5-Reps: ‘Off-season’ fitness, the “too saturated” myth, and why I’m jealous of my friend

Notoriety and recognition are fine if viewed as fortunate byproducts of doing the right work, the right way.

When they’re stated as the goal; when building a following is the goal; when making money when you already have enough is the goal; when anything other than the love for your work and the love for the people you surround yourself with is the goal, you’ll be lead down a path that’s destination can only be described as unhappy.

2.

I’m jealous of my friend with a million followers.

I’m jealous of the attention that he gets. A part of me that I don’t like feels like I deserve what he has. Which is dumb. He’s worked hard for it. But that’s how I feel.

Being jealous of what somebody has is different from being jealous of how they got it.

It’s ok to admire others without desiring the life that they’ve had to live in order to have it.

Next time you’re jealous of somebody, think, are you jealous of them as a whole, or just a piece of them you wish that you had? Would you trade your life for theirs? All of it?

Whenever I find myself in a comparison funk to this guy, I run a cost-benefit analysis and quickly decide that, as good as his numbers look on my screen, I wouldn’t trade places.

I want his following. I’m jealous of his following. But his life would make me miserable. I’m not willing to do what he does.

I don’t want to be thinking of something witty or wise when I’m in a beachside cabaña with my wife. I don’t want to wait for the perfect lighting to take a photo. I’d rather skinny dip and eat cold watermelon and lose track of time.