Incredible analysis. Most people want winners and champions to be nice guys, moral role models. They want their motives to be as inspiring as their abilities. But the reality is most champions want to dominate for the sheer fact of dominating. They want to crush anyone in their way and prove a point in the process. From an outsiders perspective it’s borderline psychotic, but from their perspective it’s an absolute necessity.

People underestimate the role of genetics at the highest level, but they also underestimate how good the average person can get at anything with thousands of hours of deliberate work.

I'm gonna quote the Bugez real quick. "THERE IS NO BETTER GIFT FOR STRENGTH THAN RAGE, AND ANGER"

Extreme sucess is not achieved by happy, satisfied normal people, it is achieved by those who have something to prove, people think passion drives winners but really it is hate and rage

Off in the distance, the loud hum of garlic and honey whistles past your nose, and the loud screams of Eric Bugenhagen sounding: “ITS A MINDSET” bellow into your ears.

Something I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older. “Motivation” isn’t the thing that gets you far. OBSESSION is. You must be obsessed, and obsession usually is rooted in something “toxic”. Accepting that, not assigning a connotation to it, and rolling with it will get you closer to your goals than anything else.

The gap between competitive and hyper-competitive is much larger than we think. I remember an interview of Lance Armstrong saying "Get your hate on, man."

This is copied from a meme, I take zero credit: "You have to score a bucket on either Lebron James or Michael Jordan and you get 1 million dollars. Who you trying to score against?" I'm taking Lebron because I'll tell him my family needs help and I could really use the money, and he'll let me score. If I told that to Jordan he'd laugh, guard me like his life depended on it, and mop the floor with me."

I remember learning about this very phenomenon in an intro psychology class. I am paraphrasing here but what was taught to me was that there are 4 categorical types of motivation and that the one having to do with out-performing others statistically tends to outperform everyone on the bell curve. It all makes sense as to why the top of essentially every human heirarchy is a toxic, cutthroat culture of a few obsessed individuals clawing at eachother for the number one spot.

This video speaks to me, man… and probably every one else who started training because of the bullies at school, and kept doing it into adulthood decades later because of all the naysayers. This is way more common than anyone will admit to, and almost nobody talks about it.

This video needs way more views. Crushed it.

something worth considering is how much that “toxic winner” is caused genetically or is a product of environment: parents (or lack thereof), school context, social status, trauma, etc. It might be that someone with typical genes for this trait might develop this it given a particular environment or set of experiences.

"The Weight" sounds like a really great film, at risk of sounding critical it's rather similar to Whiplash but that's by no means a bad thing. As an avid lifter and aspiring filmmaker this is absolutely a movie I want to see!

8:19 about the “Toxic Winner” gene that you speak of, I feel it’s more of a set of experiences that have led to a mindset rather than a gene. Some people who grew up being super accepted and included by those around them may not grow to have the same mindset of wanting others approval and respect like Kobe or Michael

Most of us have that little voice in our head that tells us we’re not good enough. Few of us feel the intense obligation to do something about it. Natural inborn talent can only be actualized through diligent and consistent practice. Even then, the beast within is only awoken though pain… Like a weapon of destruction forged from fire. The obstacles in life can either define, strengthen, or destroy you. The next step is always up to you.

This kind of conversation always reminds me of a famous sport psychology study that was cited frequently in my degree. It was ostensibly about doping in sports but I think speaks well to this kind of mindset and how it's not necessarily a healthy or happy way to go through life. Paraphrasing (it's been a few years), they interviewed a group of elite athletes and posed a series of hypotheticals. The first one was something like "If you could take a performance enhancing drug with a guarantee of never getting caught, would you take it?", and a huge majority said yes. The interesting one was where they asked "If you could take a drug and be guaranteed to win every event you enter for 5 years, and then drop dead, would you take it?" and IIRC 60-70% of those interviewed still said yes.

I absolutely loved your logic here. When someone sees a champion like a Kobe or Jordan, they never look beneath the surface and uncover any toxicity that may have been there motivating them. I've been a competitive powerlifter since 2015 and I've won a few titles. When I look at my journey and the weight I've lifted over the years, I reflect on what I feel in competition and in training. My biggest motivator isn't hate, or anxiety. It's joy. Pure joy. Gratitude. I absolutely love the fact that I'm able to lift and build my mind and body. I'm even more blessed to be able to share that joy with others. You don't need negativity to win. Just discipline, joy, and gratitude.

I always wonder how many GOATs we miss out on because they never had the opportunity to try a sport, OR they never had the mindset to maximize they're talents. The same applies to this toxic winner idea, but in reverse. How many toxic winners ruined their bodies and relationships because they didn't have the physical gifts to handle such intensity.

Solid analysis mate. Loved it. I'm sure you've probably seen it already, but if not, you've got to watch Whiplash. I've never seen a movie that so perfectly exemplifies this trait you're speaking of, funnily enough it's about jazz drumming too. While I agree with everything you're saying here, I think it's also important to note that the 'Toxic champion' trait is not the only way to be the best. It's just one psychological mindset that some champions use as fuel. Roger Federer might be a good example of someone who works like a machine, has crazy talent and genetics, but is not at all toxic or egotistical. Lewis Hamilton is arguably another. That is not to say ego isn't important, these people do not give an inch when competing but it is possible to be an absolute demon while you're competing, but then switch it off when you're not. I find these people most admirable because they model a healthy approach that works for the everyday masses too, not just the genetically gifted. The danger I have seen in sports, mostly weightlifting for me, is there are sadly many people who have the 'toxic' without the 'champion'. People who aren't self aware enough to know they're not Naim or Ilya or Michael Jordan, but believe if they 'sacrifice' enough of themselves or others then they could be. Usually this manifests in just being a mediocre athlete, but justifying any toxic personality trait as 'necessary for my sport' and marytring themselves when they do it. "I didn't want to, but this is what it takes to be great." I knew a guy who didn't show up for his girlfriend who was giving birth to his child, because it was on the same day as a Club competition where he was aiming for maybe a 250ish Sinclair. Worse, he complained all week about how her pregnancy was disrupting his comp prep. Shock horror, he never got anywhere in the sport. The reality is that this trait only works when combined with that 1% of the 1% who also have the genetic capacity for greatness as well. If Michael Jordan didn't have the genetics as well, he'd just be an arsehole college basketball player nobody ever remembered.

Summary: Its not genetics that make the best of the best, it is the "hyper winner/ toxic winner that will do anything to win and prove others wrong" personality trait that does.

I've often the conversation with my athletes, "You're good. You're really good, but it takes xyz to be great. Are you willing to do that/be that? If not, there's nothing wrong with just being good." Not everyone is willing to/has the motivation to pay the cost to be absolutely phenomenal. The few that do deserve to be lauded... and in some cases, deserve to be pitied.

The stories of what Jordan would use to motivate himself are legendary.

Those are interesting insights about motivation. I'm a huge Jordan fan and loved the Last Dance documentary but I have to admit I was a little surprised to see how his competitive attitude made it hard for his teammates. It also showed how he took offense so easily and felt compelled to constantly prove himself. I've known others with this attitude and I agree it can be called a curse even though their effort and determination are admirable.

As someone with a bachelor's and a master's in sport psychology, I would like to point out that the evidence is pretty clearly on the side of mastery orientation (e.g. focusing on self-improvement and mastery). Ego orientation (defining success as being better than others) is associated with way more negative outcomes than mastery orientation. For example, one problem with ego orientation is the big fish small pond scenario. You're happy as long as you win even though the competition might be trash. If you're in an uncompetitive environment you won't be pushed to become as good as you could have been. On the other hand, if you focus on mastery, you can be pissed if you win but performed worse than you know you could. As an anecdotal example, what would happen if Lasha only cared about winning. He would not have to hit numbers anyway near what he's hitting now. But, if he focused on becoming as good as he could be he might be more inclined to keep pushing way past the competition. Of course, you can be motivated by both, but the ego one is way riskier. And. Just like you said in the ''you're not Lu/Klokov videos''. This worked out great for Jordan and Kobe. But, there are countless of kids who stop the sport because they compare themselves with others, coast when the environment isn't competitive and then give up when they don't immediately succeed as they aren't used to working hard for success.

Goggins definitely has this same mindset, though directed inward. Something that will always stick with me is, "your body doesn't know the difference between hate and love", both can motivate you equally and strongly. In physical competition using fear and anxiety towards winning is certainly something every athlete does.

There has been a lack of videos of this caliper in your channel. I also like the casual react type vids but this is what made me subscribe in the first place.

The 1st dude I heard talking about this was George Leeman, he was open and honest about the fact that he hated that other people were stronger than him and that they could bully him if they wanted so he went absolutely all out in every session to be the strongest around. Not for admiration, not for world betterment but to feel safe from other people. He also talked about how he'd use self hatred from the death of his brother as motivation in a set to go harder. I think running from negative emotion will always be a stronger force than running to positive. You don't run as fast towards a cake as you do away from a tiger and people with that tiger will run regardless of their sprained ankle, pounding heart and racing mind. It's not just genetics that makes them more resilient, they're in pain and just can't show it cause if they do, the tiger is right on their heels.

Genetics is definitely a term that is loosely thrown about as most people associate genetics with pure physical abilities. It is way more than just pure physical capability. The “mindset” as many people like to call it nowadays is also genetic. It’s an never ending, unexplainable burning rage, a pure fiery OBSESSION! Getting under a bar that has 700 pounds on it and wanting to squat down with it for example isn’t a sane rational thought that the average person has. It’s actually an insane thought by the standards of the average human being. But why do it ? Why strive so hard for something that isn’t going to make the world a better place ? Because it is just pure selfish, unadulterated desire to reach levels most people couldn’t even dream of. Because it is one of the only true and real desires in this lying and deceit filled world!! If you have a god given talent which is what most people are referring to when they talk about “genetics”, you can become good or possibly very good even if you don’t put a lot of work or effort into whatever it is that you are doing. However if you want to become great or even the best ? You have to couple naturally born talent with OBSESSION. There is no other way! It won’t be long before barbell will prove to have saved my life. To whomever this may concern or took their time to read this, maybe the barbell can save your life too IF you let it!

I can identify well with this mentality. When I grew up, no matter how well I would do, there was always someone, my family would compare me too that was better. With my frame I often got underestimated in different sports I did, and I would practice for hours to prove them wrong. One of the effects of it were a lot of injuries as I trained through no matter the costs.

Expand on this. This is INCREDIBLY interesting to me and I have studied this for over 20 years. Do more videos like this. Subbed

As a weightlifter lifting for 6 years I felt what you said and salute your awesome content but your video editors editing skills are equally awesome, it really gave the feeling that you wanted the viewers to feel.

I always hate when people say "don't compare yourself with others" as if they are not humans or something, the only thing that really motivates me is comparing myself with others, feeling that i'm a faliure is the only thing that keeps me going

Zack, I'm going through some really tough times, and your videos are really assisting me through this mess. Love the content and the subject matter. Topics that have always been discussed, but your videos are right on point. Great work my friend.

This entire video can be summed up in the book Relentless by Tim Grover, the guy who was the trainer for Kobe, MJ, Duane Wade, Charles Barkley and others. He referred to this type of mindset as that of a cleaner, and it was an echelon above being a closer. It’s a mindset that’s egotistical, aggressive, and embracing of an athletes dark side. The moment a cleaner acknowledges others, and tries to tame his/her dark side, they begins to lose. Case in point Tiger Woods when he got caught cheating on his wife and the resulting fall out. From there his game tanked.

Well done 👏 👌 I tell people I lift to get in shape because for health reasons. But in actuality, it’s because of very shallow reasons…I want to be in better shape than all my friends by a mile, best looking at the beach and to also prove to all my friends and family that i have the dedication and discipline to do something NONE of them can and will ever be able to do.

This is every piece of my mindset I need for making the volleyball team this year at 5'7.

This video has made me realize something about myself, a quick history lesson about myself is I used to be a skinny fat kid and I had a huge crush on this one girl back in high school, long story short I asked her out several times and she kept rejecting me while also leading me on, we even made out a couple of time this was very confusing until one day I asked her why she was playing with my emotion like that, she then basically told me that she really like another dude and that I was her second option. Being labeled a second option really hurt me deeply so I started working out and improving myself and I have been very consistent with it for about 2 years now even through the various lockdowns I found a way to train and remain consistent, I'm currently in the best shape of my life and still working hard for more gains 💪🏾 my family always asks me how I find the motivation and drive to stay consistent with my diet and workouts, the real reason is I want to prove that I'm more than just a second option😤 also want to show all the people who made fun of me back then that they messed with the wrong guy, these are the thoughts that drive me to get up and go to the gym and grind

This is so true. I personally am a very competitive person. I've come to realize it's cos I'm someone who takes everything personally, so much so that I try to give it all back to people whenever I get that chance. Through my wit and words and most of the time physical competition. I love the feeling of destroying my competition and pressing my foot on their necks even after they're beaten. I know that it's not a good trait to have. But when almost all your life you feel like you're being doubted. It comes out like that

No wonder the best of the best usually are extremely, hyper competitive--with that bit of aggression. You see the Jordan's (even Kobe), Tyson's, and the Woods' of the sporting world and how they dominated with that competitive fire. Even on a personal experience: I was at my physical and mental peak back when my mind set was "angry" or hyper competitive. I trained and studied with aggression. Now that I have a family, I've mellowed out and I find it difficult to even scratch that surface even with ideal external conditions.

You are absolutely right here. When i was my strongest, when I was my most shredded... It was because of one thing... My girlfriend had broken up with me for not being "manly" enough and i wanted to prove to her with every fiber in my being that I was no less manly then any other man. And i did, She was dying to have me back in 6 months. Alternatively, married to another woman who doesn't care about and with 'seemingly' nothing to prove. I let myself get fat, lazy and complacent. When my wife cheated on me, I discovered I had something to prove again.. I lost 80 lbs in a couple months and moved on. She came back and I find myself slipping again... Thank you for making this video. I always realized I was externally motivated but I never realized what the trigger was exactly. Now that I know, I will never let myself fall off again.

To be honest that's one of your greatest videos, it really spoke to me. Keep this up coach Zack.

Proving people wrong can take you to places you have or neverl will be again. It happened to me back in 2011-2012 after getting 5th, 7th and 7th in nationals for Discus, Shot put and Hammer throw, i gained 6 kilos of mass untill the next qualification rounds, and became a double gold medalist out of my desire to beat everyone else, and make up for the shitty performance i had the previous year. 3 days later after coming back home, i got insane back pain for 2 weeks, and i could never throw as explosively as i did back then, it was personal, even though it was just nationals from a country who has only ever sent 1 thrower to the Olympics, i did my best to make sure i could beat everyone, and when i needed motivation, i imagined myself in 3rd place going for the last throw, against the guy i disliked the most out of all the throwers, and it worked most of the times i used it.

It seems to me that to be the best you have one of 2 mind sets: the fear of being a failure and the anger of all the naysayers. Or the passion were you can’t imagine doing anything other than that thing like devotional kind of energy

I love this... the most dominant athletes in any sport, are not dominant because they are "nice guys". They are dominant because they are willing to go places where the common man isn't willing to go because they are willing to go scorched earth to achieve greatness. Nice guys don't go scorched earth.

This isn't lunch time content, this is get the fuck up out of bed content.

If you take nothing else from this video, take the fact that Jeff met Bill Murray

Most people will deny it, but they care deeply about people's opinions about them.

Loved this. Had my son watch it. He finished it, didn't say anything, but he grabbed his cleats, laced them up and went outside. He's been out there for awhile now. It's cold. He just told me, "500 more, I'll come in when I've done 500 more," Yes.

Zack. I love your channel, but I especially loved this video. I am an elite triple jumper looking to become the best in the world by the next olympics, having only begun athletics 3 years ago. The attitudes spoken about in this video are something I highly resonate with. I have an internal monologue in which I am competing against literally everyone. I don't care whether they are in my field or not. They are my competitor. I know that this isn't really the case but I use that script to drive me to work harder and smarter than anyone I will ever compete against. The only thing I thing you might have missed the duality of our drives. All the positive thinking is important as well but to be the best, I need to have a level of toxicity to disrepect my opponents. Keep up the great work and videos. I'll be supporting you for years to come! Jordan.

Zack, this is where you shine brother! Keep 'em coming.

This personality trait is something I have and never realised until watching this video. To this day I always thought I was a bit arrogant and with a big ego, since the only reason I always want to win is to show everyone who doubted and rejected me they were wrong. Many times I don’t care about the prize, but that feeling of pride, knowing you are better than anybody when winning keeps me motivated to outwork everyone Amazing video and thank you for making me realise things about myself

This is one of the most unbelievably accurate videos I’ve ever watched. This 100% describes me, my way of thinking, and the way I operate on a daily basis. I’m fueled off rage, hatred of losing and others being better or doubting me, and can’t sleep well knowing I’m not dominating in everything I do. It is a curse. But damn it has pushed me to incredible heights at just 24. I’ve achieved an insane amount go things in a relatively short life span because of this curse.

Great vid Coach. This is the anti-PC discussion Mainstreet needs to have. I've spent my life trying to repress or diffuse my anger, rage, and domineering parts. Looking back, it seems to harness it, and guiding it might lead to better outcomes. Goes out with the myth of being "well rounded". Highly successful people aren't well-rounded. Well rounded is a goal meant to lead the masses astray.

the best workout with my gym bro were the ones we where we were competing with each other. Teasing each other that one got one rep more than the other, or that my form was better and so on and so forth. We actually talked and agreed that this type of aggresive competitive factor can be used as a powerfull drive. Even if sometimes it pissed me off that he said that my bench is weak, he wasn't wrong but i wanted to show him that i can lift more. Competition is one of the best environnement for growth.

its awesome that you brought up jazz drumming and nekrutman. im a highschool jazz drummer and nekrutman is fucking unbelievable for how young he is

It gave me chills when that drummer said that what was going through his mind while performing was the people who Doubted him. People can say that the people who doubted them is their motivation but to actually have those people and what they said running through your always while training is crazy to me.

I love Whiplash, however, I haven't followed the drumming scene. With you showing Greyson, I don't know what it was but watching him drum gave me an emotional reaction I didn't expect. I'd need more time to process what it means, however, I want to thank you for this video. It's a really interesting way to look at toxic winners and what it means. Very insightful and for whatever reason, emotional resonating.

There is a quote from dave tate or Louie Simmons, i can't remember for sure, about Chuck Vogelphol and the legendary squat off between Dave and Chuck, that goes something like, he doesn't want to win, he just doesn't want to loose that much more It isn't about self improvement its about hating loosing that much more

This is my favourite KZfaq video. Ultimate motivation.

this is what makes sports a central feature of any great human civilization...it rewards those who can transform their anger, greed, and envy into physical and mental prowess for the purpose of victory. The toxic winner isn’t cursed with these ‘sinful’ traits anymore than the average human, they just have the mysterious inner capacity to channel it into the game. What a great, thought provoking video

Zack you’re so good at this kind of content! Awesome video man, even more inspired to show everyone that 42 is not to old to dominate masters weightlifting division! ;)

I’ve always thought that it was bad of me to want to win purely out of spite, just to show the others they couldn’t beat me no matter what they did. That that was something I needed to hide and control. Deep down I’m petty as shit.. maybe I need to let that out more.

I've been labeled a failure and loser all my life, and the idea of proving everyone wrong is much more motivating than trying to save the world. I want to be the best, and I'll do whatever i have to to be the best at what I do.

One similar person I look up to is Tom Platz. He has the same type of mentality as Kobe, Jordan, and others. He said in an interview, "I don't have something better than you. I don't have good genetics, I just wanted it more. I wanted it more."

Great video! This is totally what I needed to see and I agree, people don't talk about this enough! Thanks Zack

I think this idea perfectly captures the concept of compensating for an inferiority complex. I don't know if that's what's happening with these champions, it just seems to super neatly fit that psychological definition.

This video spoke to me like none other has. That thing inside of you that doesn’t want to win…but to force everyone else to lose. I hid from it for a long time. Finally listening to it and acting on it has pushed me into such a better place in life.

This was so eloquently put. When I was in sports I had that same drive. Fueled by anger and anxiety. Each win just left me more upset than the last ahahaha. I’d made national team but I was so unhappy. I tried to write about it but I could never figure out how to put it into words. This is exactly what was in my mind. Thank you for this video, I called it Hollow Champion syndrome but toxic champion fits.

Man Zach this was one of the weirdest and best crossovers for me ever. I literally just watched a Greyson video (I'm also a drummer) and came to your channel and blamo there he was again. Greyson definitely comes off as a guy who is fanatical when it comes to drums. There's no other way to explain how he's so dominant at that age. This also hits for me. In my professional life I'm a software engineer and those thoughts you mentioned went through my mind. I had an English teacher who told me I'd amount to nothing. That I'd be a failure. I would work and code 3 days straight without sleep in my late teens and early twenties. I'd think about that stupid bitch and keep going so I could go back there and say fuck you I made it you worthless piece of crap. I got jobs at big tech companies while other kids my age were still in college after I dropped out. I'd have fantasies about telling that lady off and it drove me to the point of working harder than everyone else around me. Probably not healthy but no one in my teams outworked me ever. I think the hard thing is now how do I talk to my kids about this kind of thing? Hey sons, the way to be successful is to hate someone so much you work yourself into a pulp and dream about making them feel like total shit for ever doubting you haha. Maybe that is the way I guess.

What separates guys like MJ and Kobe from the rest is, not just the physical gifts, but the mindset. Yes, Lebron is more gifted physically but he doesn’t have that killer instinct. MJ and Kobe didn’t just want to win and be the best, they wanted to embarrass you and put their foot on your throat while you’re down.

Great analysis. I've thought about these things for a long time and have had phases in my life where I had the absolute obsession to win... I was never happy. When the wins came, extreme happiness, but when it wore off a few hours later, back to how I felt before. Empty. It is better in the long run to compare yourself to only yourself and be happy with what you've accomplished in my opinion. There's a reason Jordan called his mentality a curse. Happiness comes from within, not from external accolades

Didn't realize I had the toxic champion mindset until I saw the video. I've won IPF masters world championships in my 40s, 50, 60s, 70s. I've always gravitated to, and excelled at strength sports. It was because a was a littlekid- I onky grew to 5'2", and the other kids made fun of me. I've always admitted I've beaten lifters who were "better" than me, but my drive was beyond their drive. And, I wanted to show them I was better because I was tougher, trained harder, etc. Txs for the video. I'm a long term subscriber, and started as a weightlifter but was discouraged about continuing because a couple of top coaches said I wasnt flexible enough and should try powerlifting. Keep up the good work.

I dont know if the anxious toxic winner trait is actually helping them tho. Training harder due to emotions tends to result in terrible outcomes for most. I think these people are winning despite their attitude not because of it.

Pretty interesting stuff and well said. I was a "good" (D1) swimmer and I absolutely never had that type of motivation and I am glad that I didn't. I worked hard and swam as well as I could have and at the end of my career I was happy and at peace. However, it is no secret in the swimming community that Michael Phelps has that toxic motivation. He is by most accounts a self-absorbed jerk, but the stories of his training and mindset are legendary. Just something to consider.

"The Boxer" does a great job at illustrating this phenomenon and how success from obsession often leaves people husks of their former selves

Spite is such a powerful motivator. I'm usually a 'live and let live' kind of person, but the second someone says I can't do something, my instant response is, "Watch me." The more someone doubts me, the harder I'll push to prove them wrong. As a complete weeb, the best thing I've ever seen exploring this entire mindset is the manga/anime Blue Lock. The whole thing is about ego and showing that you're the best.

Can you do one of these on bodybuilding? Like tom platz or Arnold or frank zane.

Excellent video

I think this psychology is more apparent in one-on-one competitions, especially combat sports. These fighters almost seem like they are throwing away their humanity to achieve greatness, when they fight they act like monsters, when they win they look so arrogant, and when they lose, they want to put themselves through hell and torture themselves for not being one step close to greatness. For example, in an interview with Mike Tyson, Tyson explains he doesn’t like the fighter he changes into because it not only brings confidence, drive, and power, but jealousy, hate, rage, guilt, etc. This ain’t a thing just in the movies or anime, it applies to even real life. These competitors act nice on tv and media, but inside they just want to win at all costs.

"Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard."

Hey Zack, great video as always. If you do happen to read this I want you to dabble into a certain sports athlete who was mega in the 80’s early 90’s you may not have heard of. Ayrton Senna, one of the most dominant and naturally god level talent in his discipline. From a young age he was destroying people twice his age in karting. Quickly growing through the ranks and eventually moving to Europe to chase after Formula 1 which is the equivalent of the Olympics to us in weightlifting. F1 is the pinnacle of racing. On his debut year, on the hardest circuit of the year, pouring rain with little to no visibility, absolutely embarrassed a file full of world champions and would eventually have won in equipment that was trash at best. The display of skill was unreal to the public and still is today when you understand the complexity of what you just saw. I’m many interviews when you hear him speak, you can clearly tell he genuinely believed that he had a god given right to win. No one was better than him; And to be fair nobody was. This also comes back to his childhood. The reason he was so good also came down to him purposefully going out in pouring rain and dangerous conditions and whipping around his go kart as a 8yr old absolutely on the edge. Which you can later see in his later years before his tragic death, that the egotistical mindset he always had lead to such dominance in an era full absolute studs. He’s one very intriguing person to look into mentality wise. I think even though is from a sport not many people are into or even understand. The words he speaks and self belief in himself is so empowering

Great motivation video. Going to edit the profanity out so I can show student athletes.

Glad you pointed this out. In the fitness community in terms of physiques and strength, the word genetics is thrown around way too much. And me personally, I don’t feel like I have amazing genetics, maybe above average, but I feel like my hard work and consistent research on what I love doing, the discipline, the burning heart in me that just wants to be better than anyone else in the world in terms of bodybuilding pushes me to level most people would just give up on. And ever since ive applied all that was mentioned, I made insane amount of gains whilst in my first year of lifting I barely grew Because of my lack of work ethic. I’m currently 16. I feel like most people want top athletes to sugarcoat things for them, but no a lot of us athletes especially men, just want to be better than everyone else in our profession, our anger, our fears, our anxiety pushes us or even adversarys. some give up along the road and some keep going because they’re more determined than other people. Getting under the bar, ready to bench 400 is something insane for the average person, but for a determined lifter who seeks to improve no matter what, he’ll get under the bar getting ready to fucking do it no matter what, and if he fails, he’ll come back again after training even harder for it. I find failing a PR, a big reason to just push harder, that rage or unsatisfactory feeling you get when you fail a PR, drives you to just keep going more harder and harder, which is again insane for an average human who will most likely give up as soon as he feels even a little burn from his first few reps at the gym. People make too many excuses, I know I’ve made them in the past, and procrastination, self doubt, laziness, undisciplined undetermined, “oh I’m not motivated today” is a big factor that just makes these people not as great as people who are that consistent. Some people think it’s all about motivation, no buddy even on day you don’t feel like doing it, you have to get in there and do it, learn to be uncomfortable, diamonds are made in the harshest conditions fellas. I see people in my age, and all I see is lost people who don’t know what they’re gonna do with their life, no objective, no clue of what on earth they plan for the future, a lot of kids my age are more inclined to partying, or just having a good time. I myself don’t like that, because In your teen years, I feel like it’s a time where you should be deciding and exploring what you really wanna do in life, before you get out in the real world. It’s like sailing your boat in the ocean with no map, you’re just gonna get lost. A lot of people are addicted to being comfortable, inclined to believe that the world owes them something for just existing. I myself love reading, I love learning, I love working, I love seeking for knowledge, I find the things I do now would contribute a lot to the end of where I’m trying to be at in the next few years. Let’s get in some hard work ladies and gents!

Narcissistic disorder. That's the reason. I have it and it was extremely hard to manage it. I had a personality breakdown caused by working all day thinking that i ll prove everybody wrong and no one would be able to doupt me. I was working so much that i got fever for a day. All that led me to the psychiatrist. It took me two years in order to find the balance and keep working on my craft, getting better and build a foundation on inner motivation, not externally caused hate and insecurity. If anyone reading this or you have a friend who does suffer or has symptoms of this dysfunction, give him the book "Laws of human nature-Robert Greene" and just tell him or her to read it. Its first chapter is narcissistic personality. If he or she does not want to read it just tell him he is not alone to this. This video was something i d never expected to get uploaded by a kind of channel like this. I felt sad that those People do this thing to their soul in order to reach the top. Congratulations to the ones that are in love with reaching and breaking their limits just for the shake of it, respecting every moment of it, living their life for themselves and feeling gratitude. Thanks for reading this. I did not got the time to think any word of this text as i am writing it out of pure desire to express my situation and help anyone else see this as it really is.

Interesting video. Of note, Kobe wasn't the best player on his own team in 3 of the championships he won and his egoism did cost the Lakers some playoff games. A strength of his was his absurd belief in his own abilities, so he was always taking the most insanely difficult shots no matter the situation, so his regular season and playoff season stat splits are very similar for this reason. However, when they're not going in, they're not going in, hence the reason Kobe Bryant has the most missed shots in NBA history.

early early i can snatch 105kg

Great observation and well articulated. Victor Wooten talks about how his mother instilled in him the notion of what does that world need with another great musician.

There is only so much space in this world for these people. These people often have very hard times being a part of the community, because … they often feel rejected by the community and need to feel in some ways independent and supersede them. That is great, these are inspirational people, but that doesn’t change the fact that we live in a society.

That is beautifuly embodied in the character of Daniel Plainview in there will be blood. "I have a competition in me, I want no one else to succed."

Excellent analysis. I think what many kids miss when they talk about being the "next so-and-so" is the fact that most of these people are anomalies -- not necessarily genetically, but in terms of their disposition. They do this one thing to the near-pathological exclusion of all other things and as you point, often for very selfish or small-minded reasons, at least declaratively. Most people are not that single minded, nor would they ever be happy trying to be that single-minded. Your discussion of motivation was spot-on, and this goes for the elite levels of nearly everything. It should really be talked about more to young, aspiring athletes.

Some psychology that comes to mind when this is brought up in regards to motivation is how the brain is wired to pay attention to negatives in life more than positives because you can only be so happy but you can be absolutely dead. Its what marketers and advertisers do: controversial, danger, loss of some kind, timers and deadlines, it grasps peoples attention. That being a well known fact you can reasonably assume the underlying most motivating factor in anyone success is that of losing what they already gained but also something else that is negative. Thats why its a "curse" its a negative 'energy' for lack of better words driving them On the other hand, the best predictor for life success is IQ (25%) and then personality trait conscientiousness (17%) so yes its also to a degree your genetics, because that trait determines how hard you work, along with someone who is highly neurotic (susceptibility to negative emotion) they would be driven by that negative feeling inside to do better. At the same time though they would be feeling more negative emotion than others, which would suck!

I’m not even going to lie so many people have said this “toxic” champion mindset is so bad and one needs to act more like this and that. I pretty much suppressed this mindset because of people saying this and that how it’s bad to think certain ways. But when I was watching this video I think back to times where I kept all of my “toxicity” or yk what not inside of me simply not to seem rude, I was maybe even selling myself short just to preserve my self image. But it never went away, my mindset, it still roared like a fire inside of me, and after this video like it really opened my eyes to no longer suppress my ambition and drive, to prove those who doubted and continue to doubt me wrong. I have 0 clue who’s going to see this comment, maybe even no one but 1 person, but I am saying this right here and now I’ve got something to prove and it’s going to happen before the end of my senior year.

2 years ago I lost over 100 pounds in 12 months fueled by negative energy. I did to prove to other ppl I could, but as soon as I was acknowledged I stopped. MJ was unique in a way where he proved everyone wrong and kept creating doubters whether real or fake to stay motivated.

Thanks man...I was demotivated lately. Just sleeping n repeat the same shit everyday. Lack of strength,discipline n everything. Just push urself n hardwork. Tq so much once again Zack. Yup u r right...be the best of U🔥

Yo that drum fill was SICK “Anyone that ever doubted me” gave me chills

We've got an insane need of "saints". We look up to whoever is successful in which ever endeavour we respect and aspire to, and then we try to expand this winning attitude as a mode to live by. That hurts nearly every body. And that's why, I think, few achieve that real greatness.

Always thought i was weird but glad you made a video on this.I'm the crazy fuck who goes on silent competitions with friends without them even knowing it but its just something that clicks in my head and i don't necessarily silently hate my friends its just what fuels me, the "it feels good that i know i'm putting in more work than you" voice

This is my favourite video you've ever done, it made me a little emotional. I can relate to parts, although not to the same extreme as Kobe. I often feel like people can't understand why I do what I do in the gym and in business. This sums it up fairly well. Thanks ZT, your content is truly evolving and you're smashing it

You probably won’t see this but you are a fantastic person. This video is so well made and I really enjoyed the content. Thank you

Fascinating essay. You're onto something here, about fear or insecurity being the motivator, but it's not always about to shut down naysayers. Sometimes in cases, like Ronaldo or Usain Bolt, the fear &/or insecurity, was more of a materialistic nature. Bravo to You.