I lift weights. I’m not a body builder, or even that much of a jock. Since I started, though, I’ve become a lot more buff than most of the other dudes in the office. Was I doing it to impress them? Hell, no. I wasn’t even trying to impress the women who work around us. I was doing it almost completely for my health. You might have seen the articles early this year about the health benefits of strength training. If not, go check them out when you’re done here.
At any rate, when I see a gym newbie trying to take shortcuts, I always shake my head. If you’ve ever been in a gym, you’ve likely seen a guy like this. He starts doing bicep curls, for example, and when it gets difficult, he realizes, “Gee, I can lift these dumbbells a lot more easily if I just flail them up with my whole body, instead of just using my arms.” At that point, of course, he’s no longer working his biceps. What’s worse, he runs the risk of injuring his back.
But the real problem this guy has is in his thinking. To him, it’s more important to show others at the gym how much he can lift than it is for him to train correctly, with somewhat less weight at first, and actually get stronger. So eventually, if he doesn’t learn the right way to lift, he finds that he never improves, and quits in frustration.
What does this have to do with bromance? Surprisingly, a lot. In fact, it has a lot do with many areas of life. It’s the difference between buying a flashy, expensive car with a monthly payment you can barely afford, or driving a less expensive car whose costs you can handle very easily. In business, it’s the difference between moving your office into a fancy high-rise, or spending that money on advertising instead. And in bromance, it’s all about becoming okay with potential friends seeing your weaknesses. Don’t alienate them by constantly bragging about your success. Instead, show interest in them, and be honest with them when they ask you questions. It’s the only way to build trust.
