Growing up, I lacked confidence and often felt needy.

Relationships never came easy to me—I always believed there was something inherently wrong with me. Truth be told, I felt invisible.

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city, you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things."— Henry David Thoreau

I resonate deeply with this quote. During this period of my life, I had completely resigned. I lived reactively, letting life happen to me instead of shaping it myself.

Today's newsletter was sparked by a conversation I had with a client this morning. He mentioned he doesn't have traditional goals for the gym, such as bench pressing 200 pounds or having an aesthetic physique. Instead, he simply felt better than ever and didn't want to lose momentum.

Training Isn't What You Think It Is

Many people see training as driven by external validation or ego. However, this mindset distracts us from the real purpose of training: progression.

We often see this illustrated in movies and TV shows. When a character decides to get their life together, they embark on a training regimen, whether on deserted islands or hidden caves. They get their health in order and subsequently improve other life areas.

Working with clients, I've witnessed this firsthand. Individuals facing a scary diagnosis or significant life changes choose to get in shape. After committing for 3–6 months, they transform mentally and physically.

They start because they want change.

They continue because they don't want to revert.

The fitness lifestyle doesn't have to consume your entire existence. Personally, I've trained just two hours weekly over recent months and have seen greater results than all of last year combined.

Bodybuilding and powerlifting cultures have distorted expectations, suggesting that people need to:

• Train 5-6 times per week

• Track every calorie obsessively

• Consume numerous supplements

This couldn't be further from the truth.

Maximum Efficiency Training

The client mentioned above, who has "no goals," consistently leaves each session feeling clear-minded and enthusiastic—much better than days he doesn't train. Remarkably, this comes from only three hours per week.

In the past few months, he's:

• Lost 40 pounds

• Squatted 200 pounds

• Tripled his mobility

If someone told you three hours per week could transform your life, wouldn't you seize the opportunity? This simple process would have saved me months of struggle early in my journey.

The No-Nonsense Training Method

1) Follow a Program

Realize you don't know better. Universities have entire departments researching physical activity's impacts. Avoid "Fit Chad’s 20-Day Protocol" and don't show up without a plan. To maximize efficiency, choose a tailored or reputable novice program online immediately.

Progress without a plan leads to injury or burnout, not results.

2) Bare Bones Nutrition

Nutrition often overwhelms beginners due to misinformation online. If you've just started training, disregard most nutritional advice initially. Start simple:

• Multiply your current protein intake by 1.5x.

• Remove the processed snack or sweet you've told yourself you'll eliminate. Don't buy it for one month, then evaluate how you feel.

Quiet Desperation: Failing Before You Start

You might think this sounds too simple or easy. Perhaps you've always known it's straightforward to start training, yet you continually postpone action.

Many people fail before starting because they:

• Look for the perfect diet before cooking their first healthy meal.

• Procrastinate by watching form tutorials instead of working out.

• Buy fancy equipment before stepping into the gym.

• Purchase training programs without a gym membership.

• Obsess over advanced training techniques before mastering basics.

In self-help, this is called "mental masturbation"—perfectly overthinking every step, thus quitting before you even begin.

Smart people sabotage themselves by overthinking.

"Dumb" people succeed because they take immediate action.

Be dumb, my friends.

Talk to you later,

— Jordan