Bro, I’m Too Swole

I was watching Pumping Iron last night starring Arnie and DAMN those guys weren’t messing around…these guys were SUUH-WOLE…

But nowhere near as swole as my lower chin right now*.

It reminds me of that frog style villain from the movie Kung Fu hustle…

I only realized how bad it was after watching a selfie video of thoughts I had while running…

And after much (unwarranted) rumination, I didn’t post it on my social media status because I felt self-conscious about my lower chin area.

Why am I swole?

I’ve had the pain for a couple days and I can postulate that it might be from:

A) Shouting Friday night at the club (yet I’ve never been neck-swollen from this before) or

B) Kissing some girlies Friday night at said club.

Anyway, after tossing and turning last night I eventually broke my pact of “never going on my phone if I struggle sleeping” and went on my phone after my struggle sleeping.

And thus began the descent of the quality of my day (today).

Yes, I woke up with a shitty state.

This combined with my over-a-week-long razor stubble pain and itchiness didn’t help.

Anyway, this whole dilemma reminded me of a new appreciation I’ve gained since reading more health-oriented copywriting (since that’s the niche I’ve chosen for now).

The fact that there are ways you can screw yourself without knowing it.

People give Tai Lopez a lot of shit but the man has taught me some useful thinking tools.

One of them is the concept of varying levels of awareness of what you know (I forgot who he said he learned this from).

You have your known knowns: things you know you know. I know that I’m typing on this laptop while listening to a pleasant Scott Diaz house mix on VLC.

You have your known unknown: things you know you don’t know. I know I don’t know what Steve Wozniak had for breakfast today (or yesterday).

And then we have the one relevant to today’s topic: the unknown uknowns…things you don’t even know you don’t know. I didn’t know that I didn’t know that there are measures you can take to eliminate or decrease chances of razor stubble.

And the scary thing is that objective reality gives zero fucks what your intentions are.

Hoards of people go to gym intent on improving their health yet their lack of awareness sends them in the opposite direction. Case in point: people who lock their knees on the leg press machine.

Reading Edward de Bono’s books have recently helped me appreciate the possibilities of expansive thinking.

After escaping high school, and discovering how clueless “adults” were, I become more motivated to understand the world more and learn “how to think”.

At 19 I actually Googled that very phrase.

But damn, I wish I’d found de Bono’s books back then because I can see the value in these ideas on a practical day to day level.

For example, one of the thinking tools he mentions is APC — looking for Alternatives, Possibilities and Choices.

I recently jumped to conclusions of what my brother’s actions meant, then I reminded myself of the other possibilities and it was fascinating.

Anyway, where am I getting at with all this writing?

The importance of always learning. My major priority right now is getting mentors AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Yes one can discover landmines in the uknown unknowns of life, but dude, life’s too short for that. It’s better I learn the implicit stuff (i.e. learning what to do and not do) through mentors, people who’ve been in the trenches.

(Another idea I got from Tai Lopez).

I never really fully bought into this idea until this past week…

Just think about it…

How many people suffer from avoidable ailments?

How many people die early due to ignorance?

How many people blow up in business (negatively) because their awareness lacked crucial information?

Most people fail in life and even if they try succeed they try figure things out by either taking action, or books and videos but that won’t cut it.

(And even if they do this shit based on inaccurate information they’re still fucked. I’m speaking from experience. Where I thought I was listening to the right advice, taking the right actions and got lost AF. THIS is why I appreciate critical thinking).

I must rather read, watch videos, take courses, take action AND get — the right — mentors.

It’s not easy getting mentors, but it must be done, man.

Until next time.

Thomas Lekhanya

P.S.*Okay I’m exaggerating.