Objective: be a beast.
How: through physical training, where external signals (fitness, weight, body fat, whatever) help me see progress.
Explanation: age and genetics are fixed, and the only variables are diet and exercise. Diet and exercise are controlled by discipline. Do I seek truth (the knowledge of what works and doesn’t work)? Do I apply that truth relentlessly, to the best of my ability, every day? Discipline means doing.
But where to begin? How will I know, in my heart, that I am a beast?
I am beginning where I stand now, which is running. It is the most accessible, lowest friction way to simultaneously expend effort and reinforce discipline. I walk out of my door and start running. Shorts, shirt, socks, shoes. Nothing else matters. Discipline says run four miles. I do it.
My daughter mentioned someone she saw doing handstand push-ups – a man in his 40s. She asked him how she could get there. He said yoga. So she went off to a yoga class.
Davis Goggins runs. I’m sure he does other things, too. That man does yoga. I’m sure he does other things, too.
For the moment I will run. The discipline muscle will be the “no matter what” muscle. Run no matter what.
Next week we have a prediction for rain. I’m already debating in my head what to do. Answer: run. I will be wet. I will be cold. Yet I will run.
I’m not concerned about distance. I’m not concerned about speed. I’m not concerned about any skills. All I am concerned about is the crux: the “just run” discipline.
When the gyms open up I will add something to the equation.
I will slowly experiment with adding discipline to diet.
But for now, I am a demonstrably a beast, today, when I run — no matter what — my four miles.
That’s my beginner’s yardstick.