Weightlifting as a metaphor for life
I've always enjoyed weightlifting as a good metaphor for life.
So does Henry Rollins, it seems.
It's a great metaphor for our work, too.
I'm butchering a beautiful quote by James Clear, here...
But if you step under a bar loaded with 2,000 lbs, you'll be crushed.
Though, if it's only loaded with 20 lbs, you won't get stronger.
The key is to push a tiny amount beyond your current capacity.
An amount that's sustainable, that you can keep "adding to the bar".
Chances are, this is 4% or less.
(Probably more like 2, if we're talking actual, non-metaphorical lifting.)
My gym happens to be a Crossfit gym.
And whilst I'm not a "Crossfitter", I've observed the sport over the decades.
And, it's gotten pretty bloody popular.
Yip. It gets you jacked if you go 'all in' on it.
But that's more of a side effect.
Plus, 95% of people don't go 'all in'.
They don't try to compete in the games, etc.
In general, Crossfit gyms don't even have mirrors in them.
i.e It's about the process. It's about putting in the work. Not vanity metrics.
But the work is savage. So…
What keeps people coming back?
Here are my thoughts:
-Community.
You go through hell. But you go through hell together.
Anyone who's served in the armed forces can attest to this.
*It helps people to form strong bonds.
-Shared Endorphin and Serotonin Highs.
Serotonin and Endorphins are harder to trigger than Dopamine.
But the positive feelings they create are deeper and last longer.
They are like a long burning log.
Compared with dopamine, which is more like kindling.
It burns bright and fast. Then the fire goes out.
*Short-term pains for long-term gains
-Competing against yourself. But with other people around you doing the same, to motivate you.
i.e. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not who someone else is today
*A culture of getting better, and helping others to, too. Lifting yourself, and others up, every time you set foot in the gym
-Consistent skill progression and cross-pollination
Crossfit isn't about lifting as much as you can, or getting as "huge" as you can.
It isn't about getting as ripped as you can.
It is about becoming your definition of “me as an ultimate athlete”.
These peeps can deadlift 300 lbs one minute, and run a single-digit minute-mile the next, all while being able to walk on their hands and squat “ass to the grass” on one leg.
They are bonkers humans.
Every time you set foot in the gym you are working for a tangible improvement on the last session's skills.
This has depth. It isn't shallow.
You aren't gunning for that ever-elusive "six pack" or "enviable glutes".
*It’s intrinsically motivated. Not extrinsically.
So, where's the metaphor for life?
Open wide. Here comes the airplane.
01
In life, we find happiness in
+ Strong, meaningful relationships. With our loved ones. With a community in which we are valued members. With our work. With ourselves.
+ The right balance of the unfamiliar and challenging… and the familiar and comfortable.
02
We find contentment in responsibility.
Because in responsibility, we find meaning.
The person who works like a dog all-day…
Using their skills and strengths to overcome challenges...
In service to something greater than themselves…
Goes to bed exhausted. They fall asleep fast.
They do not spend hours tossing and turning, tormented by existential dread.
We must choose a load we're willing to lift and lift it every day.
This is perhaps one of the great 'cheat codes’ of life.
It allows us to say to ourselves, with integrity:
"Well, people might think I'm dreadfully useless. But I at least did that".
-
Also, AI is fucking mental.
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