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Unnecessary to Prepare for The Worst Mentally

Why It’s Unnecessary to Prepare The Mind for The Worst

It has been said that we should hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  But is this advice really useful?  Anyone who has been alive on this planet for an appreciable amount of time knows that things don’t always turn out as planned.  And perhaps it’s prudent to have a backup plan in certain scenarios where not having one could result in a true catastrophe or injury of some sort.  But constantly considering all that might go wrong in a given situation just to prevent a let down or disappointment is counter-productive.  It’s unnecessary to prepare for the worst mentally.

Despite my own share of synchronicity in life, I don’t necessarily believe in manifestation as some sort of magical occurrence so much as a mindset that is more likely to result in positive action towards creating the results I want.  I’m not content to sit back, imagine what I want, and wait for things to happen for me.  Because it has also been said that fortune favors the bold, and on some level synchronicity happens more frequently from taking action more often.

And since I believe in taking action, I also believe in taking steps towards making the best happen, not just hoping for it to happen.  And I certainly don’t see any point in preparing for the worst.  Especially mentally.  Again, it’s always good to have a spare tire in the trunk, but why waste energy thinking about popping a flat while flying down the highway?  We’ll react accordingly if that happens whether we’ve thought about it or not.  The intelligence of the body and nervous system act more quickly than the mind in an emergency anyhow.  And not thinking about it saves pointless stress.  Negative thoughts also come across in our body language and the way we present ourselves.  That can potentially sabotage our outcomes and efforts, especially when dealing with other humans who pick up on these things.

Positive and productive action happens seamlessly when approached from a positive and confident mindset.  Imagining all that could go wrong is self-defeating and creates doubt.  Doubt drains energy.  Thoughts about great results build energy and excitement.  Worry destroys a productive mindset and the focus necessary to accomplish great things.  Excitement creates a mindset of accomplishment and success.  Choose thoughts of victory.  Crush thoughts of defeat.  Or even better, see them for what they are, acknowledge they aren’t real, and let them fade away.  Realize that mindset is a choice, and place emphasis on the right thoughts.  There is no excuse to wallow in anything negative.

And let’s just say thoughts really do manifest magically.  Having any thoughts about the worst…is the worst way for a person to spend their mental energy.  And what a ridiculous way to bring about poor results.

If the worst does ultimately happen, so be it.  That’s life.  Move on to the next thing and continue to only think about the best.  That’s all for now.

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The Barbell of Truth

The Barbell of Truth

When a person thinks of squats and deadlifts, it’s only natural to envision enormous maniacs covered in chalk, sniffing ammonia, slapping each other in the face, and yelling at inanimate pieces of iron before they attempt personal bests.  Lifting weights that could crush a man isn’t for the faint of heart and certainly isn’t the norm.  But I’d argue that it’s shortsighted to overlook the more cerebral side of lifting heavy barbells and write it off to the realm of the physical.  Let’s talk about the barbell of truth.

Yes, heavy lifting is an endeavor based around brute strength, but at the risk of getting touchy feely let’s not forget the mental and emotional side of brutal training cycles, and testing oneself against ever increasing weight.

I’ll explain what got me thinking about this.

I recently finished the book Spiritual Warfare by Jed McKenna.  It was definitely one of my all-time favorite spiritual reads.  Though in a sense I hesitate to even refer to it as spiritual due the many connotations and associations that come with that word.  The book contains several sections that explain exactly why most spiritual teachings and enlightenment gurus are focused on nothing more than ego-gratifying distractions for the sake of profit.  They don’t force a person to confront their demons or the specter of death, but instead allow a person to feel righteous and warm-and-fuzzy without having to do any real work on themselves.  Just sit cross legged and recite some mantras, and one can feign enlightenment without having to face the hard truths of this existence.  No radical or painful change is required when a person can simply read the right books from the right “experts” and say the right things as they continue down a path of self-deceit.

Instead, McKenna argues for pure, unadulterated, ego-smashing truth-realization over simple beliefs that sound nice.  That’s the most effective way of actually becoming enlightened.  Seeing things for what they really are and acknowledging the reality of death.

The Enlightened Meathead

This got me thinking honestly about many aspects of my life.  Are there any areas where I’m deluding myself and missing truths that should be obvious?  And I also started thinking about the time I dedicate to barbell lifting each week because it’s something I’ve always placed a lot of value and focus on.  Is it a distraction from the truth in any way?  Is my fierce dedication to training holding me back in any way?  It seemed worth asking the question since I put it before other things in my life.

In the spirit of McKenna’s approach to sorting these questions out, I decided to simply go out to the garage, put some weight on the bar, and think objectively about the process to decide for myself.  And something became apparent to me.  The barbell never lies.  400 lbs. is 400 lbs.  No amount of mental gymnastics or spiritual guru teachings can change that.

And in this way it’s a great endeavor for keeping a person grounded in truth.  Unlike the world of ego-soothing mantras and meditations, the barbell never fails to show a person exactly where they’re at.  There’s no subjectivity, and the weight doesn’t care about anybody’s feelings.  It’s 100% pure reality, and a lifter either got stronger since last week or they didn’t.  This is similar to the dynamic of learning how things work.  An electronic gizmo either functions or it doesn’t.  Truths that can’t be denied.

Furthermore, adding weight to the bar every week gets mentally stressful.  As a person starts approaching their natural limits, they might question their ability to continue progressing.  But there is something mentally fortifying about doing things that are very difficult and facing potential failure.  By doing that on a regular basis, one builds mental strength.  There are other avenues of accomplishing the same thing, but the barbell always works.

So consider that heavy lifting isn’t just an endeavor for mindless meatheads.  It has plenty to offer from a mental strength and spiritual perspective as well.  Not to mention the many health and physical performance benefits.

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Mute the Commercials

Generally speaking, I don’t think a whole lot of good comes from watching TV.  There are many better things to do besides watching the boob tube.  For instance, read about something, get some exercise, go into nature, go out into public and talk to a stranger, work on a project, or learn how something works.

That said, there are times when it’s nice to watch a sporting event or educational show to relax or learn something.  I personally avoid all sitcoms, news, awards shows, or anything else with a strong political or cultural agenda behind it.  But even during the college football game of the week, one will be subjected to an onslaught of commercials.

Commercials are intended to sell, and they often do so by subconsciously creating a feeling of lack and then offering a product as a solution to make a person whole again.  These days they also appeal to many peoples’ sense of altruism and self righteousness with contrived images and messages of equality and tolerance.  They also tend to jump from image to image in rapid succession which isn’t great for a person’s attention span.  And they are often very high volume and noisy to capture one’s attention.

None of it is real and so I don’t want it to be a part of my subconscious landscape, shaping the way I see the world.  We absorb everything we’re exposed to.  So when I choose to watch TV, at commercials breaks I hit the mute button on the remote and pick up a book or something else to look at because I don’t want the visual images either.

It’s a bit extreme perhaps, and takes a lot of conscious attention to stay on top of, but I notice something when I’m diligent about it.  I can watch a program of some sort and not feel my energy drop.  I don’t turn off the TV feeling depressed or unfulfilled from the subconscious messaging that my life would be better if only I had a BMW, or a huge group of best friends who all drank Coors Light to become the life of the party, or a perfect family of four bubbling over with excitement for take out pizza with extra cheese inside the crust.

We are the sum of the small experiences we have every day.  So to me it makes no sense to let television commercials be part of that equation.  Especially not on a regular basis.  They’re fairly toxic for the mind and soul and rob a person of a little bit of their independent mind.  So next time you turn on the TV, try muting the commercials to see if you notice a difference.

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I’ll Squat Until The Day I Die

Studies have shown that the strength of major muscle groups has an inverse relationship with mortality in men of all ages.  Furthermore, resistance training has the potential to increase bone density.  Add to that the likelihood that a strong person will generally be more independent and be able to engage in more of the physical activities they love for longer, and why would anyone ever stop lifting weights?

Sure, a person who squats 400 lbs when they’re young isn’t going to squat 400 lbs at 80 years old.  But if they can still squat 100 lbs or more at 80 years old they will be far better off than if they’d simply allowed entropy to set in and accepted that growing old means getting weak and frail.

And I know strength at 80 is possible.  When I went to the gym in my teens, there was an elderly gentleman there who came in regularly and did squats.  I can’t recall the exact weight he used, but I know there were 45 lb plates on either side of the barbell at the very least.  I don’t recall that he was squatting ass to grass, but he was at least getting close to parallel.  And this guy was well into his seventies if not older.  He didn’t spend a lot of time in the gym, but I remember him squatting regularly.  And he would do some dumbbell shoulder presses, etc., after squatting.  He stuck to the basic movements and they worked.

I had a lot of respect for that old guy and will never forget him.  He was a role model with his actions and showed that a man doesn’t have to wither away with age.  He wasn’t hugely muscular by any means, but he had strength and was perfectly mobile.  He didn’t hobble around at all (which proves that part of balance is strength).  And he still had a bit of thickness to him that showed he wasn’t weak.

He just kept going to the gym.  He didn’t stop so he kept his strength.

Also, my grandfather and my 80 year old uncle both experienced quick declines in health due to falls.  This is so common with the elderly.  And my granddad broke his hip when he fell.  He was a big strong man when he was younger and he fought in WWII.  But in his old age he got frail and gravity had its way with him in the end.  There isn’t any guarantee that squats will prevent a fall or injury.  But if one’s legs are stronger and bones are denser, at least the odds are in their favor that they’ll be less likely to fall.  And if they do fall they’re less likely to break any bones.  I’ll take the better odds. So my personal plan is to get as strong as I can while I’m still young, and then maintain it for as long as I can.  I plan to squat until I die.  Even if I’m just squatting the bar.

Of course, this isn’t meant to put down the elderly who do grow old and frail.  Honestly, most of society doesn’t even know any better.  And the vast majority of people never strength train in their youth, let alone old age.  Unfortunately it’s just not that common despite the benefits.  But for those in the know, why not plan for personal independence when older.  Why not expect to still be able to hike, or bike, or even get up off of the ground with relative ease.  Maybe that’s easier said than done, but I’m going to try and test the thesis that it’s possible.  And I’ve seen it before.  More than once.