Main discussion starts at 14:56
Tariq Nasheed is a most-known for his books "The Art of Mackin", "Play or be Played", and "The Mack Within"; his documentaries "Hidden Colors" and "Hidden Colors 2", and his weekly podcasts about relationships, politics, and the African American experience. The older podcasts can be found here and the newer ones here.
The Youtube link to the podcast is provided above, but in a nutshell Tariq discusses the importance of following certain rules to life in an almost religious way. When comparing his podcast to me getting in shape, I've learned the following:
Commitment is only possible with Discipline
How it compares to fitness: I love exercising, becoming stronger, and losing fat, but I had been half-assing it for the past year. SOMETIMES my diet was on-point and I would eat lean protein, nutrient-rich carbohydrates, and healthy fats. SOMETIMES I approached my workouts with ferocity, lifting heavier weights and increasing the intensity of cardio. But my results were "meh" and I maintained the same weight/ body fat percentage for an entire year because I was being a Half-ass Motherfucker. I had to finally be honest with myself and admit that I was fucking up. So, for the past month I've been RELIGIOUSLY keeping track of food and caloric intake/output. I've been anal about the types of nutrients I'm consuming. I've learned that the bodybuilders and fitness models were right all along... "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym."
How it compares to life: Just because you LOVE something doesn't mean you're COMMITTED to it. You might love your job, but let's be honest-- you don't perform your job every day at 100%. This might be okay if you're satisfied with your position, but if you desire advance you must be disciplined and dedicated. This means that you make it a personal law to perform ALL of your duties at 100% every day, no matter what. Didn't get enough sleep last night? Fuck you, perform at 100%. Your dog died? Fuck you, perform at 100%. Don't know how to perform a certain duty at 100%? Fuck you, ask questions and practice! The bigwigs don't know who you are? Fuck you, learn about office politics!
Once you've mastered the discipline, you will quickly realize that...
You will get noticed without even trying
How it compares to fitness: When I first started exercising and eating right I did the same as all of your annoying health-nut friends... I posted about it on Facebook every five minutes, I even started a fitness page. Don't get me wrong, most of my friends enjoyed it and provided encouragement but I still felt empty. I felt empty because my reasons for posting weren't sincere, subconciously I posted about my progress because I wanted recognition. I was attention-whoring. At some point, I realized that my fitness journey should be solely for ME. If people are supportive and motivated, fine, but either way I'm going to become a fitter me for self-recognition instead of others' recognition. Ironically, now when people see me they compliment my progress.
How it compares to life: Tariq answered this best during the podcast by noting that Bentleys are one of the most popular vehicles for people of status to own even though you never see commercial for them. Why? Because the value and quality of a Bentley is so well-known that it doesn't have to promote itself. It promotes itself by maintaining and improving it's quality.
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