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Power station 18 - Longevity in Fitness

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By: 
Mike O'Hearn

Q. How does one acquire the longevity that you have in the industry? Why do you think you’ve stayed so famous and current for so long?

A. I think it has a lot to do with my incredible ability to believe in myself when it comes to my knowledge of health and fitness and this little world that I live in. I knew from a young age that this is what I wanted to do and I was good at it. I never wavered. I never doubted myself. I won’t doubt myself when it comes to lifting, or exercise, or nutrition, or how to get people in shape. Why I’ve stayed on top as long as I have is because my work ethic is incomparable to anybody else’s. I don’t train at the gym for people to see me. I train at the gym at 4:00 in the morning because it’s something that I love and have to do. It’s hard to beat somebody who never gives up. There’s a benefit to doing something you love so much, and that motivates people. Leonardo da Vinci didn’t just create for other people. He did it because he loved it and it was his passion, but people can still appreciate that. People like him don’t start off by trying to motivate the world and have people idolize them. I don’t understand people who do things only to motivate other people. I think that mentality is awesome. I think it’s the coolest thing in the world when someone comes up to me and says, “I lost 150 pounds just because I watched you and it motivated me.” I think that’s awesome, and I love that. But if that were a goal of mine, then it would be about others and not about what drives me. What I’m doing is going out and living my life to the fullest I possibly can, and if people can see that it’s possible to just live the life you want to live and f— everything else, then that’s great for them. People look at me and wonder why I travel with my dog everywhere. Because I can, and I love it, and I don’t care if you don’t love it. People wish they could do the same thing, so I just want to tell people to go out and live the life they want, and not care what other people think. Stop worrying about people judging you, because they’re going to do it regardless. For me, it’s something I love, and the benefit is motivating others, but that’s just a side effect. You can love me or hate me, but that doesn’t change anything. I love haters because I see the anger they have, but it doesn’t bother me that they hate me.

Watch a KILLER Arm training video with Mike O'Hearn here!

Photos courtesy of Thinkstock