Do not let yourself be contaminated by others' ideas of what is best for you. Cast aside the shackles of destructive thinking.

My goal is to be a contributor and to encourage others as they realize their dreams.

I've never competed in powerlifting. But my goals weren't to be a powerlifter. My goals were to pack on size and get big, big, big.

Bodybuilding is an art, your body is the canvas, weights are your brush and nutrition is your paint. We all have the ability to turn a self portrait into a masterpiece.

My understanding about nutrition is not what I'd like it to be, so for a long time my dieting strategy was very crude. It's only very recently that I started to accept different ideas like using vegetables and natural seasonings that don't compromise the sodium and caloric value of the food while at the same time giving it some flavor. I'm still evolving; everybody is or at least should be in bodybuilding.

Nothing comes easy, but as long as you're breathing, you're always one breath away from making your dreams a reality. Make every breath count.

The greatest gift you can give someone is the space to be his or herself, without the threat of you leaving.