The Effort:Reward

As we become evermore consumerist alongside our undesirable work patterns, we now find any such means of gratification to justify our effort. ‘I’m working really hard I should not be suffering on this bus just to get to work?‘*, ‘I’ve ate healthy all day surely I’m due a break?* and finally ‘I’ve worked every day for ‘x’ straight weeks now and I’ve not had time to enjoy myself‘*

*solution

* buy a nice car

*go for a nice meal

*book a holiday

These are all instant fixes that we can apply to ourselves for hard work, most of which will provide us with enough satisfaction to then carry on striving for even better or at least be able to justify our hard work when it gets tough.

When it comes to our bodies or one could say any other entity to which we give our time besides work, are we rewarded for the effort? and more importantly do we reward ourselves more than we need to? If we replaced ‘reward’ with ‘motivate’ in this context it would imply that we are in turn requiring another ‘motive’ to continue as opposed to being rewarded with ‘praise’ Are we so weak in our pursuits of better living that we need someone or something at every hurdle screaming ‘good job’ whilst everyone else running the race is already at the finish watching you revel in that first set of hurdles. I have this image of training a dog, conditioning them to associate their effort with treats and then simultaneously trying to achieve the exact same goal with nothing. Are we just jumping through the hoops of our own egos or do we actually want to see ourselves succeed?

My point is one of accepting that there will be hard times that can only be pacified by an instilling drive to continue and not to regress, but more importantly acknowledging whether you are actually reaping the rewards from your efforts. If the answer is no, do not reward yourself, find the reason why you haven’t seen any progress and stick at the things that bring it. Just killing yourself without having a plan of what you want to achieve or suddenly deciding that you deserve a reward already is just blind and redundant energy wasted. By giving in and rewarding yourself for just trying you are essentially celebrating your loss, a bi-product of having ‘reward’ at every vulnerable turn. Celebrating your progress tastes so much sweeter than the taste of over-indulgence.

The ratio of effort:reward is the same as energy:results, use your energy tactfully and the results which you deserve, not that which you think you are entitled, and this will be graced to you tenfold. If there was a medal for jumping the first hurdle our necks would be too heavy to surmount the last.

Persistence & Plateaus

Lifestyle, Special

Persist- To go on resolutely or stubbornly in spite of opposition, importunity, or warning.

Being persistent is a trait that can go both ways, we can either persist at defying the resistance we receive or continue to buckle under the same pressures that keep us confined to this forbidding continuum of resistance. A norm which is one forthcoming on the now millennial immediacy of all things rewarded, not earned. With every meal we do not have to cook, pin we need no longer enter and journeys we can take as passengers rather than drivers, is this convenience in time serving us well or do we now only sought after the most convenient appropriations and pursuits?

As a race we are becoming evermore persistently lazy; effort being our biggest opposition, our bodies reflecting our importunity to the easier option, and health, inevitably, the warning. We do not attribute the physical and psychological impediments of working in fields non-conducive to our happiness, nor do we anticipate how much our mind and body has to operate synergistically alongside our Neolithic traditions. It is only until we burnout that we then have to justify the NEED for a break. So when we are working on ourselves, why then is it so easy to justify a BREAK, to lose focus, to be distracted? It seems that no matter how much down time we award ourselves, it is never enough, and so the time to which we focus on working, whether that be for someone else, drags and our own time, dwindles.

The entirely resolute and stubborn approaches to downtime occupying those that simply cannot commit or see the simplest of tasks through without giving up is impressively persistent, proof that we can be persistent, even if it is persistently quitting. So why do we quit? What distracts us? Is it the fear of failing and being judged? Or if there even is a reward, does it reflect the time spent doing it? You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

Technology has granted us with a facility of instant gratification, a cyclical navigation of short cuts and queue jumps to the ultimate destination of contentment. Does getting there faster only gives us more time to revel in the superficial glory of feel good chemicals? A depressing overcast brightened up by a passing sunshine of serotonin showers. Chasing this light from the now shadowy pits of only known similar feats, even more time to think of your next ‘best?’ The suckling appetite for faster turnover, more contentment and even bigger success. The next best unhappiness or all time boredom? The next best date or the next best break-up? The need for constant entertainment and stimulus, entitlement and appreciation, self worth and in turn self pity. Plateaus.

Plateau

: a region of little or no change in a graphic representation

: a relatively stable level, period, or condition

So although people consider a plateau to be a negative thing, plateauing literally means being stationary, but when you’re someone who’s always looking to improve, being stationary may as well be going backwards.

How do I pass through a plateau?

There are more potential outcomes in a game of chess than there are atoms in the universe. When two people reach a stalemate, it is a reflection of how two potentially winning outcomes impede on the other, ‘I cannot win, therefore they cannot either’

Are you playing your own game or is someone playing for you? Are you making the same moves and bringing on the same outcome? Are you playing with the intention of moving forward or are you reluctant to risk leaving what you have behind? Whatever potentially winning outcome you are seeking to follow right now, improve it until it no longer brings any benefit to you and then start again with each calculated move at a time.

Conflicts of Interest

Lifestyle, Special

“Jack of all trades, master of none” We are all familiar with this idiom, an individual to which has a broad aptitude for various abilities , though an intrigue with all may come to restrict them from mastering the craft of only one. This is not confined to sport; languages, instruments, and every other skill-set that equips us with a platform for expression and creativity, have all the means of further mastering our own craft by the knowledge we expose ourselves to. It is this exposure which determines how we piece together our own understanding, though it is commonplace for two different people to achieve the same goals whilst veering on a different path…

We live in a densely populated area with a contrastingly vast spectrum of people, each bearing different skill-sets to the point of them seeming obscure and tumultuous alongside our own. It is easy to distance ourselves with those on a different path knowing its gravity, yet it is crucial to understand the direction that they are going in order to to navigate your own. While this void of obscurity is made more manageable by our interactions, things in common and perceived duty of politeness, is it this social middle ground which is controlling our creativity and curbing our crafts?

If you want to learn how to play guitar you wouldn’t ask someone who plays a violin, so why are we all too open to the accept the ideals of people with no constructive bearing or aptitude for the skill-set of your aspirations. This is prevalent at every level of corporate influence whereby the propulsion of targets and goals –you MUST hit x or y by **/**/**– are ushered beyond that of a single constituent, every number must contribute in conjunction with those on the same path in order to succeed. But what if you do not share the aspirations of those numbers? each feat being a thousands grains of sand into the hour/day/year-glass of someone else, your own time to which still bleeds whilst you console and reward yourself with vacuous comforts…

My current conflicts of interest are all dependable on being able to practise each at a sufficient capacity; energy, productivity and creativity being the ingredients to which form this elixir of DOING –at least something about it — but with any potion comes its time sensitivities, side effects and cynicism. If there was a magic pill for creativity and we could all go about our business with the greatest intentions and unequivocal focus, would we pursue our aspirations or would we still be conflicted by the dichotomy of immediate comfort and distant dreams. By using all energy in one area would in doubt compromise the other. My advice would be to start by putting an hour aside to each thing that you aspire to do without the influence of anything else but your own rationale, then see whether it serves you any such purpose. If that purpose is enjoyment, keep doing it, if that enjoyment is not short lived, make it a routine. If it brings you greater satisfaction make it a hobby. If an hour turns into two, a hobby turns into a passion, and a passion turns into an aspiration, be aware that everything you do and everyone that you give your time to will in turn have bearing on it, whether or not it is conducive to its success, tick tock.

Earning yourself a break or just taking one?

Lifestyle, Special

-4KG down The Damage

…If anything, as I’ve always felt obliged to go to the gym, I began to question why I’d conditioned myself to be autonomously motivated in this regard… most of the rewards to which are those under the surface of superficial reasons why people obsess over their bodies… Even more importantly could it eventually be undone? Well the answer I came to learn would be NO… I would not be able to undo my constant hunger to improve and expose myself to experiences that would take me out of my comfort zone at the expense of time, time that could be spent climbing any such ladder of my choosing. It has been useful to step out of the consuming bubble of comfort that we all surround ourselves with when we are unsure of the very extent of our potential. This no-brainer progression for me would be expanding my social media to bring in more traffic and in turn clients, though it would be misleading of me to post training videos that I would not be doing myself, knowing that it would only create a void between myself and those wishing to better themselves. I do not regret refusing to be a passenger to expectation nor do I want to protest the extent of my will to the point of arrogance, but I do plan on being even better this time round.

After seeing how little my body has changed despite literally throwing it in the deep end, I have only consolidated just how hard I have worked for it and equally how long it would take to undo. This is a sound enough justification of being confident in your decisions beforehand, to which the outcome will only pave a more definite path of understanding. I don’t have any sympathy for those that aren’t prepared to take a leap of faith for themselves and be confident in their justification of decisions; both potentially destructive or surprisingly constructive.
For me every trivial but necessary decision that is conducive to self improvement is a mere accessory to the grandeur of success. Life is too short to stress about the outcome of your decisions when they seem to detract from your contentment, to the point of it sucking away all of your energy, we often need to take a step back and understand that a break is sometimes necessary.
Before I left for Belize I’d never looked better and the way it made me feel was something I would love to make happen for anyone that truly wishes it for themselves. Wanting more for yourself and pursuing a better situation despite how saturated such means of doing so may seem, there will always be people that question your decisions either way. Judging what is actually good for you and your own questioning is equally as important as theirs. I think my initial point was identifying the fact that it’s ok to be sceptic about doing something different, whether it is with yourself, your situation, body, mistakes to which should not instil a revelling such a revelling in self pity.
Ultimately I do believe that we are entitled a break from the expectations of our decisions; the control of limitations, the excess of imagining a better life for yourself and then actually taking steps to make it work. For anyone looking at doing exactly that I challenge you to at least see what is the worst thing that can happen.
This is my first challenge…
Take a picture of yourself today no matter what you look like now or your experience with fitness, look at it and ask yourself whether you could be better.
If the answer is yes, prove everyone wrong and do something about it…
We are all waiting to see what you can do

Jake

The Island of Doggos

Special, Travel

You’re never further than ten feet of a dog on Caye Caulker, which makes it hard for tourists to get down Middle Street. This does not seem like it has always been an amicable debate, which is why there are a lot of animal shelters and the like on the island. Tourism especially on somewhere like Caye Caulker comes with its own range of negative implications, though I do believe tourism has come to feed a much kinder attitude toward pets. Observing this over the last few weeks has allowed me to gauge not only the disposition with strays and unruly pets, but the contrast between local pet owners and people that pass.

Petting a dog is not something we consider to avoid doing when we see one approaching, though the expanse of dogs getting more attention than that of their owners is one resulting in their new found ‘independence’ You could be stood at a bar in Caye Caulker and see dogs walking in and out just as casually as you would yourself, whether they come home depends on how well their night is going. Amongst the dive shops and restaurants that litter the sandy streets of Caye Caulker, the animal shelters that tuck in between each establishment house an array of different dogs just waiting for a new owner. Whether or not the dogs I have seen have been mistreated or just want to use the new opportunity of open spaces, it is commonplace to see at least one bolt down the road just before it is about to rain.

I spoke briefly with a few volunteers from the animal shelters and was informed that adoptions of these animals were certainly on the rise. One of the locals that invited me round to his house, showed me his dog that he had rescued from the animal shelter a few weeks before and was shocked to see the state it was in. It was covered in that many fleas but was too exhausted to itch or scratch, a skin condition had left a coat of blistered sores and infections. The owner assured me how he had now managed to get antibiotics and all the relevant ointments to treat the dog, to which I had seen improvements already the following week. It is great to see how the attitudes towards animals in poverty have improved, as the cost to feed and house a dog for some people may be more of a burden than the initial blessing of companionship.

Shark and Ray Alley

Special, Travel

This was one of my first experiences in the water with both Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and (Dasyatidae) Rays. It was extraordinary to watch each species entwining between the next as though they were the same. These animals may not have always been so harmonious together, just as they would not have been so accustomed to humans and intrigued by boat engines, making their shift in nature one worth noting.

The Southern, Caribbean and illusive Eagle Ray are all species that can be found patrolling the waters of Caye Caulker, though the Nurse Shark is usually the most common species to be seen in this area. Sharks are nocturnal, which makes their new jovial turn of character one that displaces their natural instincts and makes them even more susceptible to more forthright ‘predators’ They have short, abrasive teeth that grind and grit rather than puncture and do not share the same dexterous regard as other species of Shark such as the Reef or Bull Shark. It is easy to confuse them with a Catfish, though it is recommended that you leave your hand in its mouth until it lets go as opposed to taking it out suddenly, minus a few fingers. Nurse Sharks hunt mainly fish, though this shift in behaviour as nocturnal hunters will undoubtedly make them less operative as predators and more attractive as prey.

The Rays of Caye Caulker are probably the most majestic class of marine species circling the depths of the island, though their contact with idle tourists has paved way for a much sandier path. They can often be found half buried at the seabed with their barbed tail covered and sensory organs protruding just above, a transcending shift of evolution, one favouring the nap as a key component of the hunt. They stalk mainly Crustaceans and other shadow dwellers that hide between rocks and under boats, which is why they are often found guarding the shallow waters of the docks late at night. While it is highly unlikely for a Ray to attack a human, their new congeniality with tourists may not always remain this way when the petting boundaries become tainted. Tourists must remember that both of these animals are not to be handled flippantly, they are highly capable predators who live in hostile environments and do not hesitate to dispel threats.

This reoccurring debate of human interaction is one that seems to precede most of the topics at hand. It is essential to look retrospectively on our behaviour in environments that are dependable on certain species survival, in order to ascertain a longevity of not only the reef and surrounding habitats but those affording our own.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Special, Uncategorized

As the boundaries of reality become ever more distorted by days spent staging the next, one can often question if the present is just a passing manifestation of the past as we know it, or the future as we deem it to be. For each second that falls into the vacuum of space, every blink of our genetic makeup ingests the information that keeps us from a mutiny of beasts. Beasts who have shared the kiss of life, endured the roughest climates, but cannot speak of the tales that claim them their birthright. Is evolution a battle to the top of the hill that spills at the summit and melts into skies, purging the soil for fruits that do not seed, birds that do not fly and dogs that cannot bark. Humans that cannot read, Robots that cannot obey. Have our destinies be designed, can our fate be known, are our dreams reality?

Speculation, Scandal and Superheroes Pt.1

Special

In the run up to the release of The Program -which will probably be out by the time this is done- in which Ben Foster plays once highly coveted professional cyclist Lance Armstrong, it’s only fitting to open up the debate on how society defines SUCCESS, and the extent to which we may go to pursue it. Lance Armstrong became the ultimate symbol of success; with the expanse of sponsorships that fuelled an illustrious cycling career he proceeded to founder his own cancer charity, Livestrong. Promoting the vision of Livestrong as an ambassador to the masses DESPITE having cancer himself and still somehow managing to conquer his competition, Armstrong suddenly became heavily scrutinised by the media that speculated the extent of his health to be of a more sinister nature.

What most of us will not be able to fathom is the fact that athletes pave the path of their careers through PERFORMANCE not PARTICIPATION. So much so that regularly relying on talent alone to win would be somewhat foolish. To then generalise the extent to which this is apparent would probably be even more so, although in hindsight we don’t see any instance of competitive sport remaining static in the way that records are broken and talent reoccurs. Each year the influx of bigger, faster, stronger athletes surge the competition and test the tenacity of those hardwired to WIN, nothing else. This innate determination would coincide with doing “WHATEVER IT TAKES” in order to optimise ones potential and protect what they deem, rightfully theirs.

People are naive to think that even elite athletes within tested organisations won’t be taking every measure possible to optimise their performance, but even more naive to think that applying themselves to the same conditions would grant them just as much success. No steroid or performance enhancing substance could be solely responsible for ones triumph, despite such media incrimination emphasising the CHEAT or SCANDAL. No, To endeavour this would be result of somewhat intangible factors and an immense amount of raw talent, just to get you in the starting lineup.

With the heavy speculation of illicit drug use during the the most prestigious event on the cycling calendar- The Tour De France; Armstrong took it on himself to organise the ‘program’ in which athletes on his ‘team’ could carry out extreme measures to continue blood doping without being detected. This involved arranged blood transfusions in order to bypass the array of medical screening and to mask the frequent use of various performance enhancing drugs, more specifically IPO. While the countless allegations stacked up against Armstrong, it seemed that the immense support from fans in conjunction with a highly elaborate fabrication of truth carried the false BELIEF in Lance to new heights. This is the belief of defying the odds, chasing your dreams and silencing the naysayer, brutally, via email and telephone.

However, it’s not the malcontent of Lance Armstrong that I want to discuss, although it may be entertaining. I find much more value in identifying how society can scorn individuals that seem to have been CAUGHT OUT when in reality they are mere victims of their own ambition. Now I’m not saying that every top athlete is on drugs, nor am I condoning any such action’ to stay “competitive” but it seems the once grey area of what may define a CHEAT has become much more lucid in nature due to an overwhelming media.

People won’t understand the instance of lying in order protect an athletes untainted career despite the fact that they have an immense responsibility to younger generations that they inspire and are idolised by. What would discrediting the accomplishments of such epitomised figures do to young athletes and more importantly what would it encourage them? The steroid speculation overarching huge pinnacles of success such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Dwayne Johnson has clearly had enough impact on the impressionable audience, making it just as destructive as the TRUTH.

Seeing a recent online article with the title ‘teens heart explodes from steroids after wanting to look like The Rock” struck me hard at not only the naïveté of guys failing to embrace what they have been given and wanting to BE someone else but the extent to which they would go to do so. Using the DRUG card for anyone that has bettered themselves to a significant degree is not only fundamentally ignorant but also provides a vivid reflection of ones own discontent, temporarily satisfied by excuses and frequent use of the BAD GENETICS card.

So like Arnold and Sly and Dwayne and most definitely Armstrong – who won the genetic lottery instilling the foundations of how they can potentially look- they have all successfully fulfilled the limits of their physical prowess so much so that it has resulted in highly coveted careers in various fields of expertise. Every sporting event will feature specialists of their craft, in knowledge and sheer dedication to their own aspirations and to the sport. These individuals will follow even stricter routines and adopt a plethora of approaches to both training and nutrition that most deem to be extreme, superseding the budding enthusiast that may even attempt to close the gap by drastic means. Lance Armstrong lied on the world stage to protect his reputation, one not built overnight.

The discovery of his dishonesty resulted in being stripped of his seven consecutive Tour De France titles, tarnishing his credibility with Livestrong and labelling him the biggest fraud? of our time. While I completely agree with the controls that are in practice to eradicate drug use within sport, I protest the label of Armstrong being considered a FRAUD. No drug is powerful enough to instil a reassuring hope within thousands of people; defying the odds of cancer chasing their dreams and silencing the naysayers that oppose their journey. If this was a drug and it helped people, would it be illegal, would it be unpatriotic? It can be said that Lance Armstrong asserted himself as THE driving force of competitive cycling, recognised by the world media and adored by the people for epitomising the American dream, but to what end? a symbol is by no means a pure, finite depiction of truth, but a vision of something possible.

The irony of Marvel illustrating the divine patriotism of Captain America; a military weapon, unifying humanity against evil, a spectacle of hope and courage. Would a punier Steve Rodgers ever have become his alter ego without being exposed to performance enhancing drugs and to people aware of his secret, is he still considered a superhero?

JAK3D 👊

Short term satisfaction, long term misery.

Lifestyle, Special

Taking a slightly more philosophical turn from the usual health/fitness agenda despite this being considered a health ‘issue’ to some extent. It’d be my pleasure appearing as a hypocrite to justify a life of excess for anyone in need of their own realisation.

Most of us seem to rationalise the occasional ‘blow-out’ into our ever-so vacant calendar, in the attempt to cleanse the urges and behaviours that would limit our capacity to function during that which seem to grant us fulfilment in the day to day. In theory the plan is to dose ourselves with enough endorphins to fill the void of we are now, and where we want to be. Whilst time is the entity that can either allow a idea to blossom or wither, it’s also the one thing most of us ambitious folk still can’t quite seem to fathom, conceptually not numerically. Plain and simply we are so dissatisfied with the time it will ultimately take to ‘succeed’ in whatever is it we think will provide us with absolute content, the short term ‘reward/high’ slowly registers even more gloriously than your realistically UNREALISTIC goal.

So whether poker your poison or boozing your burden, it wouldn’t take long for this ‘temporary’ substitution of your time to taint or even overshadow the goals that you’re subconsciously putting on the back-burner. Such goals referring to an ideology defining success for YOU, this isn’t monetary and will not be attained by any another currency besides hard work. I am certainly not the most ideal ambassador to the whole ‘clean’ lifestyle/fashion trend but I do make a conscious effort to satisfy long term goals slowly but surely. Besides, even though the journey to ‘success’ in whatever you aspire to become will be unsettlingly precarious, it should more importantly be enjoyed nonetheless. I personally am a firm believer in the value of adjusting your outlook toward others on their own ‘journey’ and you too may find this even more rewarding than something only you can reap the benefit from.

Calming the perceptions of those around you when you suddenly go ‘off the radar’ socially will give you a better opportunity to channel every effort necessary to create a bigger void between you and your competition whilst maintaining a sufficient support network. If ‘the lads’ have enough respect for you they’ll know when not to mither for your attendance simply out of boredom. If it just so happens that one of the more sensitive chaps in the group is having girl trouble, an emergency shindig will suffice but won’t justify a full week of binging out to the point of it damaging three.

On a serious note, if it seems to be that such instances have become paramount in your overall ‘wellbeing’ regardless of whether they are as destructive as mentioned, just remember that all you’re doing is desensitising the component of potential success with false reward. If you believe a ‘blowout’ every so often is going to be constructive then by all means. I’m clearly a degree short of offering any credible physiological insight that you can quite easily google yourself. If it’s knowing the technicalities involved, thus altering your approach to breaks in your routine, such may provide you with a big enough incentive to apply appropriately. Ultimately, if you find yourself in this vicious cycle of demotivation through false reward not only will recognising it shed light on your true aspirations that have been cast aside for short term social appeal, the sensation of achievement will return in full flux of colour over the greying sense of plateau or self-doubt.

Bodybuilding aside, it saddens me to see friends set for such great things in sport with SO MUCH MORE raw talent than the average guy busting his balls week in week out would kill -for just a fraction of, throw it all away by destructive means. I too unfortunately have the bug of being overly ambitious and feeling demotivated when I don’t quite cut somewhat unrealistic goals- whether training related or otherwise, hence using immediate means of ‘reward’ that requires minimum effort yet yielding an adequate state of contentment.

Deflecting self doubt can only develop further and even project itself onto relationships, where the outlook of ones insecurities can be just as telling to potential partners as one would view those of others. I can’t think of anything worse than those bitter- drinking bitter; ‘could’ve’, ‘would’ve’, ‘should’ve’ guys, the same flock that failed to channel their efforts sufficiently enough to achieve their potential, the instance where complacency would be the issue of fulfilling potential.

I would finally like to add that just to give you an idea how much you’ll be consciously assessing the depth of your own fulfilment, when you’re next out trying your best to convince everyone how much of a piss can you are, notice how even the extremes of ‘pleasure’ in the form of alcohol/substances only heighten your internal desire of ultimately reaching your potential even more so. This may present you a realisation of needing an immediate lifestyle change, a strong enough one stop you demolishing a kebab whilst simultaneously chewing an ear about diet again.

JAK3D 👊