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Motivation, it's not what you're thinking...

2K views 14 replies 13 participants last post by  ImmenselyASD 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am willing to bet on what I'm about to share with the forum, and to back me up and fully support the finer details of my message to you, I present to you just few of the Champions that I see on UK-Muscle. In no particular order, (and a very incomplete list at best)..., here they are:

@Pscarb @Chelsea @swole troll@Keeks @ellis.ben @RS86 @FelonE @Jakemaguire @Stephen9069 @DarthMaulscle @tof89 @Ross1991 @Robbie @Dead lee @sen @Mingster @herc @karbonk @Quackerz @Sphinkter

Every single one of the above 20 warriors, has both the motivation and the discipline, and that's a given. It is what they lack, that truly separates them from being another face in the crowd. Before I tell you what these Champions lack, and for the benefit of anyone wanting to know what is/and what is the difference between both motivation and discipline, I say this. My definition is based on my own personal experience of yesteryears, and I'll give it to you in simple plain English.

Motivation is having that ability, that drive, to get your butt off of the couch and into the gym. Discipline however, is having that same exact ability, except here, you get your butt off the couch irrespective whether you feel like it or not. And at times, it's exactly those times, when you think you're just not up to it, because the bub kept you awake the night before, or because you've skimped on a meal here or there..., only to go to the gym and seriously smash it, and surprise the hell out of yourself in the process!

OK, now to our "secret", this secret that all Champions lack, as if it is genetically encoded in all of them. In a word: hesitation!

That's it, no fanfare, no frills, and no bells and whistles here, just good old plain hesitation, that's exactly what they all lack. You see, before getting your shoulders under that 500lbs squat bar, or grabbing onto that 600lbs deadlift bar, there is a race going on behind the scene, to be exact, it's a race that takes place between you and your brain. Your brain's main role is to keep you alive, to help you survive, and possibly avoid all life's stresses, (including the shifting of all those tons of weights around). You on the other hand, want to lift, as that's what really drives you and keeps you alive as apposed to merely existing. You, (the Champion), do not think, because to think (as the brain would love you to do), would mean to hesitate for just few seconds, and since Champions lack the element of hesitation, they just dive in and go for the kill, i.e. conquering/mastering the lift, before the brain even gets its chance to blink, and come out with all sorts of negative excuses of why you should or shouldn't attempt the inevitable that is before you, so to speak.

So in a nutshell then, all the Champions have a good command of both motivation and discipline, and both of these elements, (in case anyone didn't know), both of these live in the yesterday and never in the moment or the now. What lives in the now is do or don't do, commit or hesitate. And that in my opinion, is what truly separates the Champion from the wanna be.

Thanks for giving me some of your time, I appreciate it.

Fadi.
 
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#2 ·
Always a privilege and very humbling to be mentioned in any post on Ukm. As I've said before I don't consider myself a "beast" or champion in any way, shape or form. I just can't stand the possibility and literally loose sleep over the thought of anybody out there working harder than me! :D It's all or nothing for me. Always has been.

#RideOrDie
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am willing to bet on what I'm about to share with the forum, and to back me up and fully support the finer details of my message to you, I present to you just few of the Champions that I see on UK-Muscle. In no particular order, (and a very incomplete list at best)..., here they are:

@Pscarb @Chelsea @swole troll@Keeks @ellis.ben @RS86 @FelonE @Jakemaguire @Stephen9069 @DarthMaulscle @tof89

Every single one of the above has both the motivation and the discipline, and that's a given. It is what they lack, that truly separates them from being another face in the crowd. Before I tell you what these Champions lack, and for the benefit of anyone wanting to know what is/and what is the difference between both motivation and discipline, I say this. My definition is based on my own personal experience of yesteryears, and I'll give it to you in simple plain English.

Motivation is having that ability, that drive, to get your butt off of the couch and into the gym. Discipline however, is having that same exact ability, except here, you get your butt off the couch irrespective whether you feel like it or not. And at times, it's exactly those times, when you think you're just not up to it, because the bub kept you awake the night before, or because you've skimped on a meal here or there..., only to go to the gym and seriously smash it, and surprise the hell out of yourself in the process!

OK, now to our "secret", this secret that all Champions lack, as if it is genetically encoded in all of them. In a word: hesitation!

That's it, no fanfare, no frills, and no bells and whistles here, just good old plain hesitation, that's exactly what they all lack. You see, before getting your shoulders under that 500lbs squat bar, or grabbing onto that 600lbs deadlift bar, there is a race going on behind the scene, to be exact, it's a race that takes place between you and your brain. Your brain's main role is to keep you alive, to help you survive, and possibly avoid all life's stresses, (including the shifting of all those tons of weights around). You on the other hand, want to lift, as that's what really drives you and keeps you alive as apposed to merely existing. You, (the Champion), do not think, because to think (as the brain would love you to do), would mean to hesitate for just few seconds, and since Champions lack the element of hesitation, they just dive in and go for the kill, i.e. conquering/mastering the lift, before the brain even gets its chance to blink, and come out with all sorts of negative excuses of why you should or shouldn't attempt the inevitable that is before you, so to speak.

So in a nutshell then, all the Champions have a good command of both motivation and discipline, and both of these elements, (in case anyone didn't know), both of these live in the yesterday and never in the moment or the now. What lives in the now is do or don't do, commit or hesitate. And that in my opinion, is what truly separates the Champion from the wanna be.

Thanks for giving me some of your time, I appreciate it.

Fadi.
Thanks fadi! Hopefully I'll do something impressive soon!
 
#7 ·
Thanks @Fadi65

Really appreciate your input on the board and your readiness to offer up opinions and support to others. You have a wealth of knowledge and experience and I'm glad you share this.

Motivation has been waning a bit for me last week or so but it's just temporary while I address this shoulder issue, then I can get back to setting and smashing goals
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
As Always a very interesting post Fadi.

I consider myself to have a good discipline but to be fully honest I was always an insecure guy and not the most courageous guy out there.

Sometimes, I have the courage to go under the bar without thinking but I sometimes, well often to be honest, fear the bar and feel that I can injure or that I'm not gonna lift it.

Your post make me understand that too try to emulate the people you quoted and trying to achieve their strength and physique, I must be willing to hesitate and fear less.

Courage has never been my best quality but with time I acquire some and must pursue this as you point out that discipline and hard work are not sufficient on themselves and that you need this little extra to perform on a very good level.

You are really a chance for this forum imho, always willing to help out and your posts are always on point and provide good advice.
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
Sometimes, I have the courage to go under the bar without thinking but I sometimes, well often to be honest, fear the bar and feel that I can injure or that I'm not gonna lift it.
Fear you say. I'm so glad you know what fear is, and I'm also glad that you still have it. My dear young man, (who I believe one day will most certainly be a courageous Champion)..., without fear courage cannot exist, for truly I tell you, courage is not the absence of fear oh no, it is the ability to act in the presence of fear. The more often you act (go under that bar), the better you get at it. Courage is very much like a muscle really..., we strengthen it by using it.

How can I be so confident that one day soon, you will overcome these fears, these moments of hesitations..., how can I be so confident in my words to you? I can, I can because I see a young man who has proven to me that he is not merely interested, but one who has the seed of passion. And I know deep down, that passion is the oxygen of courage, for as passion lights up the way, courage appears. If you look at the one waiting by the roadside, you'd be sure to find passion waiting for courage to catch up.

I admire your passion. There's no higher attribute I am able to ascribe to you than that... Champion!

Fadi.
 
#15 ·
Unfortunately motivation can also have catastrophic effects as well: I was so desperate to achieve a significant level of strength, such as: deadlifting over 350kg+ and benching 200kg plus and eventually competing. I failed to recognize the effects it has put on my family, friends and relationships I've had and even screwing up at work, due to my burning desire to achieve a plastic trophy which put me in mental health services and might never fully recover.

I think competing naturally and living a holistic life of sport is best, unless you have the genetics to be world class and be remembered in the history books. Is the reward of even competing at national level worth the strain psychologically, physically and has an effect on other areas of life? I guess the answer to that is individualistic.
 
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