Values Of A Champion

“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made
from something they have deep inside them:
A desire, a dream, a vision.”
-Muhammad Ali
“When your values are clear to you,
making decisions becomes easier.”
-Roy Oliver Disney

So you would like to pack on pounds of rock-solid mass! That’s your desire… your ambition…your vision. You sit at that place and merely imagine what it would be like to look as tough as Ali, as solid as Frank Zane, or as Herculean as Steve Reeves… or whoever it is you look up to.

“Oh how different my life would be if only I could look like that!” You may question. “All the women would want me then. I’d be rich, famous, and cool. I would be the envy of all men and ultimately gain the respect and admiration that I truly deserve.”

“Too bad my genetics suck, I have always been scrawny.”

“If only I was younger/older/richer and had the time to dedicate to training.”

“I have tried everything and still can’t gain an ounce of muscle”

“Oh yeah, and you have to take steroids to look like those guys.”

“I eat heaps of food and still can’t grow. It’s hard consuming that much food.”

“Nothing I do seems to work for me. I guess I just can not add any muscle.”

“I’m a hardgainer… that’s all there is to it… I give up!”

Well there you go! You know you are right… your genetics do actually suck. You do not have the time at any rate, and likewise, after all, you are a hardgainer. No hardgainer has ever been successful.

There isn’t a chance in **** that you will be able to achieve any significant muscle additions. So yeah, you’re in all probability doing the right thing by throwing in the towel. I mean why waste all of this hard work and effort on something that is completely out of your reach anyway. You gave it a shot and it didn’t work out. Now, you’re merely being realistic.

I mean that is what a CHAMPION would do right?

WRONG!!!!!!!!!

First off, champions do not give up… they might fail to reach a goal or lose a match, but they never give up. They pick themselves up, dust them selves off, learn their lessons and then act accordingly. A champion realizes that there is no such thing as failure until you’ve truly given up. If you never throw in the towel, then each set-back, each problem, or any disappointment you face is simply another lesson… another test of your true character.

Now do not get me wrong, it’s crucial to be honest about what you are able to achieve… if by honest you mean truthful and accurate in your interpretation of reality.

For example, if you’re an ectomorph and training drug free it’s very unrealistic to think you can train and eat to become the size of a modern professional bodybuilder like Jay Cutler.

I call back reading a story about him where he stated that the first time he bench pressed he was able to lift 315 lbs. True or not… I’m not so sure. However, it’s possible though, particularly when you consider that he is a 5’9″ with near-perfect muscle building genetics. Jay commonly weighs 250-280 lbs at contest and 280-320 lbs off season. In addition, it’s almost a given that he’s a lil’ heavy on the juice (and I am not talking fruit juice!) He still worked hard to attain his body though. So I give him credit for what he’s reached.

All is not lost though if you do not have the perfect genetics and want to train naturally. It is important to realize that no matter what your genetics or situation you can still add muscle to your frame. It is not unrealistic to acquire anywhere from 15-75lbs of mass or more… depending on what age you start training and how disciplined you are willing to be. We’ll talk more about this when I get to goal setting. The point I am trying to make is… yes be realistic… but also remember that a champion also has to be somewhat idealistic or optimistic in what they can and will accomplish with their lives.

Remember, as Ali alluded to in the beginning quote, a champion has a dream and a vision in their mind and that dream and vision is so strong, so compelling, and so real to them that they will cease at absolutely nothing until that desire has been completed. You see they have made it real in their minds and so it is only a matter of time prior to it becoming a reality in their touchable world.

Eventually, Champions don’t think self-defeating thoughts like the ones listed above. In all honesty, they may have at some point in their lives, but at that point they weren’t thought of as champions. At some defining instant in their lives, the true champion acknowledges that negative views just work to overcome and restrict you to what you are able to become. It is at that point that they give up the need to think about any additional outcome except for the outcome they want. If a negative thought comes into their mind, they quickly discharge it and substitute it with a positive one.

You must realize that any statement you make to yourself or out loud is an statement to the universe about who you are. Ali did not say “I am okay!” or “I am pretty good!” No, he shouted “I’m the greatest!”

So decide for yourself, right now, what you want to be.

Do you want to be a hardgainer or do you want to be a champion? If you choose to be a champion, then drop the hardgainer mantra and excuses straight off. They’ll simply hold you back from being what you are able to become.

Loose the Hardgainer Delusion Once and For All

What? The hardgainer delusion… Are you trying to say there is no such thing as a hardgainer? After all, this is hardgainermusclebuilding.com. You guys of all people should know about the plight of the hardgainer… our inability to add muscle mass no matter how much we eat… regardless on how hard we workout… no matter how relentlessly we try. How can you call it the hardgainer delusion? I’m not deluded… am I?

Cool off “skinny”…. You’re burning too many calories!

Here is the facts: YES, there are hardgainers and NO, you are not deluding yourself.

Here is an additional truth: NO, there are not hardgainers, and YES, you’re deluding yourself.

Now that I’ve thoroughly baffled you… let me break it down!

Everybody, and by everybody I mean any average joe or jane without some debilitating disease or circumstance, can acquire muscle. Yes, everybody is unique and there are different somatotypes, which cause some people to have more or less difficulty in adding muscular size. For instance, the ectomorph (due to their inherent genetic make-up) has a more challenging time gaining muscle than say the mesomorph or endomorph. So, if there really are hardgainers out there, the ectomorph body type would fill the bill of being a “true” hardgainer.

That being said, it’s not impossible for an ectomorph to quickly acquire muscle mass if they understand the reasons why their genetics are inferior for muscle growth compared to the other somatotypes and take the appropriate measures to defeat those limitations. To put it differently, the ectomorph must train and eat in a way that is congruent with his body type. In doing so, one will prevail over any inherited shortcomings and will be able to create an athletic and muscular physique that maximizes their genetic potential.

There are two problems with using the term hardgainer to define your self. First of all, it can be used as an excuse or blaming mechanism to shift responsibility away from your self. Secondly, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy that will keep you small and weak for life.

Many “normal” people underestimate the dedication, discipline, and hard work that goes into building a champion physique. Combine that with our “we want it yesterday” mindset that is so prevalent in the world today and some people easily become frustrated at their lack of progress.

Rather than accepting responsibility and grasping the fact that their lack of results stem from something (or a lot of things) that they’re either doing (or not doing)… they select to blame their genetics and cry out with desperation… “I must be a hardgainer!” Now they have officially shifted the blame off of themselves and put it on their parents.

In reality, the reason why they aren’t acquiring muscle is related to their training, nutrition, recovery, or mindset habits. One or more of the four pillars needs some calibrating, which means they’ll have to acknowledge that the problem is really with themselves and make the appropriate alterations to their lifestyle. Altering your habits can be hard work, so it’s a lot easier to just blame mom and dad.

Now let’s look at the second issue with labeling yourself a hardgainer. Not only is the hardgainer identity a convenient excuse for your crappy results, it also becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. The more you identify with and call yourself a hardgainer, the more you actually become one.

As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you can or can’t… either way you’re right.”

How do you expect to gain muscle rapidly when you’re constantly telling yourself that you are a hardgainer or have bad genetics or can not succeed or any of the negative statements listed at the beginning of this article?

You’ll never succeed if you continue to harbor and affirm such negative, self-defeating thoughts. It’s weak thoughts like these that are keeping you small and weak. If you want to be big and strong you must think big, strong, powerful thoughts.

“You become what you think about” -Napoleon Hill

You’re going to hear this a lot on our website, and the sooner you truly grasp this fact and understand that this is the key to living a fulfilling life… the sooner you’ll be able to completely transform your body and life into anything you imagine.

“With your thoughts you make the world” –The Buddha

Brandon Cook

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About the Author:

Brandon Cook is creator of The Awakened Warrior Blog, and co-creator of HardgainerMuscleBuilding.com, a website specifically designed to teach the ectomorph the laws and scientific principles for building a classic, muscular and functional physique.

HargainerMuscleBuilding.com features a free email class covering the basic principles of training naturally, eating a nutritious, muscle-building diet, and understanding the truth about supplements. The website is filled with free articles, videos, and the programs you need to create your ideal body.

Please visit us at http://www.hardgainermusclebuilding.com/

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90-Day Life-Changing Challenge

If you could change your life in 90 days, would that be worth it?  Are you where you want to be?  Or do you have goals/dreams/aspirations you are seeking to achieve?  How bad do you want them to become your reality?  If you are sick and tired of being in the same place financially, spiritually, physically, or emotionally year after year, this could be your year to change all of that.

Every morning I listen to a short video by Bob Proctor on how to instill life-changing habits into my life.  There’s no quick fix, but with gradually reprogramming my subconscious, I’ve already, after just a short time, seen some very positive results.  This morning was a unique assignment that I thought I’d pass on to you.

His message was a rather simple one.  It was about repetition.  Here’s the assignment:

1.  Write out “I ‘m so happy and grateful now that…” and then you fill in the specific goal you want to achieve, written like it has already taken place.

2.  Write that statement 100 times.

3.  Repeat for 90 days

I thought, “I could do that”.  So I decided that from today forward for the next 90 days I will write out my goal in the context as Bob recommends.  After all, what do I have to lose?

I want to bring you through the thought process as I was writing my 100 statements this morning.  At first, I felt like I was in elementary school being punished for talking in class.  Now, I was a good student, don’t get me wrong.  I was never given those assignments where I had to write out 100 times that I will not talk in class.  But this sure felt like what those students that got that assignment must have felt like.

My mind quickly went to all the reasons why I shouldn’t take on this kind of a commitment.  “Gosh, this is going to take a lot of paper!”  I looked over my shoulder and spotted the brand new stack of legal pads I purchased recently.  So much for that excuse!  “This is going to take a lot of ink!”  I was then reminded of the several packs of pens I found while cleaning my house last weekend.

“This is taking so much of my time, which I should be spending on building my business.”  Ok, let’s get real…that’s just an excuse.  Plain and simple.  If I wasn’t doing this activity, I would be doing some other activity like reading email.  My desire to have that statement become my reality over rode every excuse I could come up with.  I want it that badly.

90 days is going to come and go.  This year will come and go.  If I don’t affect a change in my life NOW, then when?

I’m up for this challenge.  There will be days when I just won’t feel like it, but I will press on and do it anyway.  Hmmm… do you have days in your business when you don’t feel like it?  What do you do?  If you’re like me, you probably don’t do much of anything.  I’m just being transparent here.  I don’t think I’m alone in this!

Perhaps there’s a whole lot more to this challenge than meets the eye.  Disciplining one self to not only think like a successful person, but also initiate certain activities that will propel you forward into the life you desire is a pretty good idea.

You can find more information here about mindset training.

As I wrote my statement 100 times today, I found  the emotions it instilled in me to be most interesting.  It actually set my mood to a positive one.  It got me thinking about what I could do to reach my goal.  It seemed to open up my mind to the possibilities.  I thoroughly expect to achieve my goal, even though it is a hefty one! This is going to be an awesome experience.

I’d like to challenge you to take the next 90 days and write out your goal statement 100 times.  Let me know if you are participating in this challenge.  I promise to let you know my results, if you’ll tell me yours.  Oh, by the way, Bob Proctor used the phrase, “I guarantee it will work for you”.  Let’s find out for ourselves how good that guarantee is!  Are you you up for this 90-Day Life- Changing Challenge?

Are You Getting What You Want?

What you think about you bring about in your life. The power of thought is the one thing you can control, that can totally change your destiny, for either good or bad.

Just One More Step

There is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, caution lights called family, and you will have flats called jobs. But, if you have a spare, called determination, an engine, called perseverance, insurance, called faith, and a driver called God, you will make it to a place called success.

Be Afraid…Very Afraid…

What I’m about to tell you will make you afraid.

Probably very afraid.

But more importantly it has the potential of making you a bucket load of money.

Listen carefully:

A woman living in downtown Ontario, Canada came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.

She said “I don’t think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat.” “Is the man of the house home?” they asked. “No”, she replied. “He’s out.” “Then we cannot come in”, they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened. “Go tell them I am home and invite them in!” The woman went out and invited the men in. “We do not go into a house together,” they replied. “Why is that?” she asked. One of the old men explained: “His name is Wealth,” he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, “He is Success, and I am Love.” Then he added, “Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home.”

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. “How nice!!” he said. “Since that’s the case, let’s invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!” His wife disagreed. “My dear, why don’t we invite Success?”

Their daughter was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: “Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!” ”Let us heed our daughter’s advice,” said the husband to his wife. “Go out and invite Love to be our guest.”

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, “Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest.” Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: “I only invited Love, why are you coming in?” The old men replied together: “If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would’ve stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!”

I heard that story from an amazing friend of mine, Bob Proctor. He went on and told me this: “Most people don’t have wealth or success in their lives and that’s probably because they don’t know how to love. Whether you want just wealth, success or love in your life… I can help you achieve it.”

I believe in Bob Proctor 100%. He has helped me achieve great success in life, and he can help you too. But there’s one condition… You’ve got to give him 6 minutes of your life everyday till the day he helps you achieve your goals. Is that a deal?

Okay, then as a first step, click here to go to the website.  Make sure you read all the way through to the end. There is a HUGE secret hidden within the website.

To your success,

~Nancy

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