Being a devout student of philosophy (that sounds really pompous but I’m not sure how else to phrase it) I can’t help but think about everything I do and how it relates to my overall “happiness” and the way in which it interacts (and potentially interferes) with the basis facets of human nature.
For someone with such an interest in these broad, sweeping topics surrounding life, having an interest in something such as building muscle does seem sort of contradictory as the act of building strength is often associated with grotesquely muscular bodybuilders (I have nothing against those folks, but it still freaks me out) and, for lack of a better term, douchebags. There’s seemingly no room for skinny guys who just want to maintain a healthy weight and be more physically able.
And while I do believe philosophy and muscle building can co-exist, there’s certainly the temptation to succumb to vanity, packing on the pounds for the sake of packing on the pounds and forever craving a “perfectly sculpted” (aka, non-existent) body. Therefore, if you don’t want to transform into a vain shell of yourself as muscles pop up all over your body, here are some ways to keep yourself grounded, and reconnect with the aspects of life that truly matter (beyond having a six pack or bulging biceps):
- Muscle as a means. I’ve written about this before and will write about it again many more times because I believe it’s the reason so many people fail to be motivated to build muscle even though they believe they want it badly. Connect your desire to build muscle with an implicit (inner) purpose and hold true to that ideal. Don’t build strength for strength’s sake essentially.
- Find external fulfillment. There’s more to life than building muscle and strength. Sure, in the early days in can consume your attention, but too much of anything is damaging in the long run so don’t be swept up in hobbies and habits that aren’t conducive to the life you want to lead. Just because you lift weights doesn’t mean you need to become a stereotypical steroid-pumping bodybuilder. Seek fulfillment in unrelated aspects of your life.
- Everything dies. Death is a reality of the universe, and I don’t bring it up to be grim (because that’s as silly as thinking of gravity in a negative light) but because there’s a simple realization to deflate your ego or vanity: you won’t always be alive. Sure, improving your strength feels great and opens you up to more possibilities in the world, but becoming increasingly attached to your physique will only lead to disappointment as you grow older or experience injuries.
When it comes down to it though, the simple consciousness of not wanting to become an egotistical freak is often enough to remain your wonderful self, so don’t stress too much about it – marketing to skinny guys is often just filled with so much vanity that I thought I’d share my thoughts on the topic.
