The Hard Part of Being Us

The Hard Parts of Being Us

We've consulted experts. We've read the work of experts. When do we become experts? 

Never. Experts sit in chairs and talk about things. That is the hard part of being us. We want to find a balance between talking about the thing and doing the thing. But I, Eric, have to talk. And sometimes my talking gets in the way of the doing. So many intangibles.

Rules

I say something, it suddenly becomes a rule. I am against methods and styles and yet I utter one sentence among a whole slew of sentences, and suddenly a method is born! Feyerabend, in "Against Method: Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge" said: Given any rule, however 'fundamental' or 'necessary' for science, there are always circumstances when it is advisable not only to ignore the rule, but to adopt its opposite.

I believe it, and the same thing goes for strength training. So remember, don't focus on the finger pointing the way, focus on the way.

Knowledge

The internet has created the illusion of knowledge. John Steinbech said that the gathering of knowledge does not lead to knowing. We grow into knowing through our gathering of knowledge, our synthesis of it, our experience, and our passion to reach our goals.

You can read articles and memorize facts and opinions for a thousand years without ever knowing. You can name the muscles, their positions and roles, and not know. You can criticize another's practice of strength training through your superficial knowledge of training "facts", without knowing.

The secret to knowing is to accept that we aren't grown up yet. That's the hard part of being us. When others criticize your efforts, do not let them become your enemy because you are both children and you both have growing to do. If they want to take credit away from you, give them more, besides.

Helping

When we put ourselves on a pedestal and say that we can show others, we are in danger of exalting ourselves. If we desire to help, we must be humble. We cannot teach from a height, but only eye to eye. Otherwise we are just talking and pleasing ourselves.

We are always in danger of preaching, instead of teaching. That is the hard part of being us. Remember, only a person who does not truly understand those he wishes to reach, will preach. A rich man cannot teach a poor man to live.

You've seen a man raging, and thumping his fist at the stupidity of others. Why can't others see what he sees? Wrong question. The question is, why can't he see what they see? If he could see, then he wouldn't be angry. You cannot help everybody. But you can never help anyone while judging them, and exalting yourself.

Training

Training is what you do, not what others say about it. You will never know how much weight you can lift until you lift it.