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| Qui-Gon Jinn vs. Darth Maul |
In the era
before the Empire, there was a noble Jedi named Qui-Gon Jinn. He was a Jedi Master
who was an ambassador of peace and a trainer of many young padawans. In the
famed Theed Palace, Qui-Gon and his apprentice Obi-Wan fought an astonishing
lightsaber battle with a vicious Sith Lord named Darth Maul. During the fight,
Obi-Wan was separated from the two and Qui-Gon engaged the Sith Lord alone. When
the two foes were separated by an energy barrier, Qui-Gon knelt and meditated
to restore his essence while Maul paced back and forth like a caged animal. When
the energy barrier dropped, the two battled once more and, unfortunately, Maul
was the superior combatant.
Shortly thereafter,
Obi-Wan returned to the fray and was almost bested by Maul as well. However, overconfidence
and arrogance proved to be the dark lord’s undoing. Maul is slain, tumbles into
the abyss, and Obi-Wan races to his fallen master. Even in death, Qui-Gon’s
final words are for Obi-Wan to train young Anakin Skywalker as Qui-Gon believes
he is the chosen one who will bring balance to the Force. Qui-Gon is correct.
Anakin is the chosen one but it takes a full generation for the wise Jedi to be
proven correct.
Now, you may
be reading this going, “Ryan, how does this have anything to do with weight
lifting?” Like always, stick with me. I am building to something here.
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| Qui-Gon in meditation |
Qui-Gon Jinn
was an ambassador, an emissary, a negotiator, a mentor, a teacher, and a
combatant only when all other avenues were exhausted. Darth Maul was trained
for one purpose: to kill Jedi. On that fateful day, Qui-Gon was bested by a
superior combatant. There is absolutely no shame in that. The guy was just
better. But even in his death, Qui-Gon was selfless and thinking of others.
Maul meets
his end because is silently gloating and lording over Obi-Wan Kenobi, just waiting
for the next kill. He is overconfident and he dies because of his arrogance. We
see Qui-Gon laid to rest in the funeral pyre but there is no funeral for Maul.
He is not mourned.
I think it is
only natural as training progresses that you are going to start looking around
the gym. There is always going to be someone out there that is bigger,
stronger, faster, more defined, and has less body fat than you. There is always
going to be someone better. You may look at pictures of people posting selfies
on Instagram or see these fitness models and become discouraged because you are
comparing yourself to them. And yet, you don’t know the filters applied, if the
pics were professionally taken, Photoshopped, or what went down before that pic
was taken. Remember, it is a highlight reel.
This is why I
have often said that you don’t want to just be known as a bodybuilder. It is
great to have a muscular physique (that goes for men and women) but it is
better to know the science of how it was achieved. It is better to put in the
work day in and day out so you can appreciate every block of stone laid to
build your pyramid. What did you have to study and learn to achieve this look?
Are you just a body? Have you counterbalanced this by studying philosophy, theology,
or a few self-help books? Have you cultivated an artistic side? Admired art?
Spent time with friends? Enjoyed life?
This is where
you have to ask yourself: What are you training for?
If you are
like me and the answer is “To be a better me,” that involves not just lifting
weights but studying nutrition and finding ways to improve. Do you want to be a
Sith Lord that just exterminates Jedi? That seems like an empty and hollow
existence and – news flash – there is always going to be someone better than
you.
Or do you
want to be the Jedi that is helpful and selfless and in tune with the universe?
That person is confident in who he (or she) is and is happy with the levels of
improvement that they are creating in all aspects of their lives. Now, go forth
and do likewise. Enjoy your Friday.
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