The Avengers. Justice League. Coon and Friends.
These groups of super heroes fight crime, defeat evil-doers, and kick ass all over the galaxy. Each “team” is composed of men and women who are the absolute best at what they do – they work together, build off each others’ strengths, compensate for each others’ weaknesses, and help when help is needed. Teamwork rules.
If you run into the Avengers (or if you’re a bad guy and trying to avoid them), you can expect:
- Technical mastery from Tony Stark, a.k.a. Ironman
- Incredible strength from Bruce Banner (the Hulk)
- An other-worldly asskicking via lightning and hammer from the mighty Thor.
- Muscular strength and endurance from the patriotic Captain America.
You’ll find similar stories with the Justice League – Superman, Batman, the Flash, Aquaman, Green Latern, Wonder Woman, and so on. Sure, individually each super hero is incredibly impressive. However, each person becomes stronger when combined with the unique skills and abilities of his/her super hero colleagues. The Flash is lightning fast, but there might be times where he needs help from Batman and his gadgets or Superman and his power of flight to save the day. As the saying goes, the “whole” can often be greater than the sum of its parts. Guys in tights and capes are no different.
I’ve rambled on about super heroes for a few paragraphs now…what for?
Because I have a simple question for you:
What are you bringing to the table?
I want to know what your “super power” is. Are you the guy/girl who loves to run and can get others to join? Are you a weight-lifting fanatic who gladly dishes out advice on how to get stronger at squats and deadlifts? Maybe you’re a hell of a cook and your friends always look forward to your next meal together. Maybe you’re not in the best shape, but your powers of persuasion (or guilt-tripping) are so strong that you can organize a fun run at work or a weekend hike to the mountains at a moment’s notice.
Or, are you the lazy guy who shows up late to everything, eats poorly, and complains about not having enough time?
I’ve already covered how to become a superhero in 4 easy steps. Today, you get to decide what your super power is, and how it can be used to improve the lives of those around you. As Olmec says in Legends of the Hidden Temple (yes I just referenced a 15-year old Nickelodeon TV show), “the choice is yours, and yours alone.”
Maybe you haven’t quite figured out your super power yet. Luckily, we live in a world where anything is possible, so you can decide what you want to have as a super power, and then go get it. You can even make up your own epic destiny as to how you GOT that power.
My story: I wanted to become the go-to nerd for fitness, diet, and travel advice. Sure I didn’t study fitness in school, and I had never been out North America, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t acquire these skills and get really good at them. Batman and Ironman weren’t born with any super powers either; they had to learn and create to become super heroes. That’s not bad company to be part of.
Once Your Power Is Decided
Do you have your super power decided? Do you know what you want your special ability to be? GOOD. Now use it. Get better at it. Read books, spend time on forums, test yourself, and increase your abilities. Want to know what the best and fastest way to increase your knowledge and power in a particular skill?
Teach somebody else to do it.
I started Nerd Fitness with just a passion for fitness and not a lot of knowledge. As the days, weeks, months, years went on, I took readers’ questions and did my best to learn everything I could about the subject they wanted to learn about. Whether it was barefoot running, the paleo diet, diet soda, parkour, or not sucking at working out, I soaked up as much info as possible from multiple sources and then “presented it to the class.” I’m still not an expert, but I know more than most and can teach those that are less knowledgeable than me. I have gurus like Mike, Shawn, and Jason who I can turn to when I have questions that I can answer.
I’ve learned that my passion for helping people with fitness and wellness is equaled only by my desire to learn MORE about fitness and wellness. I have become a sponge for knowledge.
Shut up, being a sponge can be a cool super power!
The Nerd Fitness Hall of Heroes
Have you been on the Nerd Fitness message boards before? They’re full of super heroes, each with his or her own special abilities. Superhuman strength-machines, endurance maniacs, Parkour geniuses, and hundreds of others share their knowledge and offer up advice to fellow rebels, free of charge. It’s a pretty awesome community that gets better by the day.
So let’s hear it: what is your super power?
If you don’t have one yet, what do you WANT it to be?
-Steve
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