Introduction / Background

Hello, TRP. Fairly new to this community, been lurking for about a year and keeping theory in the back of my mind. I’m a senior in high school, and I have (and still very much am) been quite naive to reality. I grew up in a very rich family, and I was sheltered from the real world until about high school when reality slammed into my face and sent me spiraling into chaos. Ever since then, I’ve been looking for meaning and for a way to get out of my nihilistic perspective. I think I’ve finally had my breakthrough: articulating my wants and getting what I want.

Body

Think about it. We all hear the jokes about how women can never figure out where to eat. Women are really bad at articulating what they really want, even if they know deep down what it is. I was like that for many years, I had been told what I want and rolled over for what other people wanted.

When I first came across TRP, I tried to apply many of the concepts, but I was never successful. Why? Because I didn’t really want to do the things I was doing, because I didn’t know what I wanted in general. One day, I tried out meditation as so many of you have talked about, even though I didn’t really want to. Thank god I did though, because I had my revelation, and I concluded I don’t know what I want in life, or with anything.

After more reflecting, I had a hunch that all I wanted was to be STRONG, mentally, physically, emotionally. I wanted to be a rock. I wanted to stop getting ignored and stepped on by my peers who were much stronger than I was. Every time I didn’t want to do some thing in the present (like lifting), the want of being strong in the future always vetoed my instant gratification wants.

I started with taking a weight lifting class in my high school. Wow. Instant results. I went from benching the bar x8 (seriously) to being able to do 135 x8 in just a few months. Same story with squat. 135 max all the way 255 max (!). I haven’t felt this good in years. And my interactions with my peers are night and day now. There’s nothing better than having what you say actually internalized by others and be respected. Obviously, not by everyone, since I have a very long way to go to BE something. But little by little, lifting gave me the confidence and energy to be great. All because I articulated my want: to be strong!

Conclusion:

My life is on the up ever since I started working towards MY wants, and not society’s wants. Lifting has given me confidence around my peers, and has allowed me to be something, rather than a doormat for others. My interactions with peers have changed completely for the better, and can only get better from here.

Edit: piers /=/ peers