Real Recovery Talk: 86 - Brandon Lilly - A Conversation About Internal Healing, Finding Ourselves and Our Purpose and Helping Others

86 - Brandon Lilly - A Conversation About Internal Healing, Finding Ourselves and Our Purpose and Helping Others

Oct 3, 2019

Brandon Lilly is a strength coach and top ranked powerlifter. He was ranked as one of the strongest powerlifters of all time lifting over 2000 pounds in multiple classes. His Cube Method has also helped other men do the same and has helped women total over 1000 pounds.

After a devastating knee injury that required Brandon to have 17 surgeries, he ended up in bed with time for reflection. During this time, he realized that his powerlifting had become an obsession, and he had let most other aspects of his life fall by the wayside. Addiction can take many forms, and it doesn’t have to only apply to drugs and alcohol. As Brandon explains, it can even apply to powerlifting.

Show Notes:

[03:37] Brandon started to recognize that addiction is somewhat woven into the fabric of human existence. We all have addictive qualities to some degree.
[04:48] We've done a poor job of classifying people as broken, when they're not broken, they're just human.
[05:12] Brandon was so addicted to powerlifting that he made choices for the progression of the sport not the progression of himself. Powerlifting consumed who he was and his life.
[06:24] Brandon had a catastrophic injury that required multiple knee surgeries. When he wasn't able to power lift, it gave him time to take a pause and think about all that he had given up in order to powerlift.
[07:48] He knew the isolation and loneliness that he was feeling was going to be recurring if he didn't make some changes in his life.
[10:38] The first step may be changing the food or the drink, but there has to be a second and third step. Patterns have to be broken.
[16:38] Mark Bell had a similar experience when he was injured, and it was a pivotal moment in his life.
[18:51] Brandon experienced a lot of loss and wanted to use that to be the best in powerlifting, but he was alienating himself from his family while being obsessed with the sport.
[22:07] He had so many issues with his leg, because he wouldn't give up what was killing him. He should have only had 3 surgeries, but he had 17, because he wasn't taking care of himself.
[23:34] Brandon realized that he was exactly where he was, because that is where he put himself.
[24:30] For him, the powerlifting was a positive expression until it wasn't.
[26:24] We all have something that we are fighting against. Brandon was mad at the world for no reason.
[28:25] He was the smallest kid on the block and had a chip on his shoulder. He always felt like he needed more to be more.
[33:01] Success doesn't happen quickly, it's better to build something for life.
[37:50] People have to decide they want help on their own and not be forced into it.
[42:55] It's no effort to do the things that you are truly doing for yourself.
[44:23] Brandon speaks for himself and doesn't want to be controversial. He doesn't fall into the trap of trying to impress people anymore. He's very real about his struggles.
[52:18] It's important to have a community and find people who support you and help you reach your goals.
[59:09] Without the hard days, Brandon wouldn't be able to enjoy the sunrise that he enjoys now.
[01:06:31] If Brandon can make someone's life better with a smile, he'll smile.
[01:07:06] Brandon got very strong very fast when he started powerlifting. He wanted to be liked, followed, and make a living. Now he just wants to be a functional human.
[01:08:29] His workouts now consist of two heavy days one upper and one lower, two rep days one upper and one lower, and two speed days one upper and one lower. He takes one day off and also hikes three to four days a week.
[01:12:51] Hold on and recognize the small miracles and things that matter.

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