"In the foundation of every building or house that I have built, I have a barbell plate"

These are the words of the late Ray "Thunder" Stern , a legend in professional wrestling, bodybuilding, and entrepreneurial success.(1) In fact, dare I say; in a world inundated with advice on how to be successful, nothing compares to the now out-of-print book Power of Thunder, co-written by Mr. Stern and Robert Wolff, Ph.D. In it, Ray Stern highlighted and explained his principles for success in such a manner that authentic and effectual' are the most forthcoming words of distinction when comparing it to the countless books on the self-help shelves today.

And yes, the symbolic ritual within the context of edifice development was explained. Mr. Stern, a real estate investor and pioneer of the fitness industry, cemented a big barbell plate in the foundation of the buildings and homes he developed. "I do this as a testament that anything and everything I have in life, I owe to bodybuilding", wrote Mr. Stern.(2)

But what is it about fitness and bodybuilding that can provide such a template for life success? How can the ability to make positive and lasting changes to your physique translate to practical lessons of wisdom in goal setting and achievement?

Regardless of one's personal aspirations or definition of success, physique improvement can provide a microcosmic blueprint for bringing dreams into reality. It does so with such eerie precision as to even warn us of the pitfalls of attempted shortcuts. Example: who among us long-term bodybuilding enthusiasts hasn't witnessed the neophyte muscle-builder who thinks steroids are the key to physique improvement? The fleeting benefits and oft-resulting dependence on such drugs can have detrimental long-term outcomes on even the appearance of one's physique. Expanding this observation out to context, it seems reminiscent of a life success principle from the words of Ray Stern: "Being great in whatever you do takes time. Short-term gain always equals long-term pain and don't let anyone tell you differently."(3)

Goals: The First Page in Your Success Blueprint

In order to achieve anything worthwhile, we must have a vivid internal representation of what we want. A vague idea will not generate optimal results. If we drift through life with day-to-day thoughts such as I'd like to be more muscular' or I want to lose some body fat', our odds of identifying a strategy for accomplishment and our resolve to carry it out will fade as fast as the ambiguous images in our minds. Conversely, when our goals are specific; I want eight percent body fat'; 'I want seventeen inch biceps'; 'I want a fifteen inch ratio between my torso measurement and my waistline', our chances of making these things a reality goes up exponentially. This practice can then be carried over to other contexts of your life. In fact, when you get good at setting specific goals for your body, this skill will likely be etched into your subconscious mind for effective retrieval when you need it elsewhere-career, health, relationships, etc.