Current mood:
accomplished
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The inspiration behind the intensity of my actions has been shaped by one overriding belief: Hard work always pays. The echoes of this mantra can be found in the volumes of the Muscle & Fitness legacy, and it's a lesson I quickly absorbed when I first flipped through the pages of my father's dog-eared issues and began to absorb the words of the iconic Joe Weider. He’s a man who dramatically influenced the world’s perception of bodybuilding and physical fitness, making them both a mainstream part of American life.
At age 12 I may not have had the capacity to understand the concepts that gave birth to the Weider Principles, but I did have the wherewithal to commit myself to those practices. First I implemented them in the weight room, then on the football field, then in the squared circle of wrestling and eventually on the big screen.
In November 2009 I had the honor of sitting down with Joe to discuss life, the future of the health and fitness industry, and the lessons he has learned in his 89 years of being Joe Weider.
It was the gratifying culmination of a three-month process between me and the talented Muscle & Fitness team. Our collaboration began with a photo shoot at my alma mater – the University of Miami – in the sanctuary of the football weight room, where I learned to handle success with dignity and failure with respect, and went on to lengthy interviews at the famed Weider building in Southern California and invaluable time with Joe himself.
I was moved by the powerful words of inspiration that Joe shared with me. He reminded me that no dream is too big, and he encouraged me to continue my laser focus toward the achievement of all my goals. Joe, thank you.
This entire process has been a highlight of my personal life. It has allowed me the gratifying experience of sharing the integral role that the weight room and my training have had on my life, a powerful daily ritual that positively affects not only my physical and mental well-being but also the rhythm of my life’s processes. It’s an honor to have been asked to write this editorial and speak directly to the readers of M&F as Joe once spoke to me through his editorials. I can safely assume that you, like me, have picked up this magazine with one goal in mind: to be greater. I ask all of you to never discount the opportunity that your training creates on a daily basis and to recognize how every session in the gym can produce another winning moment, a moment to be inspired by and to help you aspire.
Embrace the value of discipline, planning, technique, and power to create change and monumental gains. Every day I allow myself to duplicate this process in a setting I love. The gym is my personal practice field where I dominate and win, and when I walk out those doors, I take my skills to the grand show of life. Allow yourself that same opportunity on a daily basis: to create a winning momentum that permeates your day and eventually your entire life.
To M&F’s loyal readers, as well as the millions around the world who have given me endless support, I say with great love and respect:
HARD WORK ALWAYS PAYS.
God bless,
Dwayne Johnson
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As always,
Lift Loud!
[And it wouldn't hurt to start with the book highlighted below...]
