
January 5, 2021
Jerzy Gregorek | Pod of Jake
Key Takeaways
- Getting in shape isn’t all physical; a large part of it is mental. You need to become your own master and tell yourself you’re going to work out.
- Microprogression is the key to a successful life:
- Improvement doesn’t happen overnight. It took Jerzy 5 years to lift as much weight as a bodybuilder he once saw in the gym. It takes years and years of education for someone to become a doctor.
- Have a goal and write down small increments to track your progress
- “Microprogression is extremely important” – Jerzy Gregorek
- Have a goal and write down small increments to track your progress
- Improvement doesn’t happen overnight. It took Jerzy 5 years to lift as much weight as a bodybuilder he once saw in the gym. It takes years and years of education for someone to become a doctor.
- “Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.” – Jerzy Gregorek
- Be careful of the voice in your head that complains, makes excuses, or says negative things about yourself
- When they start to get negative, don’t believe them, and spend time doing something positive like reading a book or listening to an educational video
- If the negative voices get extremely loud, consider getting help from an outside source (friend, family, therapist) if needed.
- When they start to get negative, don’t believe them, and spend time doing something positive like reading a book or listening to an educational video
- Forget about the past and the future, and focus on improving your life in the present moment. If you do that, your past and future will both get better.
- Taking care of yourself through staying active and eating healthy is like stitching together a parachute: It’s a slow process but if there’s an emergency, you’ll be glad to have it
Intro
- Jerzy Gregorek (@TheHappyBody) is an Olympic weight-lifter, trainer, poet and author of The Happy Body
- Host: Jake (@blogofjake)
Books Mentioned
- Jerzy is also the author of:
About Jerzy Gregorek
- Jerzy Gregorek was born into a poor family in Poland in 1954
- Jerzy was bullied as a kid so he started lifting weights
- From about 15-18, he became depressed and became an alcoholic. Fortunately, a friend was able to help him find a better path in life and Jerzy started focusing on educating himself and lifting weights again.
- Jerzy later worked as a firefighter for a few years
- From about 15-18, he became depressed and became an alcoholic. Fortunately, a friend was able to help him find a better path in life and Jerzy started focusing on educating himself and lifting weights again.
- Jerzy was bullied as a kid so he started lifting weights
- In 1985, Jerzy moved to the US
- He found a job at a gym coaching people and earned $5 per hour
- People loved his advice and asked him for custom workout plans
- Eventually, Jerzy had so many clients that he decided to open up his own coaching business
- About 10 years later, Jerzy and his wife decided to put all of their fitness and diet knowledge into a book: The Happy Body
- Eventually, Jerzy had so many clients that he decided to open up his own coaching business
- People loved his advice and asked him for custom workout plans
- He found a job at a gym coaching people and earned $5 per hour
- Jerzy is also the author of:
Thoughts on Self-improvement
- Getting in shape isn’t all physical, a large part of it is mental. You need to become your own master and tell yourself you’re going to work out.
- “Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.” – Jerzy Gregorek
- Easy choices don’t require you to get better
- Hard choices help you improve yourself beyond your current level
- Making the choice to workout when you wake up isn’t easy, but it will pay off in the long term
- Microprogression is the key to a successful life:
- Improvement doesn’t happen overnight. It took Jerzy 5 years to lift as much weight as a bodybuilder he once saw in the gym. It takes years and years of education for someone to become a doctor.
- Have a goal and write down small increments to track your progress
- “Microprogression is extremely important” – Jerzy Gregorek
- Have a goal and write down small increments to track your progress
- Improvement doesn’t happen overnight. It took Jerzy 5 years to lift as much weight as a bodybuilder he once saw in the gym. It takes years and years of education for someone to become a doctor.
- Be careful of the voice in your head that complains, makes excuses, or says negative things about yourself
- When they start to get negative, don’t believe them, and spend time doing something positive like reading a book or listening to an educational video
- If the negative voices get extremely loud, consider getting help from an outside source (friend, family, therapist) if needed.
- When they start to get negative, don’t believe them, and spend time doing something positive like reading a book or listening to an educational video
- Forget about the past and the future, and focus on improving your life in the present moment. If you do that, your past and future will both get better.
Health & Fitness
- When it comes to fitness, Jerzy focuses on 4 parts:
- Coordination
- Strength
- Posture
- Flexibility
- Obesity isn’t about how big you are, but how big your body fat percentage is. A person can weigh 100 pounds and still be obese.
- Taking care of yourself through staying active and eating healthy is like stitching together a parachute: It’s a slow process but if there’s an emergency, you’ll be glad to have it
- You want to take care of yourself while still young and healthy so that you’re can surf and ski with your grandkids when you’re older
Master vs Fatalist
- Inside every person, there are two voices: the Master and the Fatalist
- The Master is the voice that tells you what’s right and the one you should be listening to even though it’s often asking you to do more difficult tasks
- The Fatalist is the voice whispering negative thoughts and telling you to take the easier path in life
- The 5 combinations of Master and Fatalist:
- 100% Fatalist: This person is has a ton of negative thoughts, might be suicidal, and likely needs outside help
- 75% Fatalist and 25% Master: This person knows what the right thing to do is, but since the Fatalist voice is dominating the conversation, they often do the wrong thing
- 50% Fatalist and 50% Master: This person struggles to make the right decision because they’re constantly torn between two options
- 25% Fatalist and 75% Master: This person is aligned with the right decision and often does the right thing in life
- 0% Fatalist and 100% Master: This person makes the right decision for themselves and does good for others as well