No, this article isn’t related to the obvious sexual innuendo in the title (made you click though!). It’s about a challenge I have for you.
It’s a simple but incredibly powerful. It will teach you a lesson that many people fail to learn and thus fail in many other ways. Here it is:
From now on, you have to finish everything you begin.
If you say you’re going to do something–even if you only say it to yourself–and take that first step, you now have to see it through to the end. No matter what happens. No matter how hard it gets. No matter how many excuses you can find to quit.
And by everything, I mean everything: losing those 15 pounds…learning that new hobby…launching that blog…hell…building and flying that kite. No matter how big or small, once you set your eyes on a goal and begin moving toward it, you’re now obligated to make it happen.
What’s the point of this challenge? What important lesson can it teach you?
Well, its significance goes far beyond the logistical benefit of just “getting things done.” It has much deeper and broader ramifications and can change you in radical, fundamental ways.
You see, one of the most common things I see in the unhappy and ineffective people I know is a weakness of intention. An inability to simply say “I’m going to do this” and then do it. A reluctance to fully commit to something and admit that it matters.
Sure, they choose to see things differently. They have cute little rationalizations worked out for their behaviors. They just like a lot of variety in their lives, they say. They don’t mind being a jack of all trades, master of none. They’re fine with everything as it is. They don’t need or want more.
But underneath those empty justifications is a fear. A fear of investing not just their sweat but their spirit in an activity and of caring about the outcome. A simple fear of the pain of failure–a pain they’ve felt too many times in the past, and a pain that causes irreparable cracks in their false perceptions of themselves.
And so the behaviors of the serial dilettante are understandable…but insidious. They make the problem worse and worse, until eventually just setting a goal of any kind becomes distasteful. “Maybe” and “try” become watchwords. Crutches, even.
It doesn’t have to be this way, though.
If you never step foot on this slippery slope, you’ll never find yourself tumbling down the mountain. And you avoid the fall by staying on the narrow path perfectly expressed in the following quote:
“Aut non tentaris, aut perfice.”
(“Either don’t attempt it, or carry it through to the end.”)
When I first read this, it rung my mind like a bell. This isn’t an empty cliche that belongs on a hallmark card–it’s a transformative principle of living that, I think, we should all should reflect on.
If you take this not as mere advice but law, you can’t help but change for the better. You’ll come to appreciate Napoleon’s admonition that we be “slow in deliberation and swift in execution.” That is, you’ll consider your commitments more carefully and learn to focus on what really matters, ultimately taking on less but doing more.
And more importantly, this approach to living makes you feel empowered. You come to trust your abilities. Even finishing small commitments proves that you’re capable of more, and you’ll be able to parlay that confidence into greater and greater achievements.
As Robert Greene talks about in his fantastic book The 33 Strategies of War, putting this philosophy into action reveals to you the “joy in attack mode.” You learn that any mistakes you make can be rectified with even more vigorous action. You realize the tremendous power of momentum and learn to ride it through the rough spots. You gain access to a primal source of aggressive energy that overpowers caution and inertia.
The influential writer Charles Bukowski minced no words in his expression of this enduring truism:
“If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t even start.
“This could mean losing girlfriends, wives, relatives and maybe even your mind. It could mean not eating for three or four days. It could mean freezing on a park bench. It could mean jail. It could mean derision. It could mean mockery — isolation. Isolation is the gift. All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it.
“And, you’ll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds. And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.
“If you’re going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It’s the only good fight there is.”
You have to give yourself wholeheartedly to something to achieve anything worth having. (Click here to tweet this!)
If that’s a scary thought, I understand. It takes courage to accept. But if you embrace it, you’ll gain a monumental advantage in life, and especially over anyone competing with you.
Whether you’re battling a field of bloodthirsty peers or just the internal forces of ennui, you’ll become the worst type of opponent: the indefatigable one. The one that says you might beat me, but it’ll cost you more than you can imagine…that uses setbacks as fuel for redoubled effort…that takes blows with a smile and is just too damn hard to destroy.
Legion Featured Author
Mike Matthews
Mike Matthews is the founder of Legion as well as the author of several award-winning fitness books, including Bigger Leaner Stronger, Muscle for Life, and The Shredded Chef.
His simple and science-based approach to building muscle, losing fat, and getting healthy has sold over a million books and helped thousands of people build their best bodies ever, and his work has been featured in many popular outlets including Esquire, Men’s Health, Elle, Women’s Health, Muscle & Strength, and more, as well as on FOX and ABC.
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Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you live in the UK, Canada, Puerto Rico, or Guam, your order ships free when it’s over $99.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Free Worldwide Shipping & Returns
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
We just . . . wait for it . . . give you your money back. No returns. No forms. No nonsense. Holy moo cows.
That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
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Many ingredients in supplements don’t have any scientifically validated benefits, and many ingredients that do are often underdosed to the point of irrelevance.
That’s why we only use the choice ingredients and precise doses shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
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You need more than great ingredients to make great products—you also need proper doses. That’s why we use the precise doses of ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
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That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
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That’s why all of our supplements are made in America in NSF-certified and FDA-inspected facilities that operate in accordance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations.
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Did you know that supplements can contain dangerously high levels of toxins like lead, arsenic, and cadmium?
That’s why we test every ingredient of every supplement we produce for heavy metals, microbes, allergens, and other contaminants and ensure they meet the strict purity standards set by the FDA.
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While artificial sweeteners may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of these chemicals may indeed be harmful to our health.
That’s why all of our supplements are naturally sweetened and flavored and contain no artificial food dyes, fillers, or other unnecessary junk.
Science-Backed Ingredients
Many ingredients in supplements don’t have any scientifically validated benefits. That’s why we only use choice ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies.
No Chemical Junk
“Natural” doesn’t always mean “better,” but in many cases, natural ingredients are superior to artificial ones for various reasons, including purity, safety, and efficacy.
That’s why all of our ingredients in all of our products come from plant and animal sources, including sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
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In consideration of the services and/or products offered by Legion Athletics, Inc. (“Legion”) including, but not limited to, nutrition plans, exercise routines and coaching, and in addition to the payment of any fee or charge:
I knowingly and voluntarily enter into this waiver and release of liability and hereby waive any and all rights, claims or causes of action of any kind whatsoever arising out of my use of Legion’s services and/or products, and I hereby release and hold harmless Legion and its consultants, officers, contractors, agents, owners and employees from any and all responsibility, liability, cost and expenses, including for injuries, damages or disorders (physical, metabolic, or otherwise), resulting from my use of Legion’s services and/or products.
I understand that fitness activities including, but not limited to, strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular exercise, with or without the use of equipment, are potentially hazardous activities that involve a risk of injury and even death, and I am voluntarily participating in these activities and using equipment and machinery with knowledge of the risks involved. I hereby agree to assume and accept any and all risks of injury or death related to said fitness activities.
I understand Legion’s services and products are not meant to treat or manage any health conditions or circumstances, and I acknowledge that Legion has recommended I obtain a healthcare provider’s approval for my use of Legion’s services and/or products, through regular physical examination(s) and/or consultation. I acknowledge that I have obtained my healthcare provider’s approval or have decided to use Legion’s services and/or products without such approval and hereby assume all responsibility for my use of said services and/or products.
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Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab by Labdoor™, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
Analyzed for purity and potency in a state-of-the-art ISO 17025 accredited lab, the gold standard of third-party lab testing.
This product doesn’t just “contain natural ingredients”—every ingredient is naturally sourced from plants and animals. This product contains no artificial or synthetic sweeteners or flavors of any kind.
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This allows them to not only review individual studies but also analyze the overall weight of the evidence on any and all topics related to diet, exercise, supplementation, and more.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, misleading, out-of-date, or anything less than factual, please let us know in the comments section of the article in question.
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We follow a detailed, rigorous, multi-step process to create content that meets the highest standards of clarity, practicality, and scientific integrity.
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