Hail to the Dinosaurs!
We're late today because we switched to a new
internet service provider, and we've been off
line for the past few hours.
So I'll make today's email a little shorter than
usual, so I can fire it on out to you.
I received tons of great feedback in response to
my recent post on The Power of One.
Nik Hawks sent in a really great response, and
I wanted to share it with you. I think Nik speaks
to and for all of us:
"Brooks,
Totally with you on this. A man is only a man if
he lives by his own lights, curious though they
may be to others.
Working physically alone, whether lifting, running
or sailing, has delivered many of my formative and
peak experiences. Alone there is no one else to
blame in failure and no one else who can claim the
victory; both are deeply deserved and heartily felt.
For many, the haunting ache of no audience is too
harsh; for those of us who live for that fleeting and
wild cry found only in the silence of one, the power
of "alone" is the backbone of our existence.
It reminds me of a quote from the forward of Lord
Grizzly, by Frederick Manfred:
"I don't mind [being alone] because I'm part bear,
grizzly bear. Grizzlies, male grizzlies particularly,
like to be alone a lot -- and the older they get the
more they are alone. But perhaps more importantly,
if you're going to do anything creatively, whether it's
in architecture, or writing novels, or sculpture, you
can't be spending your time in the presence of other
people if you really want to explore your ideas."
Effort, real physical effort, is for many of our lonely
tribe an exploration of ideas. Can I? Will I? Must I?
How we choose to answer it differs only in form,
not reason, and we know, deep in each of our
hearts, that the only answer to carry us forward
is Yes.
With thanks for the reminder of the Power of One.
Nik Hawks"
That's pretty good, and pretty heavy -- and pretty
well said. Thanks for sharing it, Nik.
To everyone else -- thanks for reading, and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Here's a terrific book about a great champion who
trained alone for much of his career -- and who became
the strongest man in the world and one of the greatest
athletes of all time:
http://www.brookskubik.com/blackiron_johndavis.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- and the new
quarterly Dinosaur Files journal -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Some of the best moments
of your entire life are when it's you and the barbell and
no one else." -- Brooks Kubik
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