I do yoga twice a week, other than boxing and lifting, because I really enjoy meditation and want to get to know my body better.

Of course, I'm in a class of chicks only. Or, better said, hens. Old ones. But that's not the main point, I don't go there to hook up, I wanna tell you about something that happened that really opened my mind to the changes in my life, and to what it means to be a man.

You see, at the end of the lessons we sing this mantra things, which are usually in Hindi, and are used to help focus the mind through meditation. Last time, for whatever reason we sang in English.

The mantra went this way:

"I am beautiful

I am bountiful

I am bliss

I am, I am"

As I was singing this, I realized a thing. It meant completely different things for me than for the women in the class.

For them, it was a reassurance about their intrinsic value. I was born beautiful. I have value in me just because I exist.

For me, it was radically different. I have become beautiful, working my ass off at the gym.

I have become a fucking rad person, by pushing myself over any boundary I can find. I just avoided dying of malaria, which I contracted in Africa 7 months ago -but showed up only a month ago, only because I could diagnose and cure myself, since the doctors here in Italy have never seen a case of it and could not help me. It was painful, but I tell you: a brush with death will leave you fucking stronger. One guy at the gym, who saw me sparring when I came back, said he couldn't even recognize my stile. It was different, more aggressive, I was less scared.

This is just one example of the many changes that I have forced into my life. I wanted to share it with you, to help you understand my main point.

Guys, I have become a worthy(-er than before) man, and I'm well on my way to become a fucking rad person. What that mantra taught me? All my value resides in what I've done, I earned it.

And the only true path to growth is risk. Real risk. Risk your life, your career, risk anything and you will get out of it stronger. This society breeds man that can't withstand hardship, because the haven't got faith in their ability.

Put yourself to the test. Earn your value.