I’m not going to come on here and say looks don’t matter, because to a degree, they do. At the end of the day, people will judge you based on your appearance—whether you like it or not.

It’s human nature.

So I’m not attacking anyone who goes to the gym, eats right, sleeps well, and does all the right things purely for cosmetic reasons.

But what I will say is this:

When it’s done properly and consistently, it will actually improve many other areas of your life.

And in this article, that’s exactly what I’m going to talk about in more detail.

#1 Energy Leverage

This is No. 1 for a reason — because it’s probably one of the biggest benefits of physical exercise:

The way I like to put it is this:

When exercise is done properly and consistently — meaning you’re not overtraining and you’re not undertraining — it will actually boost your energy levels. It’s kind of like putting a bigger battery in your phone.

And of course, this increase in energy can only be beneficial.

Think about your output and productivity at work: the more energy you have, the more you can accomplish.

Think about your presence in relationships — whether it’s with your kids, your wife, or your girlfriend. All of these areas require energy.

I would even go as far as to say that self-improvement starts with physical fitness and self-awareness. And if you’re interested in learning more about self-awareness, I’ve already done an article on this which you can read.

#2 Cognitive Leverage (Brain ROI)

If you think physical exercise is all about the body, THINK again. When done in moderation and done properly, it’s a powerful way to upgrade your brain.

It can improve your memory, help you manage stress, and clear your mind.

You see the mind and body is connected and quite often, when you train one, the other benefits.

A perfect example of this is meditation.

A lot of people think meditation is all about the mind, but your body usually benefits from it too.

Studies have shown that people who meditate regularly tend to have lower cortisol levels—that’s the stress hormone.

So it’s win-win for body and mind.

#3 Discipline & Willpower Leverage

You probably already know this, but it’s worth mentioning anyway:

When you see somebody who is physically fit, you instinctively know that this person has discipline.

You can see it.

It requires discipline to go to the gym and train. It requires discipline and willpower to eat the right foods.

It requires discipline to go to bed at the right time. And it requires discipline and willpower to avoid bad habits.

Do you see where this is going?

Quite often—not all the time, but quite often—when you’re disciplined in one area of your life, it transfers to another.

You could say that physical exercise builds that self-control muscle.

#4 Healthspan & Longevity Leverage

Do you want me to tell you what I think is super impressive?

When you’ve got guys in their 60s, 70s, and 80s still working out like they’re young guys.

The perfect example of this is the bodybuilder Tom Platz.

The guy’s still extremely mobile in his older age. I think there’s videos on the internet of him squatting all the way down to the floor—I believe he’s in his 70s.

It’s impressive, it really is.

Not to mention, strength training can help ward off chronic diseases as well as prevent muscle loss as we age.

Like I said, it ain’t just about vanity.

#5 Physical Capability Leverage

To put it another way, physical fitness just gives you options—it gives you leverage.

No. 1: You’re able to lift heavy things, which makes you generally more useful.

No. 2: People are less likely to mess with you. Just your appearance alone can stop people from targeting you.

If you want to take this a step further, you can even learn a combat sport—of course for self-defense purposes.

And No. 3: It can save your life. I’ve even heard of people who’ve been involved in car accidents and kind of got away with it because they had muscle on their frame.

The muscle and bone density absorbed the impact.

And this leads me perfectly into the next point, and that is confidence.

#6 Confidence & Presence Leverage

Let’s have it real:

Confidence doesn’t come from taking mirror selfies or posting shirtless on Instagram. It comes from knowing what your body can actually do.

Think hitting new PRs in the gym, carrying groceries with ease, or not getting as winded by everyday life.

And this isn’t some motivational feel-good speech I’m giving you. Regular exercise, especially strength training, has been shown to correlate with higher self-esteem and a more positive self-image.

Well guess what?

People subconsciously pick up on that energy.

Think job interviews, going on dates with women, or negotiating a pay rise.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

This is leverage.

In a previous article (click the link to read more), I basically said that women on average tend to prefer men with athletic bodies.

And it’s not just the man’s body they’re attracted to—it’s the person’s overall demeanor and energy.

#7 Anti-Fragility Leverage

It's the old saying:

And to be perfectly clear, physical exercise is a form of stress, which is why it’s super important to do it in moderation—too much of it can actually harm you.

But when you do it properly, your body adapts to that stress and, as a result, becomes stronger.

Before I get into the main talking points of the article, there’s something I want to discuss and that is…

Journaling has a marketing problem.

You see, journaling is stereotyped as something feminine.

“It’s what girls do”.

And back in the day there was even a novel called Diary of a Wimpy Kid — which doesn’t exactly scream masculine, does it?

Even in the early 2000s, when journals and diaries were being marketed, they were often colored pink.

So again it’s understandable why a lot of guys think journaling is something that girls do.

But here’s the irony:

Examples include:

1. Bruce Lee, a proper warrior (some people might even say he kick-started MMA).

2. Marcus Aurelius was another one — a Roman emperor.

3. George Washington, high up in the military — it’s well known that he kept journals.

4. Leonardo da Vinci — a proper Renaissance man, an inventor, a scientist, and an artist.

We’re not exactly screaming feminine vibes, now are we.

So honestly, if you think journaling is something that girls do, you’ve been fooled and in this article, I’m going to give you five reasons as to why men in particular would benefit from journaling.

#1 Journaling Reduces Stress and Anxiety in a Private, Judgment-Free Way

Let’s just have it real:

On average, men are far less likely than women to open up or seek therapy in times of need, and a lot of this is due to the way boys are conditioned from a early age.

You see, a lot of boys are essentially taught to suppress their emotions, and in some social circles, showing vulnerability is still seen as weakness. So what happens is that many guys learn very early on not to do it.

And this is where journaling can be really powerful because one of its major benefits is that it gives you a completely safe space.

You can release pent-up emotions, put all your frustrations and worries down on paper, and do it in an environment where nobody is going to judge you.

When you think about it, journaling is incredibly simple. All you have to do is write whatever comes to mind.

It’s not about grammar, style, or polish. You can write whatever the hell you want — that’s the beauty of it.

There are no rules.

#2 Journaling Improves Mental Clarity and Decision-Making

I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me when I say, that the internet is up there as one of mankind’s greatest inventions.

I’d even put it right alongside the umbrella — because let’s be honest, the umbrella is a fantastic invention.

But anyway, one of the problems with the internet is information overload.

We’re absolutely drowning in it. And to be honest, I don’t know anybody who isn’t addicted to social media in some way or another.

I’ve even heard of people using their phones while they’re on the toilet. That’s how attached we’ve become to these devices.

And this is exactly where journaling — or what I like to call brain dumping — comes in.

Whatever thoughts are swirling around, whatever random ideas, whatever noise you’ve got going on upstairs, you just transfer it all onto a piece of paper. (Or even into a note-taking app if you prefer.)

What this does is empty your mind.

And from a stress-reduction perspective, a mental-health perspective, a mental-clarity perspective, this makes journaling a fantastic tool.

Not to mention — it’s completely free.

#3 Journaling Supports Goal Setting and Personal Growth

Here’s the thing with journaling:

It ain’t just about self-reflection and mental health. It’s also a powerful tool for setting goals.

You can use a journal to clearly define your goals, track your progress, celebrate your achievements, and honestly reflect on your setbacks.

And to be transparent here, journaling won’t magically make your goals happen—you still have to put in the work and graft for it.

But what it does do is make the entire process smarter, more consistent, and more honest.

And those three things can only help with regards to achieving your goals.

#4 Journaling Enhances Physical Health and Resilience

This might actually come as a surprise to some people as alot of folks might be thinking to themselves, “What the hell does journaling and brain dumping have to do with your physical health?”

Well, it has a lot to do with your physical health—because your mind and body are very closely connected.

Let’s just take stress as an example:

When stress is chronic and prolonged, it doesn’t just harm you psychologically; it also harms your body.

Another great example is a panic attack:

Anybody who has previously had a panic attack, will tell you that breathing can be difficult when experiencing an episode.

Again another illustration of the mind-body connection.

As discussed earlier, journaling allows you to process your emotions and your stress in a safe environment where nobody is judging you.

And of course, if you do this on a regular basis, it can help prevent suppressed emotions from manifesting physically.

#5 Journaling Boosts Overall Mental Health and Mood

If you’ve made it this far into the article, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that journaling is highly effective for improving your mood and mental health.

It’s simple, it’s free, it’s highly effective—and alongside weightlifting, it’s the cheapest form of therapy I’m aware of.

In my own life, weightlifting and journaling have gotten me out of some really dark times.

So before I wrap this article up, let’s quickly run through the key mental health benefits of journaling.

Number 1: It can reduce anxiety and depression—which often go hand in hand.

Number 2: It can improve your mood.

Number 3: It can improve your sleep. Just think about it this way—if you’re in a better psychological place and less stressed, switching off at night is going to be a hell of a lot easier.

Number 4: It promotes gratitude—being thankful for what you actually have in life—which we all know is very beneficial for mental health.

And number 5: Journaling promotes balanced thinking. There’s a lot of emphasis on positive thinking out there, but I’m a big believer that balanced thinking is far superior.

If you’re interested in learning more about that, I highly recommend checking out this article I’ve done here, where I explain balanced thinking in more detail.

When it comes to thinking styles if that’s what you want to call them there are generally three perspectives.

No. 1: The optimists. These are the people who tend to look on the bright side of every situation.

You could call them pure positive thinkers.

No. 2: The pessimists. These are the people who tend to expect the worst. They focus on the downsides of every situation.

Some might even call them “Negative Nellies.”

No. 3: The realists. These are the people who see the world as it actually is. They’re not hyper-focused on the positives, but at the same time they’re not hyper-focused on the negatives either.

You could say their thinking is balanced—it sits right in the middle and in my opinion of course is the best out of the three.

#1 Balanced Thinking Avoids Toxic Positivity and Emotional Invalidation

A big problem with positive thinking is that when it’s taken to the extreme—when it’s not checked—it can lead to denial and emotional invalidation.

For example:

It’s okay to feel sad. It’s okay to feel angry. It’s okay to feel pain.

Forcing yourself to “look on the bright side” of a bad situation is really just emotional suppression and this is where balanced thinking comes in.

Because it’s about embracing both sides, accepting the full emotional range as normal and informative.

It’s not about eradicating negative emotions it’s about processing them, not bypassing them.

What I’ve personally found really helpful for doing this in my own life is journaling.

The great thing about journaling is that you can write all your thoughts down on a piece of paper, and the paper doesn’t judge you unlike some people. Metaphorically speaking you can bleed in a safe environment.

Physical exercise is another great one. You’re shifting your feelings rather than shoving them down.

And sometimes, going to the gym when you’re angry is one of the best things you can do…

Why?

You’ll lift weights you’ve never lifted before, you can channel that anger in a productive way.

#2 Balanced Thinking Leads to Better, More Realistic Decision-Making

One of the problems with pure positive thinking is that the downsides are often ignored. This often leads to overly optimistic plans that fall apart the moment reality hits them hard.

There’s a well-known saying that goes something like:

What this quote basically means is that success isn’t an accident—it’s deliberate and this is exactly where balanced thinking comes in.

With balanced thinking, you don’t just focus on the upside; you also seriously consider the downside. You weigh the pros against the cons and look at both sides.

That’s how you make genuinely good decisions.

One of the very best ways to do this is surprisingly simple:

Grab a piece of paper and a pencil, draw a line down the middle, label one side “Pros” and the other “Cons,” and start writing.

The act of putting everything on paper forces you to think more critically—and when it comes to making good decisions, critical thinking is exactly what you want.

#3 Balanced Thinking Provides Genuine Motivation Through Defensive Pessimism

I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me when I say this:

And this is where defensive pessimism comes in. It’s a coping strategy that goes hand in hand with balanced thinking.

You see with pure positive thinking, you visualize all the positive outcomes. For example, a business owner might visualize earning $50k in year one.

With defensive pessimism, you do the opposite: you visualize the worst-case scenarios and the reason why this is very good for your mental health is because it lowers your expectations.

Like I said at the start, when pursuing most goals—whether in business, fitness, sports, education, or anything else it hardly ever goes exactly to plan. So when you lower your expectations, that’s actually a good thing.

Using the business example again:

Because your expectations are now lower, you start thinking more realistically. You begin planning for things that could potentially go wrong.

And this leads me perfectly onto the next point.

#4 Balanced Thinking Reduces Disappointment and Emotional Volatility

Because extreme optimists tend to have extremely high expectations, when reality inevitably falls short, the crashes can be brutal.

This ties directly back to what I mentioned earlier:

Balanced thinking means you acknowledge both the positives and the negatives. You’re not hyper-focusing on the downsides, but you’re also not hyper-focusing on the upsides—you stay right in the middle.

This centered perspective creates a genuine inner calm, no matter what the outcome turns out to be.

And psychologically speaking, when it comes to pursuing goals, this outcome-independent state is one of the healthiest and most effective places to be.

#5 Balanced Thinking Builds Long-Term Resilience and Adaptability

There’s a quote often attributed to Charles Darwin that goes something like this:

(Note: This is actually a popular paraphrase of Darwin’s ideas, not his exact words, but the concept is spot-on.)

This is true not only in nature but in many other areas of life as well.

I think it was Bruce Lee who said, “Be like water.” Basically, what he meant was: be adaptable.

When you pour water into a glass, it takes the shape of the glass. When you pour it into a kettle, it takes the shape of the kettle. Water is the perfect example of adaptability.

The way I look at it is this:

People who are pure positive thinkers (optimists) or pure negative thinkers (pessimists) see the world in black and white.

But when someone is a balanced thinker who can see both sides they see the world in full HD color.

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You know what? It’s about time I finally did an article on the Prowler sled because this piece of gym equipment right here is seriously underrated.

So here’s what I’m going to do for you:

First I’ll explain what the Prowler sled actually is, then I’ll give you 5 really good reasons as too why you should be using it…

I’m pretty sure that if you read the article in full, next time you hit the gym, you’ll probably want to use the Prowler.

Understanding the Prowler Sled

The easiest way to describe the Prowler sled is that it’s basically a piece of gym equipment designed for you to push, pull, and drag.

It’s also built to work on different surfaces—think astroturf, grass, or gym flooring—so it’s super versatile in that sense.

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If you look at a picture of a Prowler sled, (see above) you’ll notice the handles. Those handles are there so you can get a solid grip and push it.

There are also attachment points where you can hook up a rope, strap, or harness, allowing you to pull or drag it.

Another big benefit worth mentioning is that it lets you train the body in different planes of motion.

You don’t have to just push or pull forward and backward—you can drag it sideways to target different muscle groups.

Like I said at the start, this piece of equipment is super underrated.

So let’s dive into the benefits in a lot more detail.

#1 The Prowler Sled Can Be Used by Both Beginners and Advanced Trainees Alike

This is probably the No. 1 benefit of the Prowler sled—right here and that is its flexibility and versatility.

One of the reasons it’s so suitable for complete beginners is the learning curve: it’s extremely small. The main reason for that is it relies on instinctive movement patterns.

What that means is that, generally speaking, people tend to pick it up very quickly—which, from a confidence perspective, is obviously a great thing.

And advanced lifters also get huge benefits from training with a Prowler sled.

Which I’ll go into in more detail now.

#2 The Prowler Sled Builds Strength, Power, and Speed

The Prowler Sled is really a jack-of-all-trades—you could even call it an all-in-one piece of equipment.

For example:

• If you want to build strength, load it heavy—add plenty of weight but move it more slowly.

• If you’re looking to develop explosive power, push and pull the sled explosively. This trains your ability to generate force quickly, which as you can imagine, transfers to sports such as rugby, boxing, American football, or any activity that demands quick, powerful movements.

• If you want to develop speed, use lighter weights but move the sled as fast as possible.

Do you see how versatile this piece of equipment is?

It can basically be adapted to suit almost any training goal.

#3 The Prowler Sled Has Virtually No Eccentric Loading

For those who don’t know, when you use the Prowler sled, there’s hardly any eccentric loading—it’s predominantly concentric.

So if you’re someone who wants to train in the gym quite often, the Prowler sled is probably your No. 1 choice.

I’ve heard of people using it six days a week. While I personally wouldn’t go too that extreme, the point I want to make is this:

If you want to avoid the pitfalls of overtraining while still training frequently, it’s actually pretty hard to beat the Prowler sled.

#4 The Prowler Sled Can Be Used for Rehabilitation Purposes

Not only can the Prowler sled make you more athletic—stronger, faster, and more powerful but it can also be used for rehab purposes.

The reason is its low-impact nature. As I mentioned previously, it’s predominantly concentric, so it doesn’t beat up your body nearly as much as traditional exercises.

For those who don’t know, your ankles and feet form the foundation of the human body. Pushing and pulling a Prowler sled strengthens both your ankles and feet effectively.

It’s also worth mentioning that pulling the Prowler sled backward can be really helpful for those dealing with knee pain.

It drives blood flow to the area, promoting recovery whilst at the same time strengthening the surrounding muscles and joints without excessive stress.

#5 The Prowler Sled Is Great for Cardio Purposes

Let’s just have it real:

You don’t want to be the guy who looks good but struggles to walk or even run—up a flight of stairs.

And this is where the Prowler shines, because it can train both your aerobic and anaerobic systems.

So let’s break it down in more detail.

If you want to use the Prowler sled to work your aerobic system, load it with light to moderate weight, push it for longer distances, and keep your rest periods short (think under a minute).

To target your anaerobic system, load it heavy, push for shorter distances, and take longer rest periods (think 2–3 minutes).

The Prowler sled is incredibly versatile in that sense—it lets you train both energy systems effectively.

And if you’re someone looking to seriously improve your cardiovascular fitness, I highly recommend checking out this article right here.

In it, I explain exactly which exercises you should be doing and the tools you need to use.

When it comes to sex appeal, many people think it’s all about your looks—and to be fair, there is some truth to that.

We are visual creatures, after all.

But I’d argue that sex appeal is actually much more about who you are as a person and the energy you give off. It’s a combination of many different qualities.

So let’s break this down in more detail.

#1 Understand the Difference Between Looks and Sex Appeal

The very first thing you need to understand is that good looks and sex appeal are not the same thing.

For example, you could have a guy with model-tier looks—perfect bone structure, perfect genetics—and even women will admit he’s a good-looking guy.

This is the sort of man you’d see on a fitness magazine cover or a billboard.

But let’s say his energy is a bit off. He comes across as shy; personality-wise, he’s not great at emotionally connecting with women.

The way he carries himself—when he walks, for instance—he moves like he’s a little timid.

Now flip the script:

Let’s talk about a woman with high sex appeal… Marilyn Monroe is a classic example.

For those who don’t know, she was widely regarded as a 20th-century sex symbol.

And if you look at Marilyn Monroe and study her behavior, it wasn’t just her good looks that made her so magnetic.

It was who she was as a person.

She was fun, flirty, and had a touch of playful madness to her. She also wasn’t afraid to show her more vulnerable side.

So, do you see what I mean?

Sex appeal isn’t just about your looks—it’s a combination of many different things.

#2 Build a Body That Is Strong, Fit and Athletic

When it comes to sex appeal, a man’s body can have a powerful effect on women. If you want proof, just look at the way women reacted when movies like Magic Mike came out.

All over the world—women went absolutely mad for it.

And if you think about it logically, this makes perfect sense. When you have sex with a woman, you’re as close to naked as possible (or completely naked).

In other words, you have to like what you see—well the same applies to her.

She has to like your body.

Plus on a deeper, almost subliminal level, when a man is physically fit and in shape, it signals that he can protect, which many women, on average, find highly attractive.

The great thing is that you don’t need to live in the gym—you can get very good results by training just 3 days a week.

And if this is something you’re interested in, I highly recommend checking out my fitness content on this website.

I’m giving all the information away for free.

#3 Become Comfortable in Your Own Skin

A huge part of sex appeal is being comfortable in your own skin.

The reason is simple:

When you’re truly comfortable with yourself, that relaxed, confident energy transfers to her. Suddenly, conversations flow more naturally and emotional connection becomes a hell of a lot easier.

So what does this look like in practice?

It basically means radical self-acceptance — fully accepting the things about yourself that you cannot change.

For example:

• Your height — you can’t change it, so you might as well accept it.

• Your body build (frame) — you can’t fundamentally alter it. Sure, you can go to the gym and improve your physique, but your basic structure is what it is.

• Your penis size — again, you can’t change it.

The only real option is to accept the things you can’t control.

Here’s another way to look at it:

From a very early age, women are bombarded with advertisements and media telling them they need to look a certain way to be desirable. As a result, many (not all, but a significant number) of women carry deep insecurities about their appearance.

So when they meet a guy who is genuinely comfortable and secure in his own skin — someone who isn’t constantly apologizing for or trying to hide parts of himself — it’s like a breath of fresh air.

That confidence stands out in the best possible way.

#4 Deal With Any Sexual Hang UPS (If Applicable)

Look, I’m just going to be very honest with you:

I’m not going to spend too much time on this section of the article. The reason is that I’m not a trained sex therapist—this is not my area of expertise.

However what I can say, is this:

If a person has any sort of sexual hang-ups or is sexually repressed, it will impact their sex appeal.

Why?

Because the brakes are essentially on.

This in turn affects how they talk to women, how they communicate, and their overall demeanor.

A lot of guys in this situation end up friendzoned because—there’s zero sexual energy coming through.

So if anybody is dealing with these kinds of problems, for whatever reason, speaking to a professional and working with a qualified sex therapist might be one of the best things that person can do.

#5 Maintain Your Appearance

I know some people will say it’s shallow and others will say it’s vain, but whether you like it or not, we are judged on our looks.

And looks play a role with regards to sex appeal. Really, it’s just about doing the simple things:

Moisturising every day, going to the dentist every six months, working out, wearing clothes that flatter your physique etc.

It’s the simple stuff.

I’m not going to go into a ton of detail here because I’ve actually already done a whole article explaining how to improve your looks — click this link here to check it out.

#6 Cultivate Assertiveness and Leadership

Sex appeal is heavily tied to a man’s actions and his ability to lead. Like I’ve previously alluded to in the article, it isn’t just about your looks — it’s about your energy, who you are as a person, your attitude, and your behaviour.

And if you speak to many women, they’ll tell you they expect the guy to make the first move.

It’s extremely rare for women to approach men they’re sexually attracted to — it’s the man who has to do the work.

You have to earn it.

I know a lot has been done for equality in the workplace, and that’s a very good thing because to be fair, in the past women were heavily marginalised.

But here’s the thing:

In the dating and relationship world, traditional gender roles still very much exist.

#7 Figure Out Which Women Are Best Suited to You and Your Personality

What you’ll tend to find with guys who succeed with women is that they stay in their lane.

They don’t chase women who aren’t interested in them—they only deal with women who GENUINELY like them for who they are.

So here’s the key:

As a man, you maximize your own potential. Then you figure out the types of women who are naturally attracted to your specific look, vibe, and personality.

Once you identify them, you focus exclusively on those kinds of women.

In today’s day and age, it’s easier than ever before to buy something.

Why?

Because we’re all walking around with smartphones in our pockets, and we’re also being marketed to like never before.

Turn on social media, and you’re seeing advertisements. Switch on your television, and you’re seeing advertisements.

Turn on your radio, and you’re hearing advertisements. Walk around your local city centre, and again you’re seeing billboards advertising to you.

Basically, we’ve got all these messages coming at us, telling us that we need to buy.

So it’s quite understandable why some people come to the conclusion that in order to be happy they need to buy things.

But the truth is, you don’t and psychology actually backs this up, so let’s talk about it in more detail.

#1 Hedonic Adaptation (The Hedonic Treadmill)

So, for those who don’t know, hedonic adaptation is basically the idea that we all have a baseline level of happiness and what tends to happen after positive or negative events is that we return to that baseline level.

For example, if you get a new job, you’ll initially feel great—you’ll be on a high, buzzing with excitement.

But soon afterward (days or weeks later), the novelty wears off.

It’s the same when you buy things: you feel good at first, riding that initial high, but then, as days or weeks pass, the excitement fades, and you return to your baseline.

And this leads perfectly to my next point:

The joy you experience from buying is temporary.

#2 Temporary Joy Only

You know yourself—when you buy new things, the feeling is never permanent, so it will never bring you lasting fulfillment.

Maybe they're bored, maybe they're lonely, maybe they're stressed—there's something going on in their lives.

If you actually look at it from a very logical point of view, who the hell needs 15 pairs of shoes?

You have two feet; you can only wear one pair at a time.

The point I’m making is this:

From a happiness perspective and even a financial perspective, it’s much better to buy what you actually need, rather than buying for buying sake.

#3 Endless Comparison

Obviously, this depends on how your “wired up,” but there’s an expression called “keeping up with the Joneses.”

Basically, it’s all about playing a comparison game:

In other words If you buy something, I need to buy something bigger, better, and faster.

For example, imagine two people living on the same street. One neighbor gets a new kitchen, and the other—who’s caught up in the comparison game—now feels compelled to get an even bigger one.

Not because they need it, but simply to outdo their neighbor.

The same goes for cars. If one neighbor buys a new car, the other has to go out and get a bigger, faster one—again, not out of necessity, but just to one-up them.

But this behavior is more common than you think, especially in middle class environments.

The problem is, that living this way will never make you truly happy, for two reasons:

1. Things don’t bring lasting happiness.

2. It will probably leave the person playing the comparison game drowning in a boatload of debt and what for “keeping up with the Joneses.”

#4 Many Possessions Require Ongoing Costs

A car is a perfect example of this—so is buying a house. You’re not just buying it once; they come with ongoing costs.

Let’s use a car as an example:

You have to fuel it, insure it, and maintain it. And let’s just say, for example, you’re somebody who’s living paycheck to paycheck—which, by the way, is a lot of people—if that car breaks down, it’s probably going to cause you a lot of stress.

It’s just something to think about.

And in this article here, I talked about the benefits of owning an old, reliable car—especially the psychological benefits.

Because at the end of the day, nobody needs—keyword here is needs—a top-end sports car.

The purpose of a car is to get you from A to B.

#5 Experiences Trump Things

And the beauty of this is that it doesn’t even need to be mega expensive.

This could be going go-karting with the kids, going out for a meal with family or friends, or going on a weekend away with the girlfriend or wife.

The reason for this is simple:

1. You create new memories.

2. It’s shared experiences that ultimately bring people closer together.

From a happiness perspective, if I had a choice between spending a couple of grand on a watch or a couple of grand on a camping trip with family and friends, nine times out of ten I’m choosing the camping trip.

#6 Materialism Linked to Lower Well-Being

So if you’ve made it this far in the article, you’ve probably come to the conclusion that buying things won’t make you happy.

And this ain’t just me saying this—studies back this up.

What the studies show is that highly materialistic people:
No. 1, tend to experience higher rates of depression, and
No. 2, they tend to be less grateful for the things they already have.

So let’s put things into perspective:

If you’re somebody who has a roof over your head, access to running water, and a fridge full of food, then you’re more blessed than you think.

#7 It Distracts from True Sources of Fulfillment

Sometimes in life, it’s the simple things that bring you the most joy.

For example:

Seeing your kids smile for the first time (money can’t buy that), building something with your hands so you get that sense of achievement, or contributing to a cause that means something to you.

Those three things that I’ve just mentioned will, from a happiness perspective, do more for you than buying things that you don’t need.

And what I’ve found in my own personal life is that the best things in life are either free or cost you next to nothing.

If you’re brand new to lifting and want to get strong and jacked as fast as humanly possible, nothing beats full-body workouts three days a week.

But before I get into why, let’s clear up what full-body training actually is—because it ain’t the bro splits you see, flooding your Instagram feed.

What’s the Difference Between Full Body and Split Workouts?

A full-body workout is exactly what it sounds like:

A single session where you train your entire body. That means you’re hitting your chest, back, arms, core and legs all in one workout.

And because you’re training the whole body at once, your exercise selection is heavily influenced by this goal.

You’ll primarily rely on compound movements — exercises that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Think squats, deadlifts, lunges, farmer’s walks, pull-ups, dips, chest presses, and rows.

In contrast, a training split involves training different body parts on different days.

The most common example is the classic “bro split” (chest day, back day, leg day, etc.), typically done 5–6 days a week.

Another popular option is the upper/lower split, where you train upper body one day and lower body the next.

There are countless ways to structure your training, but when it comes to beginners who want to build muscle and get stronger as quickly as possible, it’s hard to beat full-body workouts.

Now let’s talk about why they’re so effective.

#1 You Train Every Major Muscle Group Frequently

The first benefit of full-body workouts is training frequency. They get you in the gym three times a week, hitting all the major muscle groups.

When you compare that to a typical bodybuilding ‘bro split’ — chest on Monday, back on Tuesday, and so on — you’re nowhere near hitting each muscle group as frequently as you do with full-body workouts three times a week.

Another big advantage worth mentioning is that full-body routines achieve this higher frequency without destroying recovery.

And this leads perfectly into my next point…

#2 Full Body Workouts Maximize Recovery

The second thing you need to know is that muscle isn’t actually built in the gym—it’s built during recovery.

And when you train full-body three times a week, you’re maximizing recovery because you essentially have four days off.

You build muscle: when you’re outside the gym.

I always say, when it comes to working out, you want to do the least amount of work possible that still elicits the most change.

More isn’t always better and if you’re brand new to strength training, you want to make your life as simple and easy as possible.

#3 Full Body Workouts Create a Stronger Hormonal Response

And the reason why it triggers a stronger hormonal response compared to typical training splits is the amount of stress you’re putting on the body.

Look at it this way:

When you train full-body, you’re hitting all the major muscle groups in a single session.

Your body has to then respond to that big stressor by releasing more muscle-building hormones like testosterone and growth hormone.

And yes, bodybuilding-style bro splits also release testosterone and growth hormone, but nowhere near to the same extent as full-body workouts.

The overall stress just isn’t comparable.

And like I mentioned earlier in point 1, when you train full-body three times a week, you’re essentially creating three big hormonal spikes per week.

That means you’re putting your body in a far better position to build muscle and get stronger.

#4 Full Body Workouts Are Simpler From a Programming Perspective

If you’re brand new to the gym, it’s in your best interest to keep things as simple and easy as possible.

And this is exactly where full-body workouts shine, because they basically have you training just the seven fundamental movement patterns (which I discuss in this article).

That’s it – the programming is nice and simple.

For example:

• On Monday you go in and train three of the movement patterns,

• On Wednesday you train another three,

• And on Friday you come in and just do loaded carries.

In those three days you’ve hit all seven movement patterns.

And unlike bodybuilding-style bro splits, you never have to stress about whether you’ve trained your arms enough, or if chest day is too close to back day.

You get everything done in three sessions.

#5 Full Body Workouts Make You a Better Lifter

When it comes to learning anything, frequency is king—and this applies not just to weightlifting but to basically every other skill too.

Well, full-body workouts have you performing the biggest “bang-for-your-buck” exercises on a regular basis.

That’s why what’s generally recommended for beginners is to stick with full-body routines for around two years.

That way you get good, at the basic lifts.

#6 Full Body Workouts Are Extremely Time Efficient

Because of the nature of full-body workouts—where you’re training everything—they place a lot of stress on your body.

However, because they create this much systemic stress, you’ll find it’s in your best interest to keep your workouts nice and short—typically no longer than 60 minutes.

So from a time-efficiency perspective, this is a win for two big reasons:

1. You’re not spending hours in the gym every day.

2. You only need to train three days a week, making it incredibly time-efficient.

   

#7 Full Body Workouts Allow You to Miss Sessions

I want to make this abundantly clear:

I’m not suggesting for one second that you start skipping workouts.

However, sometimes life gets in the way, and not every week is going to be perfect, and this is exactly where full-body workouts shine.

For example, let’s say you train on Monday and Wednesday, but for whatever reason you can’t train on Friday—maybe something comes up at work and you have to stay late.

If you miss that Friday session, it really doesn’t matter that much.

Why?

Because you’ve already trained your entire body twice that week, so no muscle group gets neglected.

Now let’s compare that to a typical bro split, where each day is dedicated to a different body part.

Miss Friday in that program, and suddenly an entire muscle group gets skipped for the week, throwing everything off.

When life happens, you’re still covered.

And if you’ve made it this far in the article, I highly recommend checking out the one I wrote on movement patterns because that’s where you’ll discover the exact exercises you need to be doing.

If you actually talk to a lot of people, they’ll tell you that female relationships are way more complex—and also, in many ways, more shallow.

But I’d argue that male friendships aren’t exactly perfect either.

At the end of the day, regardless of gender, you’re dealing with human beings who have emotions, insecurities, and sometimes childhood trauma.

The main difference between male and female friendships ultimately comes down to how we bond.

Males tend to bond through shared activities and roasting each other. Females, on the other hand, usually bond through deep conversation and emotional disclosure.

And what I’ve personally found in my own life is that you don’t truly know someone—man or woman until they’ve been tested.

#1 Most Male Friendships Are Transactional at Their Core

The truth is, a lot of guys don’t really have true friends — what they have are allies and compared to female friendships, male friendships tend to dissolve much faster when circumstances change.

For example, let’s say you consider a guy a solid friend. Then he gets married. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly start seeing him way less.

Another example:

A guy’s financial situation completely changes. Maybe he becomes rich, or maybe he loses everything and becomes poor. Either way, the dynamic shifts, and sometimes that causes the friendship to fade or even create problems.

The dark truth about male friendships is that many of them are maintained primarily for utility. You kind of have to bring something to the table to stay in the group.

• So this might be the guy who can make everyone laugh.

• Or the one in high school, who just passed his driving test and can now drive his friends around.

A lot of male friendships survive for these kinds of practical reasons.

And all I can say is this:

Don’t be the guy who gives everything and gets nothing back in return. Make sure your own needs are being met too. And yes, this absolutely applies to romantic relationships with women as well.

#2 Jealousy and One-Upmanship Can Sometimes Lurk Beneath the Surface

Human beings are incredibly competitive. If you want proof, just study history and look at how many wars have been started.

If you’re someone who’s played sports all your life, you already know this.

What you’ll tend to find is that we all quietly compete with one another—whether we like to admit it or not.

And what we tend to compete over is how much money we make, access to women, and physical fitness.

You could say these three things are markers of status.

And again whether we like to admit it or not, human beings are hardwired to detect status.

So, for example, if in one of those three areas I just mentioned you outdo one of your friends, don’t be surprised if envy and jealousy show up at the door.

And what you’ll tend to find with people is that they genuinely want the best for you—I’m not that cynical, and I do believe that—but here’s what they don’t want:

It goes back to male competition.

We are competitive by nature, and when someone outdoes another person, it can sometimes cause problems especially if said person hasn’t done the deep personal development work and become truly comfortable in their own skin.

#3 Emotional Intimacy Is Rare and Often Punished

From a very early age, boys are essentially conditioned to suppress their emotions. In many social circles, showing vulnerability is seen as weakness, and expressing it might not go down well.

So, most boys learn this lesson very early on — and they just don’t do it.

Then what often happens is that this behaviour carries over into adulthood. You can have two guys who’ve been friends for 15, 20, even 25 years — so we’re talking a long time but they don’t actually know much about each other on a deeper level, because they never talk about anything personal.

Like I said at the start of the article, when boys bond, it’s usually activity-based — playing sports, gaming, roasting each other, etc.

Research has actually been done on this — I believe it was by the American Psychological Association — and what they found is that men who only have male friends tend to feel lonelier than men who have female friends or mixed-friendship groups.

In the future, I’m planning to do a whole article on the benefits of the “female friend zone.”

Because if there is genuinely no sexual interest — meaning you don’t want to sleep with her, she doesn’t want to sleep with you, and you’re both genuinely happy with that — that’s the key:

Both of you are happy — then there is absolutely nothing wrong with being friends with a woman.

#4 “Ride or Die” Loyalty Is Mostly a Myth

While ‘ride or die’ might sound good in rap songs or look cool on social media, the truth is that in real life, it rarely happens.

Most people’s loyalty has limits.

And true loyalty usually reveals itself in two extreme situations:

1. When you lose everything — when you’re broke, depressed, divorced, or hit rock bottom in any way.

2. When you become highly successful — making a lot of money, getting in great shape, achieving a big goal, etc.

It’s at both ends of the spectrum that you really see who your true friends are.

When you’re at rock bottom, most people disappear.

Why?

Because supporting someone who’s drowning can be emotionally draining, and many don’t want to risk being pulled under themselves.

Self-preservation kicks in.

On the opposite end, when you achieve a high level of success, some of the same people can become envious or jealous.

The point I’m trying to make is this:

Whether you hit rock bottom or reach the top, the dynamics of your relationships almost always change.

Friendships that once felt solid, can then start to feel transactional.

#5 Jealousy Over Women Destroys More Male Friendships Than People Like to Admit

I don’t think I’ve ever said this in any of my other articles, but I’m going to say it now:

And the reason why is male sexual competition.

Let me give you an example.

Imagine a guy who, throughout school, was kind of the ugly duckling.

He didn’t get much attention from girls, he blended into the background, wasn’t very confident, that sort of thing.

Then, as an adult, he starts hitting the gym, transforms his physique, gets in great shape — and with that comes a big boost in confidence.

Suddenly, women start noticing him. He’s getting way more attention than ever before.

Don’t be surprised if the guys in that social circle notice this too — and some of them start getting envious or jealous.

A lot of people don’t admit this, but among male friends, there’s an unspoken hierarchy.

Nobody really talks about it openly, but everyone kind of knows where they stand.

Well when someone who used to be lower in that hierarchy suddenly moves up — especially because he’s now pulling much hotter women — it can sometimes cause problems within the group.

I’m going to be really honest with you:

I was humming and hawing about whether to even write this article. And the reason is simple, self-awareness isn’t exactly the most exciting topic.

It ain’t sexy.

But because this website is geared towards self-improvement, I thought to myself,

Because here’s the truth:

When you improve your self-awareness, it can change your life for the better.

When you know yourself on a deeper level, you simply start making better decisions.

In other words it’s a superpower.

For example, so many people stay in jobs they hate—partly due to a lack of self-awareness.

I’m not saying it’s the only reason, but it’s definitely one of them.

It’s the same with relationships. Countless people stay in ones that no longer serve them. Again, a lack of self-awareness can play a big part.

So before I dive into strategies with regards to improving self-awareness, let’s first define it, that way we’re both on the same page.

What is Self-Awareness?

Self-awareness is basically what it says on the tin:

And here’s the thing you need to be aware of—there are actually two types.

The first is internal self-awareness; the second is external self-awareness.

Internal self-awareness is knowing who you are.

It’s understanding how your emotions impact your decisions, It’s knowing your values, your strengths and weaknesses, and your internal motivations.

To put it simply, it’s knowing what makes you tick as a human being.

External self-awareness is understanding how people in your environment see you and then using that information to get along with them.

For example, the behavior and language acceptable on a building site aren’t necessarily acceptable in an office environment.

Someone with high external self-awareness will adapt their behavior accordingly to fit in.

Now that we know what it is, let’s discuss 4 ways to improve self-awareness.

I’ll give you 2 ways to boost internal self-awareness and 2 ways to boost external self-awareness.

#1 Meditation

With regards to improving internal self-awareness, meditation is as good as it gets.

A lot of people overcomplicate it, but it’s actually quite simple:

You just sit down on the floor and stare at a wall.

That’s it.

You don’t have to breathe through your nostrils. You don’t have to do any of that.

You just sit down on the floor and look at a wall.

And you might be thinking, “Well, how does this increase internal self-awareness?”

Well here’s what happens when you meditate:

When you sit down in a distraction free environment, and stare at a wall, you will get bored very quickly, so what happens is random thoughts, memories, emotions, and bodily sensations will all just pop up.

You could say you are re-connecting to yourself.

And the key to getting the benefits out of meditation is really to just surrender.

Let’s say, for example, you’re sitting there meditating, just staring at a wall, and a situation from 10 years ago randomly pops up.

Your mind will probably start going off on one and start running scenarios:

“I should have said this. I should have done that. Blah, blah, blah.”

Your job as a meditator is to let go.

And how do you let go?

You bring your mind back to the present moment.

How I personally do this is by meditating next to an open window where I can hear cars driving past.

So whenever I find myself running with a thought, (which happens regularly) I just tune in and listen to the cars driving outside. That brings me back to the present.

Just tap the play button below, and listen to the car driving past.

👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

As you can imagine, if you do this on a regular basis, your internal self-awareness is going to increase drastically.

As a nice little side effect, you’ll probably also be able to handle your emotions a hell of a lot better than the average person.

Why?

Because you have essentially exposed yourself to them.

So meditation is powerful.

But I want to drop a disclaimer before I move on to the next way of increasing self-awareness:

And that is meditation is not for everybody.

The reason why is that if someone has PTSD or has gone through some really traumatic experiences, meditation can bring those things back up—and that can sometimes send people over the edge.

So it’s just something to be mindful of.

#2 Journaling

So, if meditation isn’t for you, another option for increasing internal self-awareness is journaling.

Basically, what you do is brain-dump:

The beauty of journaling is that it’s a safe space. Unlike talking to a person, the paper doesn’t judge. You can write whatever the hell you want.

This makes it really good for venting—which is obviously great for your emotional and mental health.

To make journaling effective, read your entries at a later date, when you’re in a different emotional state.

This essentially gives you a better understanding of yourself because you start to see things on paper.

You’re seeing, on paper, how you tick—how you respond to situations, what pisses you off, and the patterns in your behavior.

Journaling can be an extremely valuable tool with regards to increasing internal self-awareness.

Now, let’s talk, external self-awareness.

#3 Seek Feedback

Practically every single person on this planet has blind spots.

Nobody is perfect, and what you’ll tend to find is that people can sometimes see things in you that you can’t see yourself.

So this is where seeking feedback comes in.

But you don’t want to just ask one person—you want to ask as many people as possible.

Why?

Because when you ask one person, their feedback might be skewed depending on their relationship with you, their mood, and their own biases.

Let’s say, for example, you ask 5 people something about you, and all 5 say the same thing.

Well, then there’s probably an element of truth to it.

This feedback is valuable because it gives you the information you need, to change your behavior—if you feel that’s the best thing to do.

#4 Pay Close Attention to People’s Non Verbal’s

When it comes to communication, the majority of it is nonverbal—so this includes body language, facial expressions, and so on.

And how this ties in with external self-awareness is basically “reading the room.”

So, if you walk into a room and everybody’s quiet—let’s say, for example, in a library—and you come in all jovial, all happy, and all shouty, that’s probably not the best thing to do.

If I saw somebody doing that, I would think to myself, That person lacks external self-awareness. They’re not reading the room.

And obviously, this has an impact on whether you’re going to get along with people or not.

Another example:

If a guy is just sitting there alone with a scowl on his face with his arms crossed, if I don’t know him, I’m probably not going to approach him.

If I do know the guy, I might approach him and crack a joke just to lighten the mood.

Again, it’s reading the room.

So, to summarize: everything we’ve talked about:

Internal self-awareness allows you to be grounded. It basically lets you know yourself, and when you know yourself, you make better decisions.

External self-awareness makes you adaptive, which helps with forming and building relationships.

There is no self-improvement without self-awareness.

Go on the internet, and nobody talks about social class.

In fact, go into the real world, and it’s the same story—nobody discusses it.

And personally I think a big reason for this, is that it’s an uncomfortable topic to bring up.

I’d put it in the same category as politics and religion; you just don’t talk about it because it can lead to judgment and discomfort.

However, since this website offers dating advice, I’m going to openly discuss it.

Why?

Because social class impacts relationships far more than most people realize.

#1 Shared Values and Lifestyles:

So just for a bit of context for those outside the UK, I come from a northern town in England that is predominantly working-class.

And in terms of relationships, the women I’ve mostly been with are working-class women.

And to be fair I’ve actually been around, middle class women due to work and what not and what I’ve personally found is that on a romantic level nothing ever really developed with middle class women.

You see your class shapes you: it shapes your habits, your priorities, and, as I’ve mentioned, your values.

So, when two people come from different class backgrounds, it can sometimes be difficult to connect.

And let’s be honest: on a romantic level, especially for long-term relationships, connection is essential.

Even from a financial perspective, people from the same socioeconomic background tend to value the same leisure activities, purchase similar items, and share comparable career aspirations.

You could say “like attracts like,” and people naturally gravitate toward those who are similar to themselves.

Human nature!

#2 Access to Social Circles

Something that I learned early on in life is that it’s not what you know; it’s who you know. And social class can impact the sort of people you get access to.

For example, in Britain, a lot of upper-middle-class families send their kids to private school.

And yes, while the education in private school is probably better than the education in public/state school, it’s not the only reason why they’re sending their kids to a private school.

You could say it’s a form of networking.

So you might be thinking to yourself, well, what the hell has this got to do with dating?

It’s got a lot to do with dating.

Because if you’ve got a kid who’s gone to private school, the girls in that environment when he was a teenager are all going to be rich girls.

It’s the same with a working-class boy who’s gone to school in a working-class neighbourhood: the girls in that environment are going to be working class.

So just by being in a particular school, it impacts your dating choices, and your childhood experiences shape you as an adult.

#3 Economic Compatibility

You probably already know this, but it’s worth mentioning anyway:

However, from a long-term relationship or child-raising perspective, it makes sense that you’re both on the same page money-wise.

And as I discussed earlier in the article, people from different social class backgrounds tend to view money differently, and a big reason for this is their upbringing and education.

So, what you really want to do when you get into a long-term relationship—obviously not at the start, but further down the line—is have conversations about money.

You want to examine her spending habits and ensure you’re aligned, because if your spending habits differ from hers, there will be potential problems down the line.

Let’s say for example you’re somebody who’s got his head screwed on—you like saving money, investing, doing all that good stuff—yet she’s happy to go to a department store and blow thousands on shoes, it’s probably not going to work.

And look, it’s not about changing the other person; it’s about accepting them for who they are and this leads me perfectly on to the next point.

#4 Cultural and Educational Gaps

I know this from being around people from different social classes, and the conversations are different.

For example, the conversation you have with a girl from, let’s say, a council estate which is the equivalent of the projects in the US—is going to be completely different from the conversations you have with an upper-middle-class woman.

So, relatability plays a role, and this is where education comes in.

Because what you’ll tend to find is that people from middle-class backgrounds tend to be formally educated: they’ve gone to college, they’ve gone to university, they’ve done all that stuff.

It’s not very often you meet a woman from a council estate in the UK that’s degreed up to her eyeballs.

I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, because it does happen, but it’s not common.

Another potential problem is cultural gaps.

Let’s say, for example, you’ve got a guy from an upper-middle-class background. And because of the family he was born into because his family has money—he’s been able to travel the world from a very, very early age.

He’s gone to different places.

Yet he meets a girl, and she’s from a poor background, and she’s never left the country.

Do you see where problems could arise?

They’re basically looking at the world completely different, their worldviews are not the same.

And look… this isn’t to say that one is better than the other, it’s to say that there’s a difference.

#5 Societal and Family Expectations

Here’s the thing about marriage that not a lot of people talk about:

Her friends come along with the package, because during gatherings and events of that nature, these people are going to be there.

Let’s just assume for a minute that she’s close to these people. That means they’re going to influence her, whether you like it or not, and this is where class differences could potentially cause problems.

Because family might not be thrilled that their son (an upper-class guy) is dating a working-class woman, or vice versa—a working-class woman’s friends and family might not be pleased that she’s dating an upper-class guy.

And as you know yourself, family politics can often sway people’s decisions.

Speak to many people and they will tell you that the first 7 years of life are the most important, and while there is some truth to that, I would argue that the decade from 18 to 28 is equally as important.

Why?

Because It’s during these years, where you transition from boyhood to manhood, it’s during this decade where your adult identity is formed.

So in this article, I’m going to share 4 reasons why traveling in your 20s can be a valuable use of your time.

#1 Traveling Is the Best Form of Education

I can only speak for the UK, where I say this, but formal education is compulsory until the age of 16.

And up until that point, a person has very little life experience and a major reason for this is that much of their learning has took place in a classroom environment.

Here’s an analogy that I like to use:

And this is where traveling comes in.

You see, when you leave the nest and start traveling to different countries, you’re essentially stepping out of your comfort zone.

Let’s be honest: if you’ve lived at home with your parents, they’ve likely done a lot for you.

But when you go traveling, you have to look after yourself.

For example, you need to find accommodation, cook your own food, learn how to budget your money, because If you don’t budget, you’ll run out of funds.

You may also need to find part-time work or even full time to work (temporarily) to avoid running out of money.

These experiences teach you how to live and survive in the real world, something a classroom cannot fully prepare you for.

Another benefit of traveling, from an educational perspective, is that it provides exposure to different cultures, especially if you visit countries outside the West.

You’ll also meet people from all walks of life.

From an educational standpoint, this is invaluable.

I would go so far as to say that no college or university can provide an education as rich as traveling.

#2 You Have Fewer Responsibilities in Your 20s

Look at it this way:

Why?

Your life simply doesn't allow it.

However, if you're 18, 19, or 20, still living at home with Mom and Dad, now is the perfect time to go see the world.

Do it while you're young!

Get a job and save up as much money as you can.

Another benefit (worth mentioning) of traveling in your younger years, is that your friends are probably in the same boat.

They're likely not married, mortgaged up, or raising children.

And this leads perfectly to my next point and that is, you will create lasting memories and stories that will stay with you for a lifetime.

#3 You Create Memories and Stories

In this article, I mentioned how time and shared experiences can bring people closer together.

Well why not you and your friends travel the world together?

What a fantastic way to create unforgettable memories and stories that could bond you for a lifetime.

Plus, you’ll meet incredible people along the way.

Travelers tend to be open-minded, and you’ll cross paths with folks from all over the globe.

People I’d never have met back home.

Traveling changes you for the better.

#4 Gives You the Opportunity to Discover Who You Are

Every single person on this planet is a product of their environment, no question about it.

So let’s explore this in more detail.

From early childhood, our parents urge us to go to school, study hard, get good grades, and secure a good job.

At school, teachers reinforce this message, emphasizing the importance of hard work and academic success.

As we enter the workforce, bosses guide or sometimes dictate our career paths.

At home, spouses/family members influence our decisions, subtly or overtly.

At work, colleagues pressure us to fit in and adhere to what’s considered "normal."

Turn on the television, we’re bombarded by advertisements dictating what’s normal or fashionable and what’s not.

So my point is this:

From a very early age, external influences surround us from all angles, shaping our thoughts, behaviors, and aspirations.

In many ways, you could say we’re programmed by our environment.

So one of the greatest benefits of traveling is that it allows you to step outside this environment. It allows you to escape the constant noise of societal expectations.

This distance can help you discover who you truly are, free from the pressures that have shaped you.

If you want to understand your authentic self, traveling to a new place and leaving behind the familiar can be one of the most powerful steps you can take.

So you’re thinking to yourself, “I want to get bigger, faster, and stronger. I want more attention from women.”

So the logical thing to do, right?

Is to just jump on the juice—take anabolic steroids.

Well, before you do that, read this article because I’m going to explain the side effects of taking anabolic steroids, and, to be honest, they aren’t pretty.

First, a quick disclaimer:

I’m just a gym‑rat—a person who loves working out and spending time at the gym.

I’m not a doctor or an endocrinologist, so please keep that in mind. The information I’m sharing in this article comes from my own research.

#1 Reduced Sperm Count

I’m going to ask you a simple question:

Because if you do, using steroids is not advisable because they can have detrimental effects on your reproductive system.

Let me explain how this works.

Basically when you take anabolic steroids, you flood your body with synthetic testosterone, a hormone your body naturally produces.

And your body is smart and responds to this influx.

It signals that it no longer needs to produce testosterone naturally, as the drugs are essentially doing the job, that the body should be doing.

So as a result, this can cause the testicles to reduce or even completely stop sperm production, potentially leading to infertility.

And to be fair some readers might think this effect is reversible, and while there is some truth to that, nothing is guaranteed.

So why take the risk?

#2 Infertility

Let’s talk about sex for a minute.

When you ejaculate inside a woman, you release millions—sometimes billions—of sperm cells, depending on how healthy you are.

So if you are like most people and want children, having millions of sperm cells, is in your best interest as this increases the odds of fertilization.

And of course the woman’s health also plays a crucial role, but since you’re not a woman, the only thing you can focus on, is yourself.

So, if you’re a teenager or in your twenties, why would you consider taking anabolic steroids?

There’s generally no need for it, and you can actually boost your testosterone levels NATURALLY without resorting to drugs.

And I in the future, I’ll eventually create an article covering this topic in more detail.

#3 Shrunken Testicles

Let's explain why anabolic steroids can potentially shrink your testicles.

It comes down to the fact that you're introducing an external source of testosterone into your body.

So when your testicles no longer need to produce testosterone, they can shrink because they're not being utilized.

So let’s recap some of the points we’ve covered in this article:

• Infertility

• Reduced sperm count

• Shrunken testicles

Unfortunately, the news doesn’t get any better from here.

#4 Erectile Dysfunction

For those who don't know, erectile dysfunction basically means you can't hold an erection.

What an absolute nightmare.

Generally speaking, when someone is using drugs like anabolic steroids, their sex drive and ability to get and hold an erection is usually fine.

The problem starts when they come off the drugs. And some people might be thinking, "Yeah, but they need to follow certain procedures, like post-cycle therapy (PCT), and so on."

But here's the thing: even if you follow all the procedures and do your PCT, there's no guarantee you'll get your sex drive back.

Let this sink in:

When you take anabolic steroids, you are messing with your reproductive system.

#5 Hair Loss

There are a couple of things I want to mention here.

The first is that not everyone who takes steroids will lose their hair. Genetics play a significant role, and some people are simply more susceptible to hair loss than others.

The second point is that certain steroids carry a higher risk of hair loss than others.

So let’s explain how it works:

When you take anabolic steroids, you increase your testosterone levels. Your body then converts some of that testosterone into a hormone called DHT.

I want to emphasize the word CAN because not everybody who takes gear, will lose their hair, however if you’re genetically predisposed to hair loss, steroids will probably accelerate that process.

So to be on the safe side it’s best to steer clear of steroids.

#6 Man Boobs (Gynecomastia)

Taking anabolic steroids can indeed cause gynecomastia, commonly known as "man boobs," and it all comes down to hormone imbalances.

The body is incredibly smart. When you take anabolic steroids, you're flooding it with an excessive amount of testosterone—far more than your body would naturally produce.

To compensate, your body ramps up estrogen production.

For those that don’t know estrogen is the dominant hormone in women, and you don't need me to tell you what women have:

Breasts.

And some people might say something along the lines of:

"But you can choose certain steroids over others to reduce the risk, or do post-cycle therapy (PCT) to manage side effects."

Sure, those options exist, but as I've said throughout this article, why even take the risks in the first place?

#7 Severe Acne

To cut a long story short, anabolic steroids increase testosterone levels.

And of course, genetics and hygiene play a role, so not everyone who takes anabolic steroids will develop acne.

But as I’ve said throughout this article, why take the risk?

Because you can increase your testosterone levels naturally, and sometime in the future, I’ll create an article explaining how to do this.

The very first thing I want to get across in this article is that these do's and don'ts predominantly apply to the initial stages of getting to know somebody.

And what you'll tend to find is that as you get to know the person a little bit better and as the relationship progresses, you can actually break some of these rules.

So please keep that in mind.

Also worth mentioning, is that every girl is different, and different people depending on their upbringing and background respond to different things.

So again, please keep that in mind.

#1 Do Text With the Purpose of Meeting Up

This might seem really obvious to some, but it's a trap I fell into earlier on in my life:

And that is constantly texting.

My reasoning was that frequent messages would keep me on top of her mind.

But the truth is, that during the initial stages of getting to know someone, you shouldn't really be texting all the time.

Why?

Because you want to meet up face-to-face and communicate in the real world.

The last thing you want to be doing, is to be going back and forth for a long periods of time, texting like pen pals.

#2 Do Keep Text Messages Short on Too the Point

And this really follows on from the previous point:

And that is, you want to text with purpose, but you also want to keep your text messages nice and short.

Look at it this way:

If she's busy with loads going on, she can just pick up her phone and quickly read your message and respond.

And that is what you want.

So aim for 3-4 lines maximum.

And you'll probably agree with me when I say this and that is:

There's nothing worse than picking up your phone, looking at a text message, and thinking to yourself, 'I've got to read an essay here.'

It's too time-consuming.

So keep your messages short and to the point.

#3 Do Ring Her if a Long Conversation Is Needed

Sometimes, what you’ll actually find is that it’s better to get on a phone call—or even better, a video call.

Many women (not all) prefer this before meeting up with a guy.

Additionally, you get a direct response.

So, if you’re arranging to meet someone, sometimes jumping on a video call is the best thing to do.

And with regards to long term relationships, when it comes to discussing more sensitive or complex topics… without a shadow of a doubt it’s better to jump on a phone call, then it is to be texting like pen pals.

#4 Do Use Emojis and Gifs

One of the biggest problems with traditional text-based messaging is that there's a slight emotional disconnect. (Can’t see facial expressions etc.)

I briefly touched on this in my previous point about getting on a video call.

However there are 2 things you can do to add more emotion to your text messages:

1. Use emojis

2. Use GIFs

Not only do emojis and GIFs make text messages more readable, but they also make them more memorable.

In the initial stages of getting to know someone, this is particularly valuable because she's likely getting messages from other guys as well.

So it can be a good way to stand out from the competition.

#5 Don’t Double Text

This rule definitely applies to the initial stages of getting to know somebody, and that is:

Don't double text.

I'm just going to be honest with you - my assumption is that if I'm texting a girl outside of working hours (outside a 9-to-5 schedule), I'm going to automatically assume that she's seen that message.

Why?

Because we all carry our phones in our pockets and we are all trained, like Pavlov's dog, to pick up our phones whenever we hear a notification ding.

So, 9 times out of 10, it's safe to assume that she's seen that message.

Not only is it annoying, but also, especially if you don't know the girl well, it can come across as a little bit invasive.

Give people the opportunity to live and breathe, and this leads me perfectly to the next point.

#6 Don’t Call if the Last Text Was Ignored

In my earlier days, sometimes I'd be texting a girl and then all of a sudden, communication would just cut off.

Then what I would do is start going through all these scenarios in my head, thinking to myself, "What have I done wrong?"

And just to give you the heads-up, it's actually estimated that roughly 60 to 70% of communication is nonverbal.

Some experts even suggest that number is higher—with some saying it's as high as 90%.

So if a girl doesn't text you back, that is a form of communication.

But here's the thing:

Just because a girl doesn't text you back, it doesn't mean she's not interested. She might just have a lot going on that day—she might be stressed from work, or she might have things going on in her life, at that moment in time.

She may at that particular time just not have the mental bandwidth to text you and that is perfectly fine.

However, at the same time, it could also mean that she's not interested.

So you've kind of got to read between the lines.

#7 Don’t Chase if Ghosted. Hold Your Self-Respect and Delete Her Number

This really touches on the point I made in the previous section of the article:

The majority of communication is non-verbal.

Let’s say, for example, that you’ve been texting a girl and you’ve gone 7 days without speaking to each other because you followed the no double-text rule.

If a girl hasn’t texted you within the last seven days, she’s probably not interested in seeing you.

Many dating gurus try to complicate dating, but I’m going to keep it simple:

If a girl likes you, she’ll make your life as easy as possible. She’ll drop hints and text back within a reasonable timeframe.

Trust me, you’ll know if a girl is into you.

So for the sake of your sanity and self-respect, if a girl ghosts you for whatever reason, the best thing you can do is delete her number and move on.

You know yourself that as a content creator, you have to produce content as frequently as possible.

The reason for this is that your brand requires consistent output for online visibility.

For example, you have to write blog posts, and you probably have to record videos, since video content is what many people are consuming these days—especially Gen Z.

On top of that, you also have the business side of things, such as taxes and other related responsibilities.

So in this article, I’m going to discuss productivity, because if you don’t manage yourself properly while doing this kind of work, it will absolutely eat you alive and do a number on your mental health.

#1 Manage Your Energy Levels

Speak to many people, and they will tell you that when it comes to productivity, time management is the absolute key.

Yes, more important.

And the reason why is you could have all the time in the world, but if your energy levels are low for whatever reason, it is going to affect your work performance.

It’s going to be difficult for you to motivate yourself to do the work.

So it just makes perfect sense to make a conscious effort to manage your energy levels.

Let’s talk strategies.

The first strategy is sleep. In an ideal world, everyone would get 7-8 hours of sleep per night, but the world is far from ideal.

The suggestion here is to do the best you can, which means going to bed at roughly the same time every night (prioritizing sleep) and disconnecting from screens a couple of hours before bedtime. (This will help you wind down).

The second strategy is diet. The analogy I like to use is that the human body is essentially a vehicle that we all rent.

Just like you put gasoline into a car for it to move, the fuel you put into your body—food and water—determines the performance you get out of it.

So give the body what it needs: whole foods.

Whole foods are rich in nutrients, and these nutrients essentially feed your body and mind.

This isn’t to say you have to become a health nut and take this to the extreme…

But it is to say be mindful of food and liquids you put into your body.

The third strategy is exercise. This might seem counterproductive, because on the surface exercise requires energy, but when done in moderation, it actually increases energy.

You could say it builds a bigger battery.

And this doesn’t have to be complicated:

3 full-body workouts a week, combined with daily walks is sufficient.

What I have personally found is that when it comes to exercise, less is often more.

The final strategy is managing stress levels.

Understand this:

Excessive stress will 100% impact your energy levels.

So identify your stressors—whether that’s work, relationships, money, or whatever it may be—and look for solutions.

More often than not, there is ALWAYS a solution to a problem; it’s just a matter of finding it.

#2 Figure Out When You’re Most Productive

This really builds on the first point, because energy is the main currency of productivity.

For example, some people are early birds; in other words, they get up super early and are full of energy.

Others, on the other hand, don’t reach their peak energy levels until later in the day.

So it’s important to know WHEN you should do your work and you have to figure this out through trial and error.

And the best way to do this: is to initially work at different times, whilst using a journal to track your energy levels.

After a short period of time tracking, you should start to notice clear patterns, which will give you the information you need to discover your most productive hours.

I’ve created an energy tracking journal template for you to download free of charge — no email address required.

Energy Tracking Journal

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#3 Learn How to Prioritize Low-Value and High-Value Tasks

As a content creator, you have high-value tasks and low-value tasks.

High-value tasks are activities that move the needle.

For example:

• Writing a blog post is a high-value task (marketing).

• Creating social media content, such as YouTube videos, is a high-value task (marketing).

• Writing an e-book that you plan to sell is a high-value task (sales).

• Recording videos for a course you’re going to sell is also a high-value task (sales).

Marketing and sales are the lifeblood of any business, so tasks related to these areas will always be considered high-value.

Low-value activities, while still important, don’t move the needle as much as high-value tasks. These include administrative work like responding to emails and replying to comments on social media platforms.

How to Prioritize

In #2 (Figure out when you’re most productive), I talked about identifying the hours of the day when you are most energetic versus when you are least energetic through trial and error.

Once you discover your peak hours and slump hours, use this information to your advantage, meaning you:

• Prioritize high-value tasks during your most energetic hours.

• Handle low-value tasks when your energy is lower.

I recommend preparing a to-do list the night before with all the tasks you need to complete so you have a clear path to follow.

It’s also in your best interest to delegate or automate low-value tasks where possible.

For example, I absolutely hate numbers (maths isn’t my strong suit), so when it comes to taxes and things of that nature, I let a tax professional handle that.

You can also use tools like Canva to create YouTube thumbnails and things of that nature very, very quickly.

This way, you can spend the majority of your time on the activities that actually move the needle — and that is content creation (marketing) and sales.

#4 Take Breaks to Avoid Burnout

As a content creator, it’s absolutely essential that you take breaks.

So, let’s talk strategies:

Schedule Regular Breaks: Step away from the screen for 5-10 minutes every hour. This will give your eyes a rest and give your mind a short break.

Set Boundaries: I’m not a fan of hustle culture at all. It’s really just workaholism disguised. Define your work hours and stick to them.

For example, avoid creating content during your personal time. It’s perfectly fine to spend time with family and friends and to spend time relaxing.

Prioritize Self-Care: I touched on this earlier, but it’s worth repeating. Sleep 7-8 hours, eat well, and exercise regularly to maintain your energy and focus.

Unplug Occasionally: Take a day or a weekend off social media to recharge creatively. This will set you up to be more effective when you return back to work.

Remember, if you don’t manage yourself properly, you will not be effective as a content creator.

While this work isn’t physically demanding like working on a construction site, it is mentally very taxing.

And sometimes mental work can leave you feeling more drained than physical labor.

#5 Swap Your Home Office for the Library

One of the best things that you can actually do for your productivity is to get out of your home and go to a public space.

Think coffee shop or a library. (I personally prefer the library.)

The reason why is that a change of scenery can force you to be more productive, it can put you in the right frame of mind.

And there are 3 reasons why the library is the perfect environment for deep work:

1. It’s super quiet. (Distraction free)

2. It’s free (if you go to a coffee shop, you’ll probably need to make purchases throughout the day to keep the owners happy).

3. You see other people working on their laptops, which can also motivate you to work. (Monkey see, monkey do)

One of the issues with connecting to public Wi-Fi is that it can put you at risk—risk of being hacked or having your login details stolen, which is the last thing you want if you’re a content creator making money online.

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The service includes a kill switch that prevents data leaks in case the VPN disconnects unexpectedly.

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The reason I’m making this video is because it is estimated that 2 out of 3 people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives. So, it’s not uncommon.

And just like a physical injury, it can happen to anyone regardless of age, background, or circumstances.

The analogy I like to use is this:

Just as a broken arm needs a sling and time to heal, mental health challenges need support, understanding, and sometimes—not always, but sometimes—professional help.

If you feel that seeking professional help is the best thing for you, there is no shame in doing so.

So before I get into the main points of this article, there’s 1 thing I want to make absolutely clear:

#1 Sweating and Moving Is Good for Your Mental Health

It's quite common to hear people in the fitness community say something along the lines of,

And while that might seem completely foreign to some, there's actually an element of truth to it.

Because, when you exercise, you release endorphins—essentially a natural high and, this makes perfect sense because the human body is designed to move.

There’s a reason why we have feet; we’re not meant to sit on our asses for hours on end.

To put it another way, movement is medicine.

And I’m not saying that physical exercise will solve every problem—because the brain is much more complex than that—but from my personal experience, when exercise is done in moderation, it is definitely beneficial for mental health.

#2 Your Mindset Plays a Huge Part

Over the decades, there’s been a lot of talk about positive thinking, and I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me when I say this:

I want you to notice the words I used — most of the time — because, just like anything else, when taken to the extreme, it can be problematic and positive thinking is no different.

You see, when positive thinking is taken too far, it can actually stop people from dealing with “negative” emotions. It can prevent people from addressing difficult situations.

So, let’s talk about some examples.

An example might be somebody who’s experiencing a serious medical issue but, because that person identifies as a positive thinker, they just ignore it. They think, “Well, everything will just turn out okay.”

But because they haven’t truly addressed the problem, the situation only gets worse.

Another problem with positive thinking is that it can foster unrealistic expectations.

Imagine someone who identifies as being hyper-positive and expects everything to work out perfectly. For example, a guy starts a business and expects it to be plain sailing.

However, after 6, 7, 8, or even 10 months, he hasn’t made a single penny. This is the reality of starting a business — nothing is guaranteed.

However, because this person strongly identifies as a positive thinker, when reality punches him in the face, he can’t handle it.

The solution?

Yes, be positive and optimistic, but more importantly, be realistic. Look at the pros and cons, the positives and negatives, and consider the bigger picture.

Imagine you have a scale:

One side is positive, and on the other is negative. You want the scale to lean more towards the positive side, but you don’t want such a massive imbalance that it makes you deluded.

#3 Satisfaction Is Found When Building and Creating

What I’ve personally found in my own life is that I’m happiest when building and creating something.

The article you’re reading on your screen right now—I wrote, formatted and added the stock photos—and this makes me happy.

There’s a guy I know who enjoys DJing—basically, getting a load of music, mixing it up, and creating one big track.

I honestly believe that human beings are born to build and create and if you want proof of this, just go outside to your local town centre. What you’ll see is that everything is man-made.

The fact that you are here on this planet right now should tell you something:

2 people got together and created you.

But let’s keep it PG.

#4 Connection is Key

Human beings are social creatures. We're not meant to spend large amounts of time in isolation.

And if you want to get all nerdy about it, it goes back to our hunter-gatherer days.

Some people might read the sentences above and think, "Well, we’re no longer hunter-gatherers; we live in a modern world."

But here’s the thing: our brains haven’t adapted to the modern world.

Our brains still think we’re hunter-gatherers. So, if we spend large amounts of time alone, our brain recognizes that as a threat to our survival, which can potentially lead to low mood.

So I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me when I say this:

Human connection and friendships are vital.

They are essential for your mental health. This "lone wolf" mentality that you see people talking about online is complete and utter nonsense.

And here’s the thing—you don’t need to have 50, 100, 200, or 300 friends. You only really need around 5 close friends.

In this article here, I basically talk about the benefits of having a small social circle, one of which is that the bonds are stronger.

#5 Life Mission/Purpose

I'm not religious; however, I can understand why people turn to God.

It can give their life meaning and purpose.

Another added benefit of religion is the community aspect. When you go to places of worship, there are people there, so not only does religion have the potential to give your life meaning and purpose, but it can also provide a sense of community.

That said, I understand that religion is not for everyone, and there are other avenues to explore.

For example, volunteering has been well documented as beneficial for people’s mental health, especially retirees, because it gives them something to wake up for—a reason to get out of bed.

Another avenue is becoming a father.

When you become a father, you are no longer the number 1 priority; you have a child whose needs come before your own.

And I think it was Jordan Peterson, the Canadian psychologist, who said something along the lines of, that a person doesn’t fully mature until they have children.

And you know what?

He probably has a very good point.

Let's be real and talk about the true reason why many men (not all, but many) decide to START exercising in the first place. It’s often not about health and fitness—it’s about insecurity.

And to be fair, insecurity can be a powerful driver or motivator when it comes to changing your behavior.

For example, I only started working out because years ago my ex-girlfriend broke up with me, and it did an absolute number on my self-esteem. You could say that breakup was the catalyst that drove me to start exercising.

Because I knew that by working out and putting muscle on my frame, I would become more physically attractive to other women.

And here’s the absolute irony:

Once she saw me get in shape, she was the one, chasing me to get back together.

The reason I share this story with you is because you can probably relate—every guy has had their heart broken at some point in their life.

Now, let’s talk more about training like an athlete.

Because If you train like an athlete, you will most likely develop your best body. And when I say your best body, I mean a body that not only looks good but also performs exceptionally well.

#1 Training Like an Athlete Promotes Holistic Development

The very, very first thing you must know about training like an athlete is that it is not bodybuilding. It’s not about packing on as much muscle as humanly possible. Instead, it’s about 3 key things:

1. Building a body that is strong

2. Building a body that is agile

3. Building a body that is resilient

The analogy I like to use is this:

Bodybuilding-style training is kind of like building a Ferrari but only putting a 1.2-litre engine inside.

On the outside, it looks aesthetically pleasing — it looks pretty. But if you put that Ferrari, or that bodybuilder, in a drag race, it gets absolutely smoked.

Why?

Because it has a small engine inside.

In other words, the body has been built to look good but not to perform.

Now, compare this to the guy who’s trained like an athlete. The athlete is nowhere near as big and bulky as the bodybuilder, and probably not as shredded either.

But here’s what the athlete has that the bodybuilder doesn’t: a powerful engine. The athlete has trained for strength, speed, and explosive power.

So, in a drag race between a bodybuilder and an athlete, the bodybuilder gets absolutely smoked…

To train like an athlete, it really just entails doing your big compound lifts in the gym — think squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, and exercises of that nature.

It also means incorporating explosive movements like sprints, box jumps, kettlebell swings, and so on.

Training like an athlete will have you moving like a high-performance sports car.

#2 Training Like an Athlete Builds Functional Strength

The reason why training like an athlete builds functional strength is that it involves exercises you would essentially perform in real life.

For example, take the farmer's walk (see image above). For those who don’t know, the farmer's walk is an exercise where you walk while carrying a weight in each hand.

Well guess what that mimics in the real world?

This mimics —walking with groceries in each hand.

Another example is the squat. If you look closely at the squatting movement, it essentially replicates the action of sitting down and standing back up. The deadlift is yet another example; it mimics the motion of picking something up off the floor.

Can you see how these exercises build functional strength?

#3 Training Like an Athlete Develops Mental Toughness

Without a shadow of a doubt, training like an athlete will develop mental toughness.

Want to know why?

Because this style of training is not easy. It requires you to push yourself and train with intensity. If you do this consistently for days, months, years, or even decades, it will callous your mind and make you mentally stronger.

And of course, this mental toughness can have a positive knock-on effect in other areas of your life.

For example, I have yet to find a job that is completely stress-free, so developing resilience through athletic style training can help you better handle everyday challenges.

#4 Training Like an Athlete Promotes Longevity

Unlike bodybuilding, athletic style training prioritizes stability work and mobility work.

This approach is all about keeping the body in tip-top condition and making it less injury-prone.

For those who don’t know, stability work involves exercises that strengthen the smaller muscles—the ones that support your joints, spine, and posture.

The best way to train these muscles is through single-limb exercises, which means working one arm or one leg at a time.

For example, instead of doing a two-legged deadlift, you would perform a single-leg Romanian deadlift (RDL). When you balance on one leg, your smaller stabilizer muscles have to work overtime to keep you steady.

The same principle applies to the upper body. If you want to improve shoulder stability, rather than pressing with a barbell, you would press with a dumbbell or kettlebell. This requires more control and engages the stabilizer muscles more effectively.

Now, let’s talk about mobility work, which is equally important.

Mobility exercises (see image above) keep your body supple and youthful. If you practice mobility work daily, you’ll likely be the person still going to the gym and moving well at 50, 60, or even 70 years old.

#5 Training Like an Athlete Builds Lean, Hard and Muscular Bodies

So yes, while the primary goal of training like an athlete is to get stronger and move more efficiently, a nice side effect is that it actually builds a very aesthetic physique.

We're talking about a lean and moderately muscular body.

And In my opinion, this type of physique looks better than that of a bodybuilder because it just looks more natural.

If you want a visual representation of this body type, look at the physique of a sprinter (see image above).

What inspired me to make this video was coming across a tweet by the American entrepreneur Naval Ravikant.

The tweet goes something like this:

In this article, I’m going to explain these 3 things in a bit more detail, of course, with my own spin on them.

#1 Money Can’t Buy Fitness

A great way to start this section is by highlighting what money can—and cannot—do for your health and fitness.

What Money Can Buy

• Gym Memberships: Money can grant you access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.

• Top Personal Trainers: With enough resources, you can work with some of the best trainers in the industry.

• Personal Chefs: Money can buy you custom meal plans and professionally prepared, nutritious meals.

So, can money help you with your health and fitness journey?

Absolutely. The keyword in the sentence above is help.

What Money Can’t Buy

• Effort: Money can't do your push-ups for you.

• Discipline: No amount of money will load a barbell or perform a deadlift on your behalf.

• Consistency: You have to show up and put in the work—this is the true beauty of fitness. You must earn your results.

Fitness as a Modern Status Symbol

In today’s world, where obesity rates are skyrocketing, having a fit and athletic body has become a true status symbol.

I read somewhere (so please take this with a grain of salt) that in America, there are more millionaires than people with six-pack abs.

Whether or not that’s statistically accurate, I don’t know.

But if it is true, that is absolutely insane!

The Simple Path to Results

The good news? You don’t need to be a gym rat to see impressive results:

• 3x full-body workouts per week

• Daily walks

• Proper sleep

• Stress management techniques

• Nutritious eating (wholefoods)

If you can stay consistent with these habits, achieving a fit, athletic physique is more than attainable.

#2 Money Can't Buy A Calm Mind

You’ll often hear people say that with more money comes more problems. But on the flip side, you’ll also hear people say that with more money comes fewer problems.

To be honest, the truth lies somewhere in the middle because it depends on the individual.

A perfect example of money being a problem for a rich person is the English entrepreneur Felix Dennis. Yes, Felix Dennis was highly successful, but he struggled with addiction problems—he was addicted to crack cocaine and prostitutes.

So, in Felix Dennis’s case, was having huge amounts of money a good thing?

Probably not.

Another very good example of money being a problem for a rich person is Mike Tyson.

When Tyson was in his boxing prime, he wasn’t financially literate, basically spending money like there was no tomorrow.

And again, just like Felix Dennis, Mike Tyson had issues with addiction.

For example, if you have an addictive personality, money will exaggerate that. On the other hand, if you’re someone who has your head screwed on and can avoid bad habits, then money will probably benefit you in the long run and be good for your mental health.

You see, money is a tool and just like a hammer it can be used for both good and bad.

For example:

A hammer can be used to hammer a nail, but it can also be used to knock somebody’s head off.

Money is exactly the same. In the right hands, it is a fantastic tool, but in the wrong hands, it can be a dangerous weapon.

The lesson here, inspired by Naval, is this:

Before you even contemplate becoming rich, have your life in order.

Make sure your foundations are solid. Because if you come into a large amount of money and your life is chaotic and messy, it’s kind of like building a skyscraper on quicksand.

#3 Money Can't Buy A House Full Of Love

So, the age-old question: Can money buy you happiness?

The answer is both yes and no.

If you’re someone who’s struggling to make ends meet and your basic needs aren’t being met because you’re not earning enough, then the lack of money will probably make you miserable.

On the other hand, you could be extremely rich but constantly comparing yourself to your neighbor, always chasing more and more money because you’re never satisfied with what you have.

So in the scenario above the rich person, even though he has money is not happy.

Money can’t buy a house full of love.

A house full of love is something that must be earned, and to earn this, you simply have to make time for your loved ones.

That means going on date nights with your wife or girlfriend at least once a week, spending quality time with your children, and making time for your friends.

It also means being able to resolve conflicts constructively, because if you’re unable to do that, there will be problems further down the line.

I highly recommend, you check out this article here, where I discuss long-term relationships in a bit more detail.

Bonus: Money Can't Buy Respect

What you'll tend to see is that many people mistake admiration for respect, but they're not the same thing.

For example, I admire Floyd Mayweather's boxing ability—his skill in defending himself and his ability to avoid getting hit. He's undoubtedly one of the best boxers of all time.

But do I respect him as a man?

The answer is a resounding no, and that has everything to do with his behavior.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. often goes on social media to advertise his so-called "money lifestyle." Personally, that doesn't sit well with me, and that's why I don't respect him.

But on the other hand, some people might argue that, as an athlete, he needs to sell fights, and that's simply part of his job.

And you know what? They have a fair point.

I'm simply using this as an example to illustrate that money cannot buy respect—you have to earn it.

And you do that through your behavior.

When it comes to dietary supplements, there are hundreds—if not thousands—available on the market.

Because of the sheer number of options, it can be very confusing for the average consumer.

So, what I thought I would do is create an article sharing the 5 supplements I generally recommend for most people who exercise regularly.

Disclaimer:

The information provided about dietary supplements is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.

Please use your common sense and speak to a qualified healthcare professional, especially if you have pre-existing medical conditions, or are taking medications.

But before I get into that, I want to first discuss the importance of nutrition, because at the end of the day, supplements are meant to “supplement” your diet, not replace it.

So let’s talk about this in a bit more detail.

Nutrition Always Comes First

You might have heard the expression, “You can’t out-train a bad diet.” Well, I’m going to add to that and say that you can’t out-supplement a bad diet either.

Alongside sleep and stress management, a healthy diet—consisting of protein, carbs, and healthy fats—is the foundation of good health.

And what you’ll actually find is that if you consume a nutrient-dense diet MOST of the time, supplements like multivitamins become unnecessary; you simply won’t need them because the food you’re eating will do the job.

A very good way to look at supplements is to think of them like an insurance policy:

They’re there to fill in the gaps.

For example, let’s say you wanted to consume 10 grams of creatine per day. Do you know how much meat you’d have to eat?

You’d need to consume roughly 2 kilograms (about 5 pounds) of meat. The average person isn’t going to do that.

So in this case supplementing with creatine, would make sense!

#1 Creatine Monohydrate

The very first thing you need to know about creatine is that it isn’t just a “gym bro” supplement.

In fact, there’s plenty of research suggesting that creatine can actually help with cognitive function and brain health.

Not only can creatine help you in the weight room by improving strength, performance, and recovery, research suggests that creatine can help with concentration and alertness.

Here’s another interesting point: it may even help with depression.

So, it’s not so bad for what some call a “gym bro” supplement!

And the best thing about creatine is, first, that most people can tolerate it well.

Second, it’s very affordable.

In the United Kingdom, you can pick up a tub of Creapure creatine monohydrate—which is considered the gold standard of creatine—for under £25 (roughly $20).

Before we move on to the next supplement, here’s a little tip:

Whenever you take creatine, consume it with a drink that contains carbohydrates. This enhances creatine absorption.

Personally, I like to take mine with coconut water because it’s healthy, contains carbs, and also provides electrolytes.

#2 Protein Powder

So is a protein supplement absolutely necessary?

The answer is: it depends.

At the end of the day, if you’re able to meet all of your protein needs strictly through food, then you do not need a protein supplement. However, most people lead busy lives and have a lot going on, which is where protein supplements come in.

For example, imagine you’re at work and have only a 30-minute break. The last thing you want to do is cook a meal—you probably want something quick and convenient.

In this case, a protein shake can effectively fill in the gaps and help you meet your protein requirements.

Remember that supplements are intended to supplement your diet, not replace it.

#3 Vitamin D

You might be wondering, what are the benefits of vitamin D? Well, vitamin D plays several important roles in the body:

• It supports bone health.

• It strengthens your immune system.

• It helps regulate hormones.

• It improves learning and concentration.

• It is also beneficial for your skin.

So I’m sure you’ll agree that vitamin D is important.

However, just like protein supplementation, not everyone needs to take vitamin D supplements.

For example:

If you live in a sunny climate and have regular access to direct sunlight, your vitamin D needs are likely covered.

Keyword: Likely.

To meet your daily vitamin D requirements, you only need roughly around 15 to 30 minutes of sun exposure per day. However, if you have darker skin like me, you might need to increase that time to around 40 to 45 minutes.

Personally, I need to supplement with vitamin D because I live in England, where it isn’t sunny year-round.

Typically, I take vitamin D supplements from the end of October until the end of March. Once the weather warms up and the sun shines more consistently, I stop taking the supplements.

#4 Omega-3

Let's talk about the benefits of Omega-3.

No. 1: It is good for brain health.
No. 2: It supports heart health.
No. 3: It can reduce inflammation.
No. 4: It promotes bone health.
No. 5: It benefits the health of your skin.

Omega-3s are very important, but just like protein or vitamin D supplementation, they are not strictly necessary if you get enough from your diet.

You can obtain Omega-3 from foods such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, cod liver oil, oysters, and chia seeds—the list could go on to be honest.

However, I understand that not everyone is a fan of seafood and If you happen to be somebody who find’s it difficult to eat fish, then supplementing with Omega-3 might just be a better option for you.

#5 Electrolyte Powder

So, you might be wondering: what exactly are electrolytes?

The simplest way to explain it is that they are essential minerals found in your blood, sweat, and urine.

They contribute to heart health, help balance the amount of water in your body, and support nerve and muscle function.

While you can get electrolytes by consuming whole foods—which, by the way, I highly recommend—if you are somebody who exercises on a regularly basis and somebody who sweats often, it is probably in your best interest to supplement with an electrolyte powder.

I'm pretty sure you'll agree with me when I say this:

The reason why is that the woman you marry can have a tremendous impact on the trajectory of your life.

In my opinion, of course, you don’t get married just for love—because love comes and goes. You get married because it sets a strong example for your children.

Studies have shown that children raised in 2 parent homes, where their biological mother and father are together, tend to do better in life.

So, let's talk about the qualities you should look for in a woman when it comes to long-term relationships.

#1 Her Genes

A very good place to start is with her genes because, when you have a child, it is a mix of you and her.

However, you need to be very realistic here, because what you’ll tend to find is that women who are considered “conventionally attractive” more often than not, tend to exercise regularly, eat well, and avoid bad habits.

They look after themselves!

So to put it another way, if you want to attract a good-looking woman, you yourself really need to be exercising, eating well, and avoiding bad habits.

There is a lot of truth to the saying,

Another important point regarding genes is intelligence screening. (If that is important to you)

For example, if you want a smart child, it is probably in your best interest to have a child with a woman who is smart herself.

Intelligence can be passed down.

And when I say screening for intelligence, I’m not just referring to book smarts but also street smarts, which are equally as important.

Children tend to copy their parents. So, if a parent lacks common sense, there is a high likelihood that the child will develop similar tendencies.

#2 Her Background

Right, so you’ve looked at her genes. Now, the next thing you want to consider is her background.

And I know I am repeating myself here, but what you’ll tend to find is that like attracts like.

For example, people often date and marry others from the same racial background as themselves. The same also applies to religion and social class.

The reason this happens is relatability.

When people look for a partner, they tend to seek someone who is similar to themselves.

Let’s take Jeff Bezos and his ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, as an example. When they divorced, she became one of the richest women in the world.

But guess who she got with next?

She married a science teacher.

So, she went from being with one of the richest men in the world to being with a science teacher.

And obviously, I can’t give you the exact reason why she chose this man, since I haven’t spoken to her personally.

However, based on my research, the science teacher was teaching her children. My guess is, that her children probably liked him, hence the similarity.

So… you might be thinking, what about interracial couples?

Again there’s probably a similarity somewhere down the line. For example, they might have gone to the same school, grown up in the same area, or met at work. Which likely means their social class backgrounds are the same.

#3 Her Personality

It might sound like I’m about to contradict myself, but when it comes to personality, you don’t want a female version of yourself.

For example, if you have a strong and dominant personality, you probably want someone who is nurturing and submissive. If both of you are strong and dominant, you’re likely to just clash.

Another good example is a man who is extremely left-brained—meaning he’s more logical. He would probably be better off with a woman who is more right-brained and emotional.

That way, they balance each other out.

Ultimately, this comes down to self-awareness:

Honestly, when I was younger, I used to laugh at older people who said things like “life starts at 40.” I would think, “Well, you would say that.”

But the older I get, the more I see it to be true.

When you’re 19, 20, or 21, you often don’t have a clue who you are.

And if you don’t know who you are, quite frankly, you shouldn’t be getting married.

#4 Her Age

When it comes to marriage, generally speaking, there are 2 camps. Some people will tell you that it's better to get married early and get it out of the way, while others believe it's better to get married later, when you're a bit more mature.

I belong to the second camp—that it's better to get married later.

The first reason is that your brain doesn't fully mature until around the age of 25. In my opinion, getting married before 25 is just foolish.

The second reason relates to pregnancy. A woman's prime years for getting pregnant are between the ages of 20 and 35.

After 35, it becomes more difficult for a woman to conceive—not impossible, but generally more challenging. So, if you're considering the ideal age for a wife, I would suggest around 27 to 29 years old.

Between the ages of 27 to 29, she still has a few years left in her, before she hits 35 and second, when a woman is in her late 20’s she has some life experience under her belt.

Let’s be honest, you get with a 20 year old, she’s still a kid.

#5 Her Life Goals

I'm going to ask you a simple question:

Do you know the answer to that question? Because if you don't, you probably shouldn't be getting married.

Sometimes, the best way to explain something is by using an example. So, let's do that.

Let's say, for example, we have a guy named Dave.

Dave is more on the artistic side. His goal is to write a few novels, make money from them, and when he's 50, move to Thailand.

He basically wants a very simple life—nothing super luxurious.

But the problem is, Dave is married to Sarah.

Sarah wants to climb the corporate ladder and earn big money because she has a high-consumption lifestyle.

She likes shopping and going on luxurious holidays.

Can you see how this could be a problem in the long run?

They both have completely different life goals. Dave wants a simple life, while Sarah wants to climb the corporate ladder and spend a ton of money.

The moral of the story:

Before a woman becomes a permanent fixture in your life, you must be crystal clear on what you want out of life.

You must have an understanding of who you are, and this comes down to self-awareness.

#6 Her Sex Drive

So, let’s get straight to the point:

Sex is super important.

So a very good question to ask yourself is whether your sex drives align. You should have a rough idea about this around the 6-month mark of a relationship because if they don’t, it can lead to significant problems in the future.

If I'm being completely honest, I don’t know anyone who isn’t addicted to social media in some way or another.

In fact, if you tell people that you’re not on Instagram or Facebook, they often think you’re a bit of a weirdo.

Most of the time, people won’t outright say this, but you can usually tell by their facial expressions.

So, let’s talk about the negatives of social media in a little more detail.

Because when used to the extreme—meaning you spend hours on it day in and day out—it has the potential to be very problematic.

#1 Excessive Social Media Use Can Harm Your Mental Health

One of the primary negatives of excessive social media use is its effect on mental health.

This is largely due to a chemical in your brain called dopamine.

So yeah… while you’re not literally smoking crack, every time you get a like, a comment, or a notification, you receive a small hit—or rather, a boost—of dopamine.

This process works in a way very similar to drugs.

When you keep getting these small dopamine releases throughout the day, weeks, months, and years, you become hooked.

You start craving it like a drug, which explains why many people keep scrolling and checking their phones, even when they have no reason to do so.

As a result, your brain changes.

If you were to visit a doctor and get a brain scan of a social media user and a brain scan of a drug addict, the scans would probably look very similar.

It’s frightening because practically every man, woman, and child walks around with a smartphone in their pocket.

I once heard a really smart person say something along the lines of:

Just let that sink in for a minute

#2 Social Media Fuels Body Image Struggles and Unhealthy Comparisons

Another huge problem with excessive social media use is, first, excessive comparison, and second, body image issues.

Obviously, this can be very problematic for some people's mental health.

I’m 36 years old and grew up in an era when social media didn’t even exist. I remember coming home from school, turning on the TV, and there were only 4 channels.

Now, the world is completely different and If I were a kid growing up today, I honestly don’t know how well I would handle social media.

One of the main problems with social media is that it’s not real — it’s actually fake. I even call Facebook “FAKEbook” because what you tend to find is that people showcase a version of themselves they want you to see.

Every single person has issues.

However, if you spend too much time on social media, you wouldn’t know that. You’d think everyone is living the “dream” life. And I want to emphasize the word “dream” because — it’s all bullshit.

If I did one of those vlogs where you followed me, day in and day out, my guess is you probably wouldn’t watch it.

And you want to know why?

Because my life isn’t exactly exciting. I eat practically the same food every day, and I’ve got bills to pay.

This is life for most people.

But like I said earlier, social media doesn’t show you that side.

Regarding body image issues, all I can say is be very, very careful who you follow online.

What I’ve found is that the people who stand half-naked in youtube thumbnails generally aren’t the best people to follow.

Keyword: generally.

Health and fitness isn’t solely about your appearance — it’s about performance inside and outside the gym, and about how it makes you feel.

#3 Excessive Social Media Use (Especially at Night) Can Ruin Your Sleep

Let's get straight to the point:

You can go weeks without eating—though I definitely don’t recommend it—but the human body can manage. Try going 72 hours without sleep, and it’s probably not going to happen.

I’m sure you’ll agree when I say this:

Sleep is super, super important.

Yet, many people use social media before bedtime, and this is problematic for a couple of reasons.

First, smartphones emit blue light. For those who don’t know, blue light keeps you awake by suppressing a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is what tells your body to shut down and go to sleep.

Second, social media stimulates your brain and gets you excited.

For example, imagine you’re trying to sleep and your counting sheep.

Suddenly, you get a notification ping. You pick up your phone, scroll through social media, and the content you watch keeps your brain active, making it much harder to fall asleep.

In this article here I mentioned something along the lines of:

After 8 PM, avoid using screens altogether—including the television.

A Good Strategy for Limiting Social Media Use

Before creating this article, I did research regarding healthy social media use.

This is what the experts recommend—they suggest limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day.

However, before I discuss the strategy, it’s important to understand that perfection is not the goal here.

All you can do, is do your best, because the algorithm has been perfectly designed to trap you.

I always say this:

So the strategy is to:

Use a timer.

Whenever you go on social media, set a 30-minute timer on your phone and let it run. Once the timer finishes, log off social media.

A very effective way to build new habits is to link them to an existing habit. This is where walking comes in.

After you finish using social media, go for a walk.

Here’s the thing about walking:

Not only does it boost your energy, help you digest your food, and get blood circulating around your body, but it also increases something called BDNF.

BDNF is basically fertilizer for your brain.