Some guys have all the luck. Better looking, great hair, super ripped, a better job, more money, fancier house.
They’re just lucky and were born with the great genes that made the success they enjoy easy and inevitable.
Why do so many of us subscribe to this BS? Why are we so fixated on the current, visible outcomes while having scant regard for the real reason many of the most successful people you see got where they are today?
Yes, genetics, life privileges and often a whole heap of luck will help. But the biggest contributing factor in the vast majority of cases is hard work, dedication and a commitment to deliberate practice. Often over many months and years.
Resistance training and bodybuilding are no different. It’s easy to think the YouTube stars and super ripped guys and girls in your local gym were just born lucky and with the ability to grow muscle just by looking at a dumbbell.
The reality is they followed a process, day in day out, for years. And engaged in deliberate practice to improve their training and physique.
Consistent training, smart nutrition and a desire to constantly improve are what brings you results in the gym. Nailing the basics and then identifying weak spots in your physique or lifting technique and dedicating time, practice and effort to improving them.
As we often preach, building muscle is a marathon, not a sprint and it takes years of hard work to reach your potential. And the reality is most of us will never get anywhere near our genetic ceiling.
This isn’t a bad thing, however, as even getting within the ballpark will result in an incredible body transformation. And, it means we have years more training with huge scope for noticeable improvements in how we look and how much we can lift.
So don’t fall back on lazy comparisons or blaming bad genetics. And, don’t compare yourself to others, who may or may not have a genetic advantage or disadvantage.
Instead, focus on getting your training, nutrition and recovery on point. And, accept that it takes time to see results.
But also remember that every time you step into the gym you are doing something amazingly positive for both your physical and mental well being.
