Lessons from Opposite George
A great Seinfeld episode is where George Constanza starts acting in ways that are completely opposite of what he’s used to doing.
Usually a neurotic, insecure and self-loathing mess with a life that reflects this, George decides he’s had enough and the only solution is to do everything counter to what he’s done in the past.
Thus Opposite George is born.
He starts by ordering the opposite type of lunch. This leads to him asking a beautiful woman – a complete stranger whom he considers out of his league – on a date using the greatest pickup line ever:
“My name is George. I’m unemployed and I live with my parents.”
Of course she’s smitten, and it’s all gravy from there. Not only does he start dating this woman, the rest of his life completely changes for the better, such as he gets a killer job and stands up to two huge bullies.
As funny as this episode is, there are many lessons we all could learn from Opposite George and apply it to our fitness, though perhaps with much less wanton disregard for the consequences.
1. Change your thinking – Sometimes your thinking has to be reversed for things to work out.
Before, George was coming from his fearful mind, not his confident happy one. When he changed his thinking, everything fell into place.
2. Stop trying so hard – You don’t have to force anything. Usually when you force something it doesn’t happen or it goes bad. George put in the right amount of effort and just let things happen without expectation. He was in flow.
3. Don’t take yourself so seriously – What’s the worst that can happen, seriously? Is the world going to end if things don’t go your way? Does it mean you’re a big POS if someone doesn’t like you?
George stopped worrying about the outcome, how he looked and what others thought of him. He didn’t take things so personal. His neurosis was gone and he enjoyed life.
4. Trust – Trust that everything is going to work out just right in the big picture regardless of the immediate results. That’s real confidence.
If what you’ve been doing hasn’t been working, then follow the lessons of Opposite George and things will fall into place. Your fitness will make huge improvements.
If your typical thinking is that you’re a big, fat, weak, sloppy, unhealthy mess of a , then knock that off. Observe these thoughts and then start thinking the opposite, which is your truth: that you’re a strong, healthy, mean, lean animal machine.
Then you’ll start acting that way, and then your body will follow suit and match your thinking. And it’ll be true. Trust it.
All the best,
Eddie Baran
P.S. George’s new girlfriend, so impressed with him and puzzled by his uniqueness, asks “Who are you, George Costanza?”
“I’m the opposite of every guy you’ve ever met” was his reply.
Well put. Do the opposite of every exercise you’ve ever met.
