Tragic Flaws

Everyone has a weakness.  In fact, I'm willing to admit that I have more than one! So why do I often advise, "Concentrate on your weakness(es)?"  Isn't that negative after all?

It may seem that way at first, but let me explain what I mean.  First of all, let's start with testosterone.  Low testosterone can destroy your health in a hundred different ways and here's the key:  many studies have shown that just one mistake or one "area of weakness" - overtraining, lack of sleep, stress, etc - can devastate your testosterone levels.

The same holds true with erectile strength.  Too much fat, too little exercise, lack of sleep and any other number of other factors can lead to impotence.  Again, it just takes one bad lifestyle habit to KO your sex life.  (Of course, generally we all have more than one such area.)

Do you know the foods and drinks that increase erection-boosting Nitric Oxide? Check out the Peak Erectile Strength Diet where I show you how to dramatically and naturally improve your erectile strength.

The brain is no different.  I have listed a number of common Brain Killers that can easily take out your cognition and memory later in life.  Ignoring any one of these could be hazardous to your grey matter.

In literature this concept is called a "tragic flaw" - some kind of trait or lifestyle habit that is a destructive force in a character's life. Generally, it is something like alcoholism, cheating and other vices that form the basis of the downfall of either the protagonist or villain.

However, with fitness - and this is key - it is generally a socially acceptable and encouraged habit that is the tragic flaw that undoes a fellow's health and sexual well being.  For example, eating a steak, cheesy potato fries and a monster dessert would be very socially acceptable for most guys in almost any business setting.  Working so many hours that you don't have time to go to the gym would also be admired and encouraged in much of American culture.  And how many of us admire someone who sleeps 8-9 hours per night?  Or do we consider that just a little lazy and unambitious or even downright boring?

I mention this because many of our bad habits, or tragic flaws as I am calling them, are so culturally ingrained that we do not even see them as "bad habits" that might kill us.  I encourage you to go by the research instead.  Read the links above and on the upper left and note the things that science has found to be destructive to your health.  Your grandma may not think it was bad for you, but chances are that if a couple of studies state the opposite, your grandma - God bless her soul - was just plain dead wrong.

I'll use myself as a case study.  My weaknesses are very simply the Two S's:  sugar and sleep.  I have a sweet tooth and, if left to my own devices, would eat and drink almost nothing but cake, chocolate and carmel macchiattos.  And, to round out my day, I'd stay up every night until about 1:00 am and wake up about five hours later.  I know that both of these could easily shorten my life span and often lead to lead to lower hormone levels and cardiovascular disease among other things.  Yet they are still a temptation.

How do I defeat these two twin foes?  In my case, I read and read and read about them.  Then when I face temptation, it is much less enticing:  I know all too well what they're going to do to me (and my family) and it generally stops me in my tracks.  Furthermore, once you break out of the habit, it becomes much easier to say "no" on an ongoing basis.

Tragically, many people stay deliberately ignorant so that they do not have to face what they don't want to hear.  Even worse, they hang around friends and family that tell them what they want to hear not what they need to hear.

Going to the gym is easy for me:  I enjoy it.  Eating vegetables, fruits and grains is not only easy but often a preference for me.  What good does it do me to concentrate on these "good" things that I do naturally?  Is it not much better for me to focus extra attention on the things that could kill my relationship and career and negatively impact my family? 

Shakespeare said it best:  "To thine own self be true".  I would argue that this includes an assessment of ALL aspects of your health and fitness.  After all, being Walter Mitty could get you killed...