That's it. I gotta say something

There appears to be a prevailing trend amongst humankind where we use other's supposed genetic disposition to make excuses for our own physical state of well being. It's pathetic, and a glaring reminder of just how lazy and undisciplined we are as a society.

I have heard this so many times "Patrick, you're so lucky you don't have to worry about being fat because you're so naturally skinny." or "You don't know how hard it is to get in shape because you're so skinny already." and "You are just so good at everything you do you don't know what it's like to not be." Hold up, player. Say what? Are you trying to say that I enjoy being 6'4 and a natural 170lbs? Are you saying that I like having bones as sturdy as a bird's? Are you saying I enjoyed being made fun of growing up for being a beanpole and a weak piece of shit? Or maybe you're just looking at my current body composition without giving a single second of thought to the fact that I work my ass off on a daily basis in order to not be mediocre and to be of strong mind and body? Do not minimize my struggles because of your own, and do not use me or anyone else as an excuse for whatever state you put yourself in.

"Whoa, bro. You're being super emo right now. What are you saying? Are you about to write a poem about it?"

First, welcome back to the blog, Fake Question Asking Person. You ran off after that one hot steamy night we shared together after your last fake question. No I'm not going to write a poem. I'm trying to say that everyone has their own mountains to climb, whether they be a physical one or mental, and whether they be fat or skinny. For me, I've always hated being skinny. HATED it. I see jacked NFL linebackers and wish I had that kind of silverback gorilla strength. Do I hold it against them for being infinitely stronger than me, and use that as an excuse for my "poor" genetic make-up? Hell no! I use that as motivation for me to get out there and work as hard as I can in order to get the most out of this poorly pieced together body. You see, it's all in the mindset. If you continue to use other people's body composition and abilities as some sort of sick justification for your own unhealthy state and/or lack of mental fortitude then you will never make any progress and will be stuck in that depressing unhealthy rut for eternity.

"You're just so smart and know everything. I'm not like that so I'm just going to be resigned to be stupid because you're so smart."

F that! Don't look at someone who is smarter than you and get depressed by it. BE INSPIRED BY IT! "Wow, human beings really can be that intelligent? I want to know if I can be that intelligent too!" While the cliche "anything is possible" isn't entirely true, you can do your best to make it as true as possible by actually putting forth a concerted effort to change. Adjust your mindset from one of poverty to one of prosperity. Women are the absolute worst about this. They are so negative and catty, especially when it comes to looking at other women who are hotter and have a better body. If you spend all of your time focusing on other people's strengths you will never realize what your own strengths are, and you'll never take strides to improve them and become the best you can be. You then automatically put someone, who could have some awful demons of their own, on a very undeserved and unearned pedestal. Quit being so negative about it all! To put it frankly, it's pathetic and undeserving of any sort of respect.

It's all in the mindset. I watch videos every single day of people doing incredible things. I don't think "Aww that's awesome I can never do that." Instead, I am driven by what I see and even though I know I won't be able to accomplish the feats some of those people have, I know that I'm doing everything I can to improve me in order to play the best hand with the cards I was dealt in life. Besides, the more you work on improving yourself the more likely you are to discover that you're able to do something that many aren't. It just takes an ounce of willpower and want to find that out.

So, fat people, next time you're talking to a super skinny person adjust your mindset and remember that maybe that person doesn't want to be that way. If you have negative thoughts don't vocalize them. Same goes to you, skinny people. Don't look at a jacked bro and vocalize jealousy. Be inspired. Understand that you are special in your own way and not one person is like you, but every person has their own struggles just like you. Maybe once you start focusing on improving yourself you'll realize how great you are. Why wouldn't everyone want to find and achieve their greatness? Do not fear the hard work, sweat, tears, and pain that will undoubtedly occur while on that path of discovery. The rewards are well worth it.

Now excuse me while I go polish my abs.

Just kidding.

I ran out of polish. Stay shiny

How bad do you want it?

That is Giavanni Ruffin out of East Carolina. I admit I only knew that because it says so on Vimeo. That shouldn't take anything away from the message though. How bad do you want it? I think it's a question we all should ask ourselves on a daily basis. I also believe it's a question, that when asked, many of us subconsciously lie in our response or don't truly comprehend the sacrifices we must make in order to obtain it, whatever it may be. It's less about making a change in your life, and more about changing your life. That's perhaps a bit extreme in some instances, but the video isn't about those.

It's not uncommon to hear people on Facebook, any given internet forum, workplace, and pretty much anywhere talk about how they wish they were skinny, how they wish they were in shape (there is a difference), how they wish they could do [insert hobby/activity], or how they wish they had a certain job. Well, wishing never got anyone anywhere. My family is incredibly God fearing and spiritual. Your opinions on religion aside, my father always used to tell me that while we need to pray for that which we want, we must always strive to achieve those goals ourselves. We can't just sit by and let life happen all while hoping something miraculous will occur. You must invest time into your goals. You must invest a lot of energy and emotion. Success, in any shape or form, must be worked for and earned.  The journey is not easy, and more often then not it flat out sucks.

So many of us are prone to issuing strong declarative statements of our goals without first making the real promise to ourselves that we will do whatever it takes to achieve them. Let me re-emphasize the "do whatever it takes" part. That's fairly broad and all encompassing right? Whatever it takes. Let that sink in.

We live in a society that is over saturated with the now. I'll spare you the detailed examples, but you've read magazines covers promising six pack abs in a month. You've seen the ridiculous claims supplement companies dish out. You've seen the over saturation of pyramid schemes in America who promise their clients, I mean employees, the world. You've no doubt seen lottery commercials or have played the lottery yourself. How many people have experienced success in any of the aforementioned? I imagine very few compared to the number who have tried and failed. Whatever happened to reaping the fruits of our labor? Is there anything truly self fulfilling by not giving something our all and trying to cheat the "system", for lack of a better term? Well, maybe to some of you. That is sad, but a different topic.

Be real with yourself. Look in a mirror and ask yourself "How bad do I want it?" Are you willing to make the lifestyle change in order to achieve your goals? Do not lie to yourself. There's literally no point. People often ask me for help. Why? I don't know. I don't know everything, but I was blessed with an over abundance of common sense and an ability to problem solve. In other words I was clearly born a man. Kidding, ladies. I often ask people I help, after being informed that they have made little progress, "Which part of the "lifestyle change" wasn't clear to you?" after they tell me they don't want to give up a particular food or way of life that is detrimental towards their supposed goals (partying). I then generally ask the person to adjust their goals since their current ones will not be achieved with that mindset and/or lifestyle. That's simply reality. In response I'll receive a smile or a nod of the head, and it's clear they're not accepting my words. They'll show me they can do it and prove me wrong. After all, I'm not a certified trainer or "lifestyle coach" so I don't know what I'm talking about. Then 6 or 7 months down the road they look exactly the same and are wondering why "everyone else but me is getting results." While the "everyone but me" line of thinking is inherently untrue, it is still a dangerous mindset. That's when people tend to give up and let despair overwhelm them. Regardless, you will not achieve your goals only putting in half the effort. It's all or nothing. If you want something then you must do whatever it takes, and that usually means making sacrifices which are more often than not outside of our comfort zone. I ask again, when have we ever grown while being comfortable?

Make the tough decision. Push yourself beyond what you think you're mentally capable of. Work long and hard to get the job you want. Make sacrifices and change your life for the better. The journey can suck and be overly miserable, but the reward at the end more than makes up for it. Hell, somewhere along the line it may even become fun. You never know until you actually do it and quit making excuses. You're in control of your own life. Why settle for mediocrity?