Your master is not you.

Carl Jung argued against Nietzsche’s ‘overman’ philosophy, especially the idea that once God is dead to mankind there would be a great leap of enlightenment resulting in the creation of one’s own value structure. Jung believed that no man can create his own value system. Value creation is external, and the external value system directly impacts an individual’s motivation. We can’t merely tell ourselves to sustain a way of life. We are not our own slave. There are always outside forces pushing us. Motivating us. Scaring us. Shaming us. Robbing us. Complimenting us. Paying us. Preying us. Liking us. Working out is the greatest case study in Jung philosophy. 

New Year’s work out resolutions fail to launch in part because people believe self-affirmations and sheer willpower can fend off the opposition forces of years upon years of unhealthy behaviors and sloven ways. Yours truly included. There is no working out for work out sake in my Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It is an end to a means. I wanted to know the exact duration, the prize size, and when can I revisit ground zero bender. I fall back into bad ways before noon on January 1st without a short term end goal. A contest or competition is my preferred carrots on the stick. The beginning of this year has both; a weight loss contest at the day job during the first quarter, and then a swim competition in late April. I don't like to lose a $25 buy-in, nor do I desire to have my gut hang over my Speedo in front of 1000 of my closest swim friends... the latter is not something anyone wants to see or should be subjected to. After my Christmas holiday debauchery the belly is a bowl full of jelly.