Im not going to toot my own horn because what MJ did and what I did are not even in the same universe, but as somebody who has done something that alot of people don't have the capacity to do, when your mindset is to succeed or reach a goal at all costs, it changes your makeup as a person that doesn't necessarily reflect who you are. You stop being that person that you actually are and the overriding will to succeed creates a cuntishness about you that can only be describe as sociopathic tendencies. Its like a personal defence mechanism that you create in your own head to block out any doubt of what you're doing so that you can achieve what you set out to do. Its tunnel vision and it becomes that "feck anything and anybody that gets in my way" type of mentality. Its not healthy at all, but sometimes you need to go to a place you dont want to go, to achieve what you want.
MJ won 6 rings, I lost 90 kg in weight over 12 months through only diet and exercise. I completely changed my personality and my lifestyle and to do that meant that I had to be completely driven in my pursuit to lose weight. Getting through those mental barriers that most people stop at with diet and exercise was not easy. Its one thing to do diet for 6-12 weeks, but to do it consistently and unrelentingly for 12 months and knowing that this was probably going to be for the rest of my life was hard. At points my caloric intake was half of my output (1500 intake for sometimes anywhere between 2500 and 3000 calories expendicture). If you've ever done a low carb diet, imagine that but non stop. I trained 3 hours day, 6 days a week while studying law and working a part time job in construction. It was heavy and it sucked, but I knew I had to do it.
Listening to MJ in episode 7 and his mentality that he held, resonates with how I felt at the time. I remember telling myself to keep me motivated, that I was going to do things that most people aren't willing to do. Its delusional and stupid and you can judge me for it, but its what I had to tell myself to do what I did. The results spoke and still speak for themselves. I wouldnt change what I did.
One thing that I completely agree with what MJ said is that winning and leadership comes at a price and most people aren't always willing to pay that fee. Its why the people who dont understand his mentality, are probably the types that wouldnt be willing to put themselves through what he did. They're not built the same way which is not to say thats a bad thing.
I can understand why Michael gets emotional because its exhausting being that person. I was that person for 12 months and I was tired. Michael did it for a whole career, as did Schumacher and Ferguson. It hurts knowing that you gave people this perception that you were an arsehole, sociopath etc when its not necessarily who you are. Its just, the place you had to be as a person to get what you wanted.