“Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but don’t nobody wants to lift no heavy ass weight.” This statement alone has fueled the workouts of thousands of aspirants at the gym, but what makes it so perfect?

Ronnie Coleman was one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time, and to back up his greatness he left his career with 26 IFBB titles and 8 Mr Olympia titles. He posted videos on the internet with his progress as well, as this quote was said right before he squatted 800 pounds for two reps.

“Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but don’t nobody want to lift no heavy ass weight.”

There’s some sort of motivation that comes from knowing that you are doing something that nobody else is willing to do. The motivation of going the “extra mile” to prove that you are better than everyone else—and it’s empowering.

Even though he states that nobody wants to lift weights, the double meaning between motivation and exclusivity pushes this statement into a prime motivator in the bodybuilding community. However, I feel like it goes farther than that.

People like Coleman don’t get to the level they get to without countless hours of time and effort put into their craft. At the peak of his achievements, bodybuilding almost became a full time job as he filled his days with training, rest, and above all else, strict and scheduled dieting.

Sometimes a reality of hard work is often the actual “doing” of the things that are hard. On social media, people often look for the “quick and easy” way to get abs, or a “fast diet to get you lean”. Although these are great media attention-getters, it often masks the reality of the dedication and sacrifices needed for hard work.

It’s easy to get masked by bodybuilders that have incredible physiques, or people that are on the top of the pedestals of society like CEOs, professors, and professional actors. But did these individuals get their status right from the get go? Or did they work their way up to where they are today?

When I started this blog, I knew that I wanted to analyze people who have gotten to the level of “greatness” that everyday people aspire to be at every day. But how do people get to the top? Oftentimes, there’s not a clear path or way to get what people desire. It takes time, it takes patience, and above all else, sometimes it takes sacrifice in order to be the best.

A common characteristic between all of the people I have analyzed so far is drive. Every single one of us has dealt with things that are difficult, whether it be tough school assignments, a tough workout, or perhaps mental battles that are taking a toll on the individual.

One thing I want to develop in this blog is the importance of having other people going through battles along with you. Even in the video of Coleman squatting 800 pounds, he still had his friends and colleagues right around with him to help cheer him on. Things get tough in life, yet facing adversity and pushing past the things that are difficult can be one of the most rewarding things in life. However, one thing is for certain is that those adversities never have to be faced alone. Until next week, this is achieving greatness.