing elements to hating your body. And I use the word hate very carefully here. It really was hate. I speculate that people who never hit rock-bottom about their body image may find it hard to understand such a silly concept. How could you hate your own body? Believe me, it's possible. I would tell myself: man, if I wasn't so fat I would be the most popular kid in the school.; Look at that guy over there! He sucks. If I had a body like his I would get every single girl in my grade lining up to be my girlfriend.; People only like me because they need a fat guy in the group. Every group of friends needs a punchline and I'm a self-bullying fat kid; You're going to die alone. No one could ever love you. How could somebody love you if you don't even love yourself?; Don't bother trying to achieve anything, fatass. You've failed so many times before at losing weight, what makes you think you can accomplish anything real in your life?; You'll be dead by 50.; I wonder what my toes look like?

That last line was a joke but still serious. I could not look down in a natural position and see my toes (or my manhood) until halfway through grade 12.

These are all very real and just one person's experience of hating their body. And hate is one of those emotions that transcend what it means to be an emotion. Feeling joy or gloomy or bitter or mad is very non-threatening to your self-respect or the state of your mental stability. Hate consumes you. A lot of days, the only thing I could think about was how disgusting everybody probably thought I was. I would starve myself for a day and then pig-out the next. I had no idea what I was doing and all that I knew was that my shirt size was XXL and my pant size was 44 inches (and that was without needing a belt).

This was my breaking point.

This is when I started researching. Reading. Watching videos. Buying weird foods (tofu anyone?). I didn't know what the hell I was doing but all I knew was that something had to be done. I started working out twice a day. An hour before school and an hour and a half afterwards. My weightlifting technique was wrong for just about every lift and I had zero coordination necessary for a treadmill but goddammit I put all my effort into it. I still have nagging injuries from all the rookie mistakes I made by putting more effort into my exercising than I did brains. But I'm so much better now because of it. It wasn't the right way to do it by any means but it was something. I had tried and given up so many times before but not this time. This time was different. This time I had hate and I realized this hate.

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This is one of the few times I'll probably pause from an abstract conversation and be more practical, but if you're overweight like I was - the scale is your enemy. If you check that thing day to day or even week to week, you're guaranteeing your own heartbreak. After I decided to change my life, I waited 3 months before checking the scale and it was at this time that the number I saw in front of me was 35lbs less than what I started out with. Focusing on doing the right thing, eating the right thing, following a reasonable set of lifestyle changes will allow the results to come and the weight to drop.
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These are my experiences but as a human being, I am not just the sum of my individual parts. I am greater than this. Everybody is. This was a very difficult understanding for me to come to and it was only after I had a birth, rebirth, and death of my ego did I realize that my weight - just like any other part of me - was not something to identify myself by. However, this does not mean that I am immune to improvement. Nobody is. Conversations about fat-shaming and loving your body can only extend so far before the serious question must be asked: am I healthy? And this question is only partly directed towards your physical body. Some of the most able-bodied people I know suffer from afflictions that move beyond a muscular frame and an impressive exercise routine. Mental and spiritual health are just as important. Ignore any one of these 3 important parts of what you are and you find yourself sick and lacking. This is what training helped me realize. It was through exercising my body, reaching goals but still not seeing the results I wanted mentally and spiritually that I realized fitness can only go so far. But this conversation is better left for part 2 of this post.

I conclude this with the sentiment that I could not have achieved what I did without help. It was friends and family that supported me and my journey that are to thank for my accomplishment. I encourage everyone to take the first step in identifying what issue they have that might be affecting their health. But more-so, I encourage everyone to try and help other people find theirs. A little support and encouragement can go a very long way to inspire someone to fix whatever injury, be it bodily or other, may be harming their life.

Extending your hand and grabbing another may be someone's saving grace. Do not hesitate to help someone hanging on by only a thread. The man on the right in the picture above did just that for me and saved a life. You can too.

Why Competition Is Important & You Shouldn't Feel Bad For Losers

No words necessary.

If you live on planet earth chances are you remember seeing the adrenaline junkie depicted above doing the incredible and jumping from space. You laughed, you cried, you cheered, you felt good about humanity for 10 minutes - marveling at what the human spirit is capable of when you set aside fear and embrace challenge. Of course, you liked it, you shared it, you tweeted about it, and like me you might have even set it as your profile picture on Facebook. Although I do not wish to turn this into a  conversation about social media (that's better left for another day), I do wish to talk about how this jump was possible.

What's the first thing you notice in this picture after the surreal placement of a single man hovering above the Earth? Is it the glow of sapphire blue you see in the distance hugging the edge of the planet? Is it the somewhat emptiness and vastness of space that you know surrounds this man? Maybe, but not what I'm getting at.

I see a red bull. I see Red Bull. And it's slapped all over this man for a good reason.

The power of sponsorship is one you really don't understand until you think about it. Money talks in our society and unless someone is willing to fork over the cash to fund a project (like a skydive from outer space) then it's not going to happen. The moment you accept this is the moment you can start to really dream big.

I'm not here to argue about what is right and wrong or discuss why money should or shouldn't be the primary method by which things get done. This is not a dialogue about politics (directly at least). We are simply going forward with the understanding that money is the fuel for things getting done in the Western, Democratic, Capitalist world in 2013.

Science badass Neil DeGrasse Tyson made a clear distinction between art and science. He said that the difference is that in art: If you don't do it, no one else will. And in science: If you don't do it, someone else will. The example he gives for art is Beethoven's 9th symphony. Creation versus discovery. If he didn't create that music, no one before him or after him would have either. In science, it's different. Science is discovery and if North America doesn't discover something, then Europe will.

Life and living embodies both of these principles to some degree. I argue that being on earth is both creation AND discovery. Firstly, I'll be using Life to be meaning your own individual experiences. Secondly, I will be using Living to be meaning your interaction with other Lifes (that is to say, other people and things in society).

I have spoken to this idea before, but you are the catalyst for everything you experience in Life. If you don't project a positive, successful image of yourself for your future, then it simply won't happen. If you're stuck in the why me, oh god, why me mode, then chances are you will not be able to fish yourself out of that hole. If you have any person you idolize, be it a movie star, singer, writer, scientist, athlete, whatever, you can be absolutely sure that they have always believed that they would get to that point in their lives. This is exactly why if you have a dream, chase it. If you don't have a dream because you're too afraid to think big, then get one. There is nothing easy about this. I know that "getting a dream" isn't as simple as getting up and grabbing one. It takes serious soul searching. Really, it is the most important thing you'll ever do. If you've read my other blog posts, you'll already know that I'm not a big fan of blindly accepting goals and values people put on you to shape what you want to do. Sometimes what you actually want to do fits in with the standard and that's okay. Just don't lie to yourself. Because if you don't take charge of your own life, shape what matters most to you, dream big and persist after what you love, then no one will take charge for you and help you realize your dream. If you don't do it, no one else will. That's creation. Dreaming is creation. Dreaming is art. Your life is art.

Brilliant clip from Pursuit of Happyness (2006). Protect your dreams.

Here's where competition and that initial spiel about money and sponsors and space-jumping comes into play. Living. If having a dream and creating your Life is the why, then competition is the how. This is where your being experiences science. This is discovery. In the business world, an entrepreneur is fueled by a vision but will only last as long as his competitive edge allows him to. Competition is the reason everybody prefers the iPad over the Sony Tablet. Competition is the reason you can buy cheaper doesn't always mean better, or pricey doesn't always mean best. Competition is how you live or die in the real world.

A lot of people confuse competition with being evil or corrupt or greedy. A lot of people can and sometimes are right. But these are not synonyms for competition. It's what happens when people forget the why and focus solely on the how. And those types of people are exactly why there is such an irrational and blind hate towards rich and successful people. How many people reading this would hate to be rich or successful? None I'm sure. And how many people reading this would be convinced that they would be the outlier? If you won a million dollars today, I guarantee that you still wouldn't fit yourself in with those "greedy", "evil", "corrupt" other millionaires, would you? You wouldn't. And that's because you haven't been detached from your initial dream yet (assuming you have formed one since reading the last paragraph).

For simplicity sake, we'll use 2 examples of rich and successful people. One will be used to demonstrate what people think about when they think rich, successful, greedy, evil, corrupt billionaire and the other will be the prime example of someone who has not yet lost their why. First, you have a person obsessed with money. So much so to the point that their end goal isn't boats, mansions, jewelry, fame, or any other luxury - it's money. That's their motivation and their passion and they're willing to do anything to obtain it. This type of person is most competitive but least fulfilled. They have no why, only how. And this is the type of person that the internet labels the "1%" and are evil and corrupt and whatever. We hate them because we know we wouldn't be as corrupt if we had their resources - or at least we think so. This is fine and dandy and you can believe this as much as you want if it helps you reject the idea of competition. If you feel that you don't want to accept current cultural hows then by all means hold on to the fantasy that success and evil are necessarily paired together. Or, you could look at example 2.

This adorable nerd.

Bill Gates is everything any person who wants to be successful should hope to emulate. This guy had a dream and he protected it. He followed it and did everything necessary to realize it. He took his why, mastered the how, and achieved the what. Before I explain the what, I'll talk more about the 4-eyed bowl-cut for a minute. That melvin above is probably the most recognized billionaire on the planet. It doesn't matter who you say "Bill Gates" to, they know exactly who you're talking about. The man made computers part of the culture. I'd even go as far to say that the man is the father of our current culture. You can throw a rock anywhere in North America in any direction and be damn sure it lands within 30 feet of a computer. What did this man do with his billions? It's one Google search away, but his philanthropy is really his trademark that you should takeaway from his riches and success. For example, he's got this list of billionaire buddies that he made sign a document saying that a large portion of their wealth gets donated to less fortunate peoples as soon as they die. The man has donated over $30 billion (thats billion with a BIG B) to charity and has his own set up charity which would take an entire novel-length of talk about (so here's a link to the wikipedia page instead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation).

Point is, Bill Gates has evolved his why. That's the cool thing about your dream. It doesn't have to be an achievement. In fact, his how helped him discover what his why actually was all this time - helping people. If it was to make computers, his why was done before he made a single penny. If his why was being rich, he would have stopped working once he made a million. His science helped him discover the true creation within him and that's helping people. Simple enough, right? Helping people should be the route of everyone's why.  Bill Gates found purpose in his Life and it stemmed directly from his why. Yours doesn't have to be on the global scale like Bill Gates, but it has to positively affect the people you love. This is that what I talked about earlier. The what is finding purpose in your time on earth. 

And the what can only be achieved with equal focus on the why and the how. Equal effort put into art and science. Equal passion for Life and for Living. 

To say everything I have to say about this conversation would take up much more space than a blog post should, but above is a brief of what needs to be said about competition and why you should accept the challenge of competing with the world. It may be your only chance to help it.

And what of those who try and fail? Well, to all you losers out there I give you a big thank you. I give you a hug and a kiss. I envy you for you have lived a life far more significant and important than many people will. You have discovered your why, embraced the how and fell victim to whatever obstacle came your way. But it is because of you that people who succeed in their what truly appreciate and understand what they have accomplished. And through them, you find meaning and significance. You have found purpose. Your why is truly revealed. Your failure has bred victory and you are just as important in someone else's achievement as they are. Without you, we all fail. Without someone coming in second place, there is no first place. Without you, there is no reason to try. And when the people in first place get old and reflect on their "accomplishments" and all the money they saw and all the prizes they won, they'll realize that their dream wasn't the finish-line. Their dream was the race. 

And you ran that race with them. Thank you.