Dave Tate’s most popular lecture ever is about the Elitefts motto: Live, Learn, and Pass On. It’s a great motto — in fact, more than anything else, that motto inspired me to want to join the Elitefts team. You can listen to Dave’s awesome explanation of the subject, but it essentially boils down to the fact that what matters in training also matters in life. The point is to have new experiences that make you and everyone else around you better.
So why the fuck is the powerlifting scene filled with people trying to cut others down?
Gym Rants
Look, I’m guilty of this, too, so when I’m pointing fingers, at least one of them is pointed squarely at myself. In fact, my most popular article this month is about “stupid” things that people do in the gym that end up causing injury. In part, that’s because hyperbole can highlight small mistakes that might otherwise go unnoticed — and, in part, it’s because we’re entertained by others’ mistakes.
I honestly think that’s okay (although not ideal), as long as the end result is learning for everyone involved. What’s not okay is the close-minded bullshit I see on forums all the time — comments like “anyone who wears a belt for bicep work should kill themselves,” or “no one cares about your accomplishments, loser.” Yeah, you can write that kind of negativity off sometimes, but when become so prevalent that new lifters are afraid to enjoy lifting in their own way, it’s a major problem. And the truth is, I don’t see these types of comments only from Internet trolls. I see it from top lifters, too, and that’s not something I can get on board with.
Staying Open-Minded
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I put a big emphasis on the mental side of training. In fact, for me, the core of learning to Think Strong comes down to open-mindededness: understanding that everyone is different, there are no right answers, and that that means training and life are going to be muddled and even really fucking difficult sometimes — and resolving to push on anyway and enjoy the process of getting better.
At the end of the day, I think that’s pretty damn close to what it means to Live, Learn, and Pass On. If you believe that — and if you want to be a better lifter and a better person — then you’re already on the right track to success.