You are Your Worst Enemy

People have been asking me why am I doing all this diet-exercise-challenge stuff.

The answer is not to look better or to be healthier. The philosophy is similar to Celibacy in Buddhism, Temperance in Stoicism or fasting in Islam: the human experience is a constant struggle between desire and rationality, and self-control is needed to achieve the ideal form.

The life of a man is a constant inner fight. The fates smile upon those who win the fight against themselves.

I woke up at 6 AM today. It was still dark outside and I came up with 1,000 excuses not to go to the gym.

• I am only in town for 3 weeks and a monthly membership isn’t worth it;
• It’s too cold outside;
• It’s too dark;
• I can start tomorrow instead;
• Etc.

It took a great effort to get myself out of the bed. But after going through all the struggles it turned out that the gym was closed and I ended up in the middle of a dark cold street and had to go home to shower.

But going back I saw another gym a few blocks away that was open that early. I couldn’t find it on Google because it was brand new. The membership was half the price and the equipment was better.

An example of an instant reward that empowers to continue exercising willpower.

Start taking control of your life and it will start sending good things your way. I promise.

“You can never conquer the mountain. You can only conquer yourself.” — Jim Whittaker