My view on theories, how-to-guides and general concepts

For those of you who follow my website you've probably noticed that I don't like generic guides and theories that proclaim to know the "one truth". I firmly believe that there is no "one truth" as far as answers go. Furthermore, I also believe that the idea of that there's only one correct way of doing things is what causes a lot of issues for people who try to take on huge obstacles.

There's a rather amusing story floating on the Internet that concerns the space race between the USA and Russia back in the 1960s. The astronauts needed a pen that would be able to write in the vacuum of space, seeing as ink didn't cope well with that environment. NASA solved this by spending $1.5 million on developing a pen that could do just that. The Russians responded by giving their astronauts a pencil - problem solved! Now, this story has turned out to be fake, as you can read more about here, but the lesson is still a valid one. If we think that there's only one correct answer, we will also not look any further for other possible solutions.

A rather funny - but untrue - anecdote circling the web.

So, why am I rambling about space when my site is about training? The parallel that I want to draw here is that if you only concern yourself with what other people have done in the past in order to reach their goal, you may not find what is right for you. Many of us that try to set out to do something life-changing may not succeed. I believe that a huge chunk of us fail because we try to do what other people have done without adapting it to our own personal lifestyle. Just as in the case of NASA, we are not thinking outside of the box. We only see what successful people have done and we want to accomplish what they've accomplished. Instead of doing exactly what successful people have done, we should look at what parts we can integrate with our own lives. View it as a puzzle. Just because some pieces fit, doesn't mean that the motif is right. This means that just because some ways of doing things work for others, doesn't mean they'll work for you.

"View it as a puzzle. Just because some pieces fit, doesn't mean that the motif is right."

This is part of the reason why I don't like to get specific about nutrition nor how to train. Firstly, I am not, nor have ever claimed to be, good at nutrition and biomechanics. So, for starters, I'm not delving deep into those areas mostly due to the fact that I don't have the competence. There are plenty of people that know a lot more about that than I do, so I'll leave it to them. Secondly, I don't like to get specific about these areas because it disables people to look for their own personal solutions. What good is an "optimal meal" if you won't eat it due to it not suiting your personal taste? And what good is an optimal training program if you won't follow it due to it being boring?

What good is an "optimal meal" if you won't eat it due to it not suiting your personal taste?

Having all this said, I do believe that there is a place for theories and how-to-guides. They serve as good ways for us to document and explain to others what we've done in order to reach our goals. The problem is not that they exist, because they are indeed very valuable and, quite frankly, they're part of how we evolve. The problem is that we too often try to copy them without adjusting them to our own personal preferences.