Why we train? Ask William Wallace

Nassim Taleb talks about serendipitous events, and black swans in his books.

Events that you can’t plan for. Completely random and out of nowhere.

When it comes to our lives, however, you can in some way plan for these catastrophic events.

It reminds me of the story of William Wallace.

I watched Braveheart again last night with the lady.

Wallace didn’t want war. He wanted a family. But the sheriff killed his wife to get to him, and then all hell broke loose – and he unleashed it.

He was able to unleash it because he’d trained for war, even though he never intended to partake in it.

You never really know what you’re training for.

You don’t know what these catastrophic events may be, you can’t know.

You don’t know if you’re going to have to carry your sweetheart out of a fire, or your dogs, or fight and defend them.

But, you can’t go through life thinking these things will never happen to you.

As a man, you have to be prepared.

That’s why it’s so important for men to be strong and to know how to fight, and even to know how to hunt and use a gun.

You just don’t know.

We live in a society where this kind of power is labeled as evil just because of it’s capacity, not how or if it’s used.

I have a story about this I’ll tell you tomorrow.

But I’d rather have this capacity and never have to use it than not have it at all and fail miserably if that day ever comes when being able to fight would be handy, even necessary.

It’s the old saying…

It’s better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.

For men, being ‘good’ means, as a foundation, being dangerous.

The gardener can’t do any good in a war, but a warrior can do some good in both a war and in a garden.

So, you never know why you’re training.

Train for those black swans, those rare events that may never happen.

Be a monster, and then control it.

Get in the gym.

Lift. Train. Spar. Fight.

Be Legendary,

Chad Howse