There are two types of people in this world, those who accept responsibility for their lives and become self-sufficient, and those who avoid responsibility and leech onto others to hold them up.

There are those who accept their position in life and strive to be better, and those who are too afraid to take an honest look at themselves and avoid the discomfort of self-improvement. There are those who have a set of principles and do their best to live by them, and there are those who live morally when it is convenient.

The other day I came across some philosophy that emphasized this point, and it came from an unexpected source. I was reading the works of Mike Mentzer, a world-class bodybuilder and, surprisingly, a philosopher of sorts. Mentzer’s work not only focused on the building of the body and muscles, but on developing one’s moral and intellectual qualities to supplement physical development.

Mentzer claimed that mental and moral excellence complimented the physical when developed correctly, in the same way alchemists would say that a good mental quality would correspond to a good physical quality.

It is a concept similar to the Christian belief that the body is a temple. Strong moral belief leads to healthy habits, and care is taken to give the body the best that there is to offer, and naturally health is the result. Strong moral beliefs lead to healthy ways of thinking which, in turn, leads to a healthy way of being.

Mentzer believed in taking responsibility for one’s non-physical world, that one should be one’s own keeper, not relying on anyone or anything outside of oneself to regulate the inner workings.

“Rather than be like the creeping vine climbing up a tall tree where I could not stand alone, I prefer to be intellectually, emotionally, and morally self-sufficient.” – Mike Mentzer

Ask yourself: are you a tree, or are you a vine? Do you need someone else to regulate your thoughts, emotions, or morals? Do you cling to others because you cannot stand alone? Or are you like the tree, standing strong through the storm, roots dug deep into the earth, resolute and unwavering?

I’ve met a lot of people who are vines. They need others, and that’s not necessarily wrong because we need each other in different ways, but it becomes a detriment when your reliance on others means you will crumble if forced to stand on your own. We all need one another and that’s a beautiful part of being human, but dependency leads to trouble on both sides.

The tree is self-sufficient, and by being so, it provides shade and bears fruit for others. Think about the type of person you would want to be. Would you want to be the person that others can rely on in times of need, the one who can face challenges without having to hide behind someone else?

Do you wish to be self-sufficient and capable of providing shade and shelter to others without the fear of crumbling because you took on too much weight? Are you a tree that can provide support to others? Or are you a vine that has to cling to another just to survive?

A man who is in control of his thoughts, emotions and morals is like the tree and everyone around him benefits from his presence. He provides value because he is master of his own inner forces. He is not a vine that seeks to climb the tree to reach sunlight.

You should strive to be a tree, and be careful not to let too many vines creep up your sides, lest they eventually crowd out your sunlight and rob your air and water. It’s important to support those around you, but don’t overextend yourself and weigh yourself down until you aren’t caring for yourself.

If you find that you are a vine, ask yourself what you can do to become a tree. Read and learn and develop your intellect so you don’t need others to think for you. Establish your moral code and stand by your principles so you don’t need others to be your moral compass.

Regulate your emotions, so you are not tossed around like a leaf in the wind every time you experience a negative emotion. Most of the worst decisions we make aren’t because we are stupid or incompetent, those poor choices are made because we aren’t emotionally mature enough to make the right choice despite being sad, or angry, or jealous, tired or hurt.

You need to be morally, intellectually and emotionally self-sufficient to become a productive and powerful force in this world. Are you interested in being a contributing member of society, or are you satisfied being another man-child or woman-child that will never have the maturity to stand alone if need be?

We are all personally responsible for our own lives, and for the person we become. Take responsibility for being better. I was once a vine. I used to let my live choices be influenced by those around me when my peers were interested in being degenerates, and I was once one too.

I used to let my emotions get the best of me, and I’m still dealing with the consequences of some of those emotional life-decisions. I used to accept what others said as truth until I became intelligent and wise enough to find the answers myself.

Now I’m a tree. It took a long time to transform from vine to tree, but trees take a long time to grow. It took a lot of self-reflection and some painful realizations, but now I look back at that pain and strife I endured to become better with pride, knowing I needed that pain to become stronger.

I persevered through the discomfort, I became a tree and now I can stand alone. Now I can be a benefit to those around me because I’m in control of myself. I’m rooted in my principles. I’m committed to my learning and development, and I am wise enough to understand my emotions and not let them control me.

Be a tree. Be self-sufficient.

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