From the desk of Victor Pride
Subj: A sermon from the mountaintop
I tell you boy, my poor little feet used to hurt if I stood or walked too long.
If I was in the shower for ten minutes they'd start to hurt. If I had to walk around the city for an hour I'd spend the rest of the night on the couch.
If the walk was 10 minutes I just wouldn't make the walk. I'd take a motorbike or a taxi everywhere I went. My poor little feetsies hurt too much.
I was a real damn weakling because of my feet.
So you know what I did to toughen up?
I went to Bishkek and started walking for five hours per day.
Every day.
Anywhere I needed to go, I walked there. I took no taxi, no motorbike, no bus, no bicycle. Nothing but my own two feet and a pair of hiking boots.
I walked everywhere.
And you know what happened?
My feet toughened up.
They got used to the pain of walking.
Before I toughened my feet up, I'd get maybe 45 minutes walking time before my feet would start hurting. Soon it was 2 hours until they hurt, then 3 hours, then more.
When I'd walk 5 hours a day they hurt, boy, that's for sure. Instead of resting when my feet hurt, I kept on walking.
At first it's painful, but pain is temporary.
Soon you toughen up and realize that the real pain only starts after you stop walking and start resting.
If you just keep going, the pain goes away. But if you stop and rest for too long, woo, the pain comes for real.
So I just decided not to stop.
After I toughened my feet up I rented a Jeep and went to the mountains so we could sleep under a thousand stars, instead of sleeping in a 4 star luxury jail cell called a hotel.
We were driving out on some hard mountain road outside of Karakol, using the 4 wheel drive.
When the driving became impossible because of fallen boulders we got out and started walking.
When we got bored walking, we looked up at the mountain and said “let's climb that” and that's what we did.
We walked right up and down that son-of-a-bitch. It wasn't no easy trail, there wasn't no trail at all.
It looked easy from the bottom but, boy, it sure wasn't as easy as we thought.
Well, it wasn't easy for the lungs. For my feet, it was a breeze. Training them for 5 hours per day really paid off.
We were out in the wild and I would not call it a “fun” hike. But then again, I'm not here for fun. I'm here to walk through the pain and persevere.
Speaking of persevering, people always tell me they wish they could stop living the life they are living and start living the life they are dreaming.
But for some invisible reason they just can't.
These people are called dreamers. They dream of sleeping under a night sky with a thousand stars in view so they could make a thousand wishes.
Instead of actually doing it, they go back to their luxury jail cell where they have no stars and no hope.
Why don't they just do it?
When I sleep in a yurt in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, under a thousand night stars, they say: “I wish I could do what you do.”
I say: “Listen here, fella. Wishing upon a star does not work unless you are actually underneath a star. Get your feet walking to where you want to go. It ain't no matter of “goal setting”, it's a matter of walking there and doing the damn thing.”
Speaking of this nonsense called goal-setting, someone recently asked me this: “Vic, what are your thoughts on goal setting?”
You want to talk about goals but, boy, I don't have no real goals.
I don't believe in goal-setting like these college educated fools believe in goal-setting.
I believe in being OBSESSED beyond all reason. Being obsessed to the brink of madness. Being obsessed to the point of being selfish.
It is not a matter of setting goals, friend. It is a matter of being singularly focused to the point of obsession. Focused on ONE THING ONLY!
It don't take no genius, boy, it takes only an unnerving desire.
Hell, I'm beginning to realize that only an idiot can become successful. I did not say even an idiot could do it, I said only an idiot could do it.
Smart people listen to other people and that is their downfall. It takes a real moron to do the exact opposite of everything they say to do.
And this, my friendly friends, is the hidden secret of success.
DO THE OPPOSITE!
Do the opposite of everything they tell you to do.
When they go left, you go right. When they say go up, you go down. When they say “tone it down” you crank up the volume. You zig where they zag.
Where they're weak you be strong. And you stay strong in the face of everybody in the world telling you to be weak just like them.
Do the opposite of everything they do.
Success is the easiest thing in the world and only “idiots” take the easy way. Smart college people take the hard way and get nowhere again and again.
A smart doctor once told me, “Don't spend to much time on your feet. Rest them, don't stand or walk too much.”
You know where that got me? Nowhere but the damn couch.
I had to do the stupid thing and walk on them for 5 hours per day to get my desired result.
All these years on the road have taught me one valuable lesson…
Goal setting is pointless if you are not willing to give all of your time.
I told you a thousand damn times I do not have goals! What I have is time.
I spend the required time it takes to achieve the desired result.
When I wanted to change my poor little feetsies into rough and tough feet, I spent the time required to do it.
IT TAKES AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
If you ain't willing to spend the time then you ain't going to get no rewards.
If you aren't prepared to spend the time, you can forget your silly little wishes made under a luxury jail cell roof.
Speaking of goals, my only goals on this good green Earth are goals that will never manifest.
I am here to walk the Earth like Caine from Kung-Fu, wandering the Earth in search of the great truth.
I love money as much as the next tycoon but my mission has become much more than mere success and riches.
I am here to find the truth, spread the good word, and live the good gospel.
It takes the all damn life to achieve this goal. Only time will tell if you succeed or fail and you won't be around to know.
The light of truth has no end goal.
The path is never-ending, and a never-ending path is the only path you should ever take.
On my endless travels I learn this and I learn that, but what I never achieve is closure and I don't want it.
Closure is doom, friend. This is what happens when you achieve a goal you have set for yourself: stagnation.
When you stop walking for too long your feet start to hurt too much when you do walk forward.
So I don't have any goals. None. I have killed my goals like so many Buddha lovers try to kill their egos.
Now it just is what it is, boy. Nothing else.
And what's true for me is true for you.
In front of you is nothing but a long and winding road through the mountains. Hard road, no easy road.
When the road gets too hard for the Jeep to pass, you will get out and you will walk.
If there is a mountain in front of you, you will climb it. After that, you will continue forward.
There is no end to this journey because when you stop, that's when the pain starts.
On this long and winding road you cannot veer because you have places to go and promises to keep.
Like Robert Frost said, “The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.”
You hear that, boy?
You have promises to keep and miles to go before you sleep.
So
You
Had
Better
Not
Let
Me
Catch
You
Sleeping
Else there will be hell to pay and I will come collecting.
I will come to you in your nightmares and show you what could have been.
I will show you the life you could have been living. I will show you the life you should have been living. If only…
“WAKE UP!” you'll be screaming to yourself.
“Please, please, please wake up! I shouldn't be asleep anymore! Please God let me wake up from this hell!”
But I will show you clearly…
Hell is no place you go when you die, it's that moment in life you realize you could have been alive.
If only you could wake up and get after it.
“If only I could sleep in a thousand star hotel instead of my 4 star luxury jail cell. If only I had the balls to wake up and get after it. If only, oh, if only…”
Yeah right.
If only.
Until next time.
Your man,
-Victor Pride
PS - Spartan Entrepreneur: Blog Artist is now available on paperback.
It has a picture of a palm tree on the cover to get you thinking of what could be if only you had the balls to wake up and get after it.
Buy it, put it in your suitcase, and wish upon a thousand stars before you go to sleep.
But don't you forget what I told you…
YOU HAVE MILES TO GO BEFORE YOU SLEEP.
You know what Victor? The best motivation is that you demonstrate by each new post how everyone can get better and better.
You are already in a very good place that you made for yourself, but you always keep moving forward in every way, and that is inspiring.
You write great motivating posts, but also are motivating as a man.
Keep up the good work, because I know you enjoy it.
Thanks Seriffe.
If you want success you absolutely HAVE to go against the grain.
I started a blog through badnet 2 years ago and everyone thought I was an idiot. It now pulls in about half of my w2 income because I was obsessed with it and busted my ass to write good content. They still understand but I have heard’ I wish I could do that’ a hand full of times from those same folks.
My friends and family told me I was retarded when I decided to start investing in rental properties. And now they are envious of the rent checks I collect every month and the huge checks the banks give me once I refinance after the remodeling is done.
There were some dark times during all this were the remodeling budgets got tight, traffic got stagnant, and things weren’t going right.
But uncle Vic and the community here at B&D were always here to assure me that I was always on the cusp of greatness and that giving up is absolutely never an option.
Literally, anything is possible. It just takes being bold, being determined, and a shitload of obsession.
In a couple of years I’ll be able to retire from my slave job ( at age 33) while my own empire slowly builds.
Thanks Vic and the rest of the B&D community for what all have done here.
Thanks Scott.
Thanks for your article Victor.
Ever since I started walking barefoot at the beach and then home, I got rid of my flat feet, and lower back pain went again.
PS: Are you planning to have your podcast back up again?
“Only an idiot can become successful.”
It’s amazing how much truth is in that statement. Intelligent people often shoot themselves in the feet by overthinking things and not taking action.
The truth is there are many different forms of intelligence and action-taking is one of the most important ones.
Excellent post Vic.
Thanks as always.
-D
Ohh God. This post is like MUSIC, man.
My favorite article of B&D.
Thank you for this ultimate piece of writing!
P.S. This post in some way reminds Hemingway’s writing.
And Hemingway hella good writer, man.
“Hell is no place you go when you die, it’s that moment in life you realize you could have been alive.”
As I travel the world, I come across thousands of people living in damnation. They are angry, bitter, and always wishing they’d wake up.
Hell on earth is the only thing I truly fear. I’ve made my choice and will never look back.
There are times when the road gets tough and doubt starts creeping in, but regardless, we keep pushing forward.
Like you said Uncle Vic, “If there is a mountain in front of you, you will climb it. After that, you will continue forward.”
“It takes as long as it takes.”
Mic. Drop.
A lot of people don’t want to do work because they aren’t told how far away success is. Success is as far away as it currently is, and you need to move towards it, move forward, to change that distance.
The distance is relative, though. It’s going to shift depending on what you consider “successful”. If I consider success a degree and a stable office job making $130,000 a year with a fat wife and a house in the suburbs, I’m fucking light years away! But I don’t consider that success.
People like to use a length of time to justify giving up. Oh it’ll take 5 years before my blog earns a dime? No thanks.
But they also use a lack of time to justify giving up. No clue how long it will take before my YouTube channel blows up? No thanks.
It’s easy to accept the truth once you learn to deal with it: It will take as long as it takes. But I’m going to keep working, keep pushing, keep walking and I’ll get there.
Awesome post.
I don’t have much to say but thanks Vic, you’re right.
Consistency, action-taking and kaizen trumps all other smarts.
As I read in a fine forum: Vision + Systems. Goals are great but limiting at the same time. Defined purpose leads to greatness.
Victor,
Again you nailed it. The strongest is strong because overcame the toughest. I am strong!
Regards,
-Horacio
Very inspiring post, as always Vic. I’m b;essed to have found you.
I found you like 5-7 years ago, I read your blog. But then I got disconnected, and fate, it seems, has brought me back to you again.
“Each word I read in your blog, is transforming each moment I am going to spend in the future.” - Akshay Giram
Much love to you ass kicker
Anyone else wanna go for a kick ass walk now?
Fire as always vic.
beautiful! thank you for this great story and thoughts
Thanks Lucas.
Been a while,
As always,Great post.
Thanks Peter.
Impatience is the only thing I struggle with, wanting it now instead of later down the road.
I completely agree with what you wrote. We were all put in this jail cell, the funny thing is the door to this jail cell is always wide open, but we don’t know what’s out there. It might be cold and rainy or it might be the most wonderful place in the entire world.
The thing is most of the people wouldn’t take the risk to look what’s out there, they’d rather stay in their 5×5 jail cell and live a limited life instead of taking that incredibly easy leap of faith that could change their life.
Excellent work uncle Vic.
Thanks Benjamin.
You’ve got great taste in style I’ve not seen this in any other blog, or products offered. I really like the colors + font for your new book.
Time well spent!
Thanks CA.
Great piece Victor.
Fuck goals, stay stupid and deaf, and live your purpose.
Thanks Cali.
This was an amazing read. I spend less time online nowadays, but b&d is always worth it.
Thanks Johan.
A expert point of view on diet … Deep and very interesting :
https://londonreal.tv/e/charles-poliquin/?new-login
“If there is a mountain in front of you, you will climb it. After that, you will continue forward.”
Most accurate statement ever.
Very good reason why I named my blog the way I did :D
Amazing as usual Vic. I’ll be sure to pick up that blog artists handbook, sounds like something I could definitely use.
Thanks Joelsuf.
So true about goal setting.
It’s the reason none of my pr lifts in the gym are the same for a whole damn year.
When I first benched 2 plates (225) i thought I was done. I got to repping it for 4 reps. And it’s been like that for a year.
To hell with goals. We’re here to take everything and more.
Where have you been all this time..
I wish Vic creates again his podcast.
It will happen, I just cannot say when.
Thank you, Victor.
My pleasure.
“Hell is no place you go when you die, it’s that moment in life you realize you could have been alive.” Love this quote! Thanks for your greatness, it inspires mine!… by the way, is this your quote? I googled it and could not find it so I figured must be yours.. thanks brother!
Thanks Dani.
EXCELLENCE!
I love the way you set up the metaphors and how powerfully they pay back at the end. They make you feel like you’re having a big self-realization… and not like being told what you ‘should’ think.
Thanks for your kick-ass of a website, Vic.
Long-time reader, Matias from Argentina.
Thank you Matias.
Boom and another bombshell piece of writing at the right time, thanks Victor!
Thanks TH.
Victor, my man, congrats for your new book.. How many did you write so far and what’s your favorite ? (if any) … :)
Thanks Codrut. 30 Days Of Discipline is my favorite because it is the base of everything.
You know vic? back when I started to read your blogs and books I used to finish words, lines and sometime pages and you know what?
I start to breath and feeling it, you know what is the point here?
The point is that I’ve realized that if you breath you live real life, you grow and be awaken..
this world is filled with struggles and illusions that keep making you stop breathing but when you actually breath and feel it every illusions disappear..
good post vic and I wish you the best always
Thanks Khalid.
Oh wow I was born in Bishkek and moved to America when I was 7, never seen anyone reference that place ever lol what brought you up that way Victor?
The mountains brought me here.
Nice. Didn’t really get to explore much of it and remember even less but it would be quite an experience to go back and really take it in
wow. spectacular
you still in bishkek vic?
It’s time to start walking
Thanks Anon.
Great post as always, Victor!
Thanks KG.
I really enjoyed this one! Thanks, vic… mucho fiesta!
Thanks fella.
It’s true. I once had pain in my feet. I would jog for two minutes and it would ache. The doctors called it “plantar fasciitis”.
But I loved running more than anything. I grew up running. It was killing me to not get my run in.
I decided to run through the pain. And like Forrest Gump, I broke the pain. I sprinted repeatedly in spite of the pain, and you know what it did? It shut up and did not come back.
I can run now without pain. Doctors say to rest, but I tried that and I would get pain just by walking! I did the opposite and the pain went away.
Pretty spot on. People also tell me I’m “Lucky” to be able to do what I do, but it’s not really luck. I decided to do it. I think most people don’t realize that they can actually achieve their goals.
Damn.
doing everything to become more powerful to attract women. and get that massage, get things done, become more healthy, activating the growth plate, central security systems activation such as melanin, melatonin, epo, hgh, testesterone, telemeros. this is probably rebirth.
Great article mr.vic as always
Thanks fella.
Vic did you notice your feet hurting any more when you’ve been heavier? I’ve been lifting and training heavy for ten years now. I could shed body fat for sure, but I have a lot of mass. I hover pretty far above what my natural weight would be if I hadn’t lifted all these years packing on size. I played college soccer but was a lot smaller when I was 21 than I am now at 31. I never remember my feet hurting though and I was walking/running constantly with sports and around campus. I still move a lot but they just hurt pretty all the time now.
No, not really. I’ve never been particularly “heavy” as I’ve been walking around between 195-200 for a number of years. The surface of the ground is actually what makes my feet hurt. When I walk outside, my feet don’t hurt at all even when I walk for hours. When I walk on a hard man-made surface, like in a shopping mall, that’s the time when my feet start to really hurt. A change in shoes can make a big difference. For a while I was wearing Onitsuka Tigers and my feet hurt all day, every day. When I got rid of them my feet stopped hurting. You may want to try some good hiking boots, they make a big difference for me.
Thanks Vic. I remember you talking about your back troubles and how dropping some lbs helped with your scoliosis pain. I’m gonna drop 40 lbs and see how my feet feel. Bodyweight exercises and steep incline hill sprints will be my gig for awhile. I ordered crispi (itialian made high end) boots last week and they should be here tmrw.
Take it easy Brother.
The way of always moving forward is the only way.
I got goosebumps reading this what the hell … This only happens to me when I hear a good riff on the guitar, but reading an article…That’s a first.