"If you want to succeed in bodybuilding, start with the top of your body...Your head!"

by WNBF Pro Brad Loomis

“Whether you think you can, or can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

We have all grappled with it, the mind games that seem to inevitably happen when trying to succeed.  “What if I lose?  What if I fall on my face?  What if I fail?”  These mind games are normal and can actually be a powerful ally when acknowledged, analyzed and dealt with.

What if you were guaranteed success in everything you ever attempted?  What if you knew full well that you would win, achieve that goal, or be granted success?  Personally, I don’t think I would ever attempt anything if I knew the outcome, win or lose.  How about you?  Pretty boring when you think about it that way huh?  Not knowing the outcome and not being guaranteed success is part of the thrill in setting out to accomplish our goals.  Sure we all want to win, achieve, and succeed, however the quest or journey is the real “treasure” in our endeavors; and that treasure yields a tremendous bounty.  But I digress, as that can be a whole separate discussion.

Let’s first break down and analyze those “mind games” that we all grapple with.  What is their source and why do we experience them?  As we all know, failure is painful and we are taught to avoid pain at a very early age.  The very first time we touch that hot stove or sharp knife we are taught, “OUCH THAT HURTS!”  I’ll never do that again.  That physical pain is often times converted into our mental and emotional lives as well.  After all there are similarities, the pain that comes from a burn or a cut results in crying as an expression of that pain.  This is very similar to our expression of the pain that comes from being rejected or from failure.  So the fear of pain, whether physical or emotional, is avoided at all costs.

However, we must recognize that pain from the fear of failure can be over shadowed or completely masked by a tremendous desire to succeed or achieve.  If we truly want to succeed and not just “go through the motions,” then we must be passionate and leave no stone unturned in our quest.  Renowned life coach Tony Robbins teaches using your emotions as signals for dealing with your weaknesses.  If something is bugging you, causing you fear, or as Skip LaCour would say “causing you angst,” then that is a signal.  It is your signal that you must deal with that angst, and the sooner the better.  For example, say that you are doing everything you can to get super shredded for your next show.  You are doing your scheduled cardio and have not missed one session.  You are executing your nutrition regimen to the letter, and your weight training has never been more consistent.  However, you are nervous because your back double biceps pose and rear lat spread make you look skinny and you get tired after only a few minutes of posing.  That nervousness or angst is your emotional signal that you need to work on your posing: both your presentation and your conditioning.  If you do not, that nervousness or “angst” is going to stick with you the entire prep and could cause you great pain if you end up losing in a close decision.  If you are smart, you will work on your conditioning that day by holding the poses to alleviate some of that angst.  Immediate action is an instant cure for alleviating angst and getting the ball rolling for further action.  As you can imagine, this applies to not only bodybuilding, but life in general.

You know now how to deal with those little demons or the “angst” that is troubling you.  You are not even tempted to cheat on your nutrition no matter what environment you are in, you are holding your poses daily to get you conditioned and have hired a posing coach to perfect your presentation.  Missing a cardio or weight training session is not even a consideration now.  You are doing everything in your power with a true passion to be your best.  However you are still nervous because, what if you still get beaten?  That is just one of the wonderful aspects of our sport as you never truly know who your competition is, and how good they might be.  Or perhaps maybe you do and they are a phenomenal bodybuilder with the most incredible genetics ever granted a human.  Either way you must display courage and self confidence if you truly want to “win.”  No matter how good your competition is or who may or may not show up, anything is possible.  Believe in yourself and believe that you can still “win.”  Give 110% in every cardio session and every weight training session.  Be meticulous in weighing your food and do not allow yourself even a few calories over your planned nutrition regimen.  Even when you are dead tired and have no energy, get off the couch and hold each of your poses for 30, 40, or even 60 seconds.  Post up inspirational quotes in plain sight so you can see them every day.  Truly, give everything you have and regardless of the outcome, win lose or draw, you will have “won” and you’ll experience all the emotions that come with winning.  Allow me to elaborate with a few of my own experiences illustrating this.  

Early In 2004 I was preparing for a show that I would be doing in July.  I had come off of a great rookie season winning the novice overall in my very first show and was hungry for more.  I was using all the tools I have shared with you here and was certain I was going to repeat my success in the open division.  I was coaching a teenage competitor during this time and went to watch his show 6 weeks prior to mine.  Many of the competitors that were at this show were going to be competing in my show and this included a tremendous bodybuilder by the name of Roy Perry.  His physique was menacing.  As I watched him on stage, I could not believe he was natural.  I walked away that night discouraged knowing full well that I would be facing him in 6 short weeks.  I did my cardio the next morning in the hotel and began my quest to beat Roy Perry.  Not only was I going to win my class in 6 weeks, I was going to beat him for the overall and I would do everything in my power to do it.  I immediately went home and posted up banners everywhere reading, “Many times the winner is not the biggest and strongest man, in the end the winner is the man that believes he can.”  Every single cardio session I would visualize being on stage through the eyes of my father who would be watching me.  On more than one occasion, I would bring myself to tears as I felt the pride my father would feel as I was announced the overall winner.  Even the day of the show, I made my skin tingle as I literally made myself feel like I had already won.  Yep, I was certain; I was going to beat him. 

I would go on to win the medium class and from there I would compete against Roy and the short class winner for the overall.  Each pose I hit I did so with the confidence and certainty that I was the winner.  I never shook, I never broke a sweat, and I smiled the whole time enjoying my victory.  When the time came to announce the overall winner, it was not my number that was called, but Roy’s.  However not at that moment and not ever since, have I felt like I “lost” in a show.  In fact, the feeling I got from that show exceeds the feelings I’ve gotten from shows that I have actually won.  How can this be you ask?  Here is the other side of the coin.  I have won shows and without working nearly as hard preparing for them.  Don’t get me wrong, I worked hard to win, but not as hard as I did in my efforts to beat Roy and as a result those “wins” are not nearly as memorable as that one “loss.”  So you can see, ultimately what dictates “success” in this sport or any other for that matter, is not in your final placing but how you prepared; physically, mentally and emotionally.  Start with your head, let the rest follow and success will follow regardless of placement.

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