ESTABLISHING AND STRENGTHENING YOUR CODE
- Define your Foundational Principles, or the values that are most important to you.
Example: Prioritising being there for your family. Completing each task you take on as if it’s the most
important thing you do. Being true to yourself (not succumbing to the pressures of peers or media). - Determine a physical training activity that you see yourself enjoying, and something you’d like
to improve in. Set times in the week for this activity. - Start a journal: Write down three things each day that you did well, and another three that
you’re grateful for.
2013 2019
AUGUST 2019 — 61I wasn’t going to be able to give it up along with the
sport, nor did I want to. I was proud of this burning
desire to put in “sweat equity”, as Dwayne “The Rock”
Johnson calls it. But if I wasn’t training to improve my
game and become more competitive, why was I training
at all? I’m not the kind of person who can do something
without single-minded intent.
I grew up admiring the great action films – the
Bond series, Jerry Bruckheimer-produced flicks
such as Bad Boys and Top Gun, and others such
as Mission Impossible, True Lies and Passenger 57.
Heroes portrayed on film, such as Achilles, as well
as arguably the greatest athlete ever, Muhammad
Ali. These individuals and many of the films’ leads
possessed a physique that made them look like they
were ready to save the world. These were the kind of
films I wanted to make as a producer. As an actor, I
wanted to embody these types of characters. Slowly,
I was drawn to the art of bodybuilding. Of course, this
look isn’t for everyone. Many people today prefer a
slender frame. But I’ve worked hard to be increasingly
self-aware, so I needed to do what was right for me.
Eventually, bodybuilding came to mean physical,
mental and spiritual building. Deep into the process,
I came across this quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger:
“A well-built physique is a status symbol. It reflects
you worked hard for it, no money can buy it, you
cannot borrow it, you cannot inherit it, you cannot
steal it. You cannot hold onto it without constant
work. It shows discipline, it shows self respect, it
shows patience, work ethic and passion. That is why
I do what I do.”
It occurred to me that training is a metaphor for life:
Everything is earned.
This art form has allowed me to accomplish small
training goals on a daily basis, while increasing my
capacity for “effort” and “self-belief ”. When I had
reconstructive shoulder surgery in September 2013,
my physique dropped to a very poor state. That type of
surgery (five incisions made into the shoulder) takes a
long time to heal. (That’s the picture below, on the left.
On the right is what I currently look like.)
The first thing to remember is that even when
you’re in the state on the left, you must create in your
head the image on the right. Vision is the first and
most important step in your journey. Even if you can’t
always see the staircase in front of you, step forward
anyway and trust that it will appear as you are about
to lay your foot down. This type of belief is paramount
to achieving anything of significance.Keep in mind also that anything worthwhile
takes time. Sometimes, when you’re in the midst
of a journey, you don’t feel like you’re making any
progress. But stay on course. As Denzel Washington
once said: “It took me 20 years to become an
overnight success.”
Training gives me so much mentally too. It helps
build my “belief muscle”.
Imagine going to the track and not being able
to run a kilometre. You get exhausted halfway
through, and stop. The next time, you find yourself
completely spent after three-fourths of the kilometre.
After a few more attempts, you end up completing
the distance, and feel like you have more in the tank
to go further. Through the process of training, you
have physically taught yourself the feeling of doing
something your body told you was impossible. Your
mind – and your soul – have learned an important
lesson: “Anything is possible.”
Training also makes one more disciplined.
Prioritising it forces you to cancel unnecessary –
sometimes negative – activities. (I mentored someone
very dear to me into a physically fit lifestyle and this
forced him, of his own accord, to give up smoking. He
couldn’t keep up both, and ultimately had to choose.)
You’ll need to adopt healthy eating and sleeping
patterns in order to maintain your routine. It creates
results, both immediate and long-term. When you see
results, you want more, strengthening your resolve
to stick to the programme and go deeper, which then
gives you even more results.
This virtuous cycle is what we’re chasing. The same
process then spills over into all other aspects of our
lives, allowing us to become superhero versions of
ourselves. No negativity, or naysayers, will be able to
hold you back. Words like “can’t” and “impossible” lose
their hold over you. A happy by-product is the way you
look, which further boosts your confidence. When you
look your best, you feel good, which allows you to make
better decisions, ultimately giving you peace of mind.
So I recommend finding a physical activity that
you can perform anywhere, three to seven times a
week – one you truly enjoy. I know life can get in the
way sometimes, so start with a small goal, even if each
session is just 15 minutes. Remember that persistence
and consistency are key. Before you know it, you won’t
recognise the person who started, and you’ll be telling
your friends: “Of course I can do that!”
Prakash Amritraj is an actor, film producer and sports broadcaster.
Follow him on Instagram @prakashamritrajIMAGE: MATT SAYLES (GYM, 2019)